220 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



fleeces to London, for inspection and opinion. Meanwhile, 

 his flocks and his acres increased " by leaps and bounds." 



In 1803 Mac Arthur was sent to England under arrest, 

 because of a duel in which he was concerned. As it 

 happened, he was the very man wanted in London at the 

 time. Manufacturers in wool all over the country had 

 got wind of the soft and beautiful wool that had come 

 from New South Wales. They sent Memorial after 

 Memorial to the Office for Trade and Plantations. But 

 there was one important person who was indisposed to 

 see any particular merit in this wool : Sir Joseph Banks. 

 Mr. Fawkener wrote from the Office making him ac- 

 quainted with the Memorials, and asking his sentiments 

 on the subject ; for Captain Mac Arthur represented to 

 the Ministry that he had found " from an experience 

 of many years that the climate of New South Wales 

 is peculiarly adapted to the increase of fine-woolled sheep, 

 and that from the unlimited extent of luxuriant pastures 

 with which that country abounds, millions of those 

 valuable animals may be raised in a few years with but 

 little expense than the hire of a few shepherds." Banks 

 replied that he had seen some fleeces from New South 

 Wales, but none equal to the best piles of old Spain. He 

 had no reason to believe that the climate of Australia was 

 better calculated for the production of fine wool than that 

 of the temperate climates. " I am confident that the 

 natural grass of the country is tall, coarse, and reedy, and 

 very different from the short and sweet mountain grass 

 of Europe, upon which sheep thrive to the best ad- 

 vantage. ... I confess I have my fears that the Captain 

 has been too sanguine in his wishes to give a favourable 

 report of the country, and that it will be found on enquiry 

 that sheep do not prosper with them unless in lands that 

 have been prepared for their reception with some labour 

 and expense." 



It was a long, and it must be said lazy-minded, letter, 



