vi PROCEEDINGS, APRIL. 



with Melbourne or Sydney, with their magnificent resources, still the 

 expenses incidental to the honour of the position, and the call to 

 reciprocate in some degree the attentions shown to the Tasmanian 

 representatives in the colonies mentioned, must necessarily be consider- 

 able. It may also be mentioned, in conclusion, as a good omen of success, 

 that our painstaking and energetic secretary, Mr. Alexander Morton, has 

 accepted the position of local honorary secretary for the occasion ; and a 

 general desire was expressed that our own highly-esteemed president,. 

 His Excellency Sir Robert Hamilton, would consent to officiate as 

 president of the Association for its meeting in Hobart in 1892. 

 (Applause). 



THE SETTLEMENT OP NORTHERN TASMANIA. 



Mr. J. B. Walker read a paper on " The Discovery and Occupation 

 of Port Dairy mple. " The writer began by remarking that the discovery 

 of Southern Tasmania belonged to the ancient epoch of Australian 

 history, but the discovery of Northern Tasmania to the modern period 

 150 years later, when Port Jackson had already been settled. The 

 exploration of Bass Straits and of Port Dalrymple was the work of Bass 

 and Flinders. A sketch of the daring voyage of Bass from Sydney to 

 Western Port in an open boat, and of the" discovery of Port Dalrymple 

 and circumnavigation of Tasmania by Flinders and Bass in the little 

 25-ton sloop Norfolk in 1798, followed. The northern settlement was 

 made by order of Lord Hobart, Secretary of State for the Colonies, for 

 political reasons, to prevent the French getting a footing in 

 Bass Straits. Colonel Paterson was appointed Lieut. -Governor of the 

 New Settlement, and left Port Jackson on June 7, 1804, with 20 convicts 

 and a guard of 20 soldiers. The ships were driven back by gales, but in 

 October following a new attempt was made, and this time was successful 

 H.M.S. Buffalo.assisted by the schooners Integrity and Francis and 

 the armed tender Lady Nelson conveyed the expedition, which cons'isted 

 of 67 military, under the command of Capt. Anthony Fenn Kemp and 

 74 convicts. Dr. Mountgarrett was surgeon, and Mr. Alex. Reilly 

 storekeeper. The vessels were separated by a gale on the voyage down 

 and the Buffalo on entering the River Tamar ran aground near Outer 

 Cove (George Town). The prisoners and stores were accordingly landed 

 there on November 10, 1804, and formal possession was taken the next 

 day. Huts were erected at Outer Cove, and the settlement established 

 there, while Lieut Governor Paterson went up the river to examine the 

 country. He went up the North Esk some miles in his boat, and con- 

 sidered the county better than any that had been up to that time 

 discovered, either in Van Diemen s Land or New South Wales On his 

 return, however he chose as his headquarters, a site at the head of the 

 shallow inlet of Western Arm where the land was bad Mr Walker 

 thought that Paterson's reasons for what seemed such an extraordinary 

 choice were to be sought in the policy of the Home Government whose 

 object was to establish military posts near the entrances of harbours to 

 be maintained by convict labour, and not to found colonies in the 

 modern sense. In March 1805, Paterson moved his headquarters to the 

 new site, which he named York Town, but still retained the settlement 

 at Outer Cove (George Town.) At this time the colony contained about 

 200 people, afterwards increased to 300. After about 12 months York 

 Town was found so unsuitable that Paterson in March 1806, removed 

 his headquarters to the banks of the North Esk, on the present site of 

 Launceston. *ork lown was not finally abandoned until a year later 

 The site of this early settlement is about five miles north-west of 

 Beaconsfield, at the head of Western Arm, nearly opposite to Georse 

 Town. No remains exist of the buildings erected by Lieut-Governor. 

 Paterson in 1804. 



