274 A HISTORY OP THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



not completed their sentences, and could only be landed in Australia 

 under the limitations of a ticket-of-leave. Thus they required police 

 supervision from the day of their arrival, and to ensure to the New 

 South Wales authorities the necessary legal control, the British 

 Cabinet revoked the Order in Council by which, in 1840, New 

 South Wales had ceased to be a place for the reception of convicts. 



This official restoration of New South Wales to the status of a 

 convict colony greatly intensified the agitation, but it received its 

 final condemnation from all classes when it was learned from a 

 despatch that the experimental shipment of prisoners was sent 

 forward without making any provision for the despatch of the equal 

 number of free immigrants stipulated for. The excuse offered was 

 that the British Parliament was just at the end of its session, and 

 the finances of the country did not justify Ministers in asking for a 

 vote for free immigration. The repeated appeals of the colonists for 

 labour at any cost had induced the Government to take this step ; 

 but if they had mistaken the wishes of the people, they would not 

 send any more convicts. Further, they would apply to Parliament 

 next year for a vote to enable them to send the relative number of 

 free immigrants represented by these shipments. 



Of the two ships which had been chartered, the Hashemy was 

 ordered to Sydney and the Bandolph to Port Phillip. News of 

 the projected sailing of these vessels reached Melbourne through 

 the agency of Mr. Jackson, the official representative in London 

 of the colony of Van Diemen's Land. A public meeting was at 

 once called to protest against the breach of faith with the settlers, 

 most of whom, they held, had emigrated on the distinct assurance 

 that Port Phillip should never be a convict settlement. 



It happened, fortunately, that the Governor, Sir Charles Fitzroy, 

 was then (March, 1849) in Melbourne on a visit, and a deputation 

 waited upon him to declare that in the present temper of the people 

 a serious riot would inevitably result from any attempt to land the 

 prisoners. As their representations were backed up by resolutions 

 of the City Council, and by the whole Magistracy of the district, 

 the Governor gave his promise that until the views of the settlers 

 had been made known to the Home Government, no convicts should 

 be allowed to land. Before he left he authorised Mr. Latrobe to 



