THE FOUNDING OF AUSTRALIA 215 



in the South Seas ; one of them for New South Wales 

 to be immediately under your direction, and in which 

 Sir George Young, Lord Sandwich, Lord Mulgrave, Mr. 

 Colman, and several others are concerned. ... I have 

 frequently revolved such plans in my mind, and would 

 prefer embarking in such to anything that I am likely 

 to get in this Hemisphere/' 1 



Mr. Matra seems to have become the voice of this 

 casual committee of Sir Joseph Banks, Sir George Yonge, 

 and others. He published (under date of August 23) 

 A Proposal for Establishing a Settlement in New South 

 Wales, the gist of which is as follows : 



The project would, in course of time, atone for the loss 

 of our American colonies. The climate was favourable, 

 and the country offered inducements for adventure and 

 exploration. " It would afford an asylum to those un- 

 fortunate American loyalists to whom Great Britain is 

 bound by every tie of honour and gratitude to protect 

 and support, where they may repair their broken fortunes 

 and again enjoy their former domestic felicity," etc. 

 Details of plans for carrying out the project were sug- 

 gested for consideration. The scheme was approved 

 by many intelligent Americans. Lastly, the writer 

 eulogized the liberal and splendid spirit of Sir Joseph 

 Banks, who was prepared to support his opinion in 

 favour of it all with His Majesty's Government when they 

 chose to consult him. 2 



That the idea was popular is manifest by Matra's 

 concluding remark, that he was pestered with letters 

 about it. The Coalition Government was approached, 

 but Fox and North went out of office in December, and 

 the thing was shelved. Early in 1784 the new Ministry 

 gave it some attention. Lord Sydney proposed to im- 

 prove the plan by connecting with it a convict settlement, 



1 Addl. MSS., 33977/206 



2 Historical Records of N.S. Wales, vol. I, pt. 2, xxv. 



