162 THE DISCOVERY OF PORT DALRYMPLE. 



2.— THE OCCUPATION OF THE TAMAR. 



Possibly Governor King, if left to himself, would have 

 been contented, at least for the time, with the establish- 

 ment of the Colony at the Derwent as a sufficient 

 safeguard against French designs. But the apprehensions 

 of the Home Government had been thoroughly aroused 

 by the Governor's despatches pressing the urfent necessity 

 of occupying certain points in Bass Straits and Van 

 Diemen's Land to prevent the probable intrusion of 

 French claims to the territory. It was the consideration 

 of these despatches which had led to the writing of the 

 Minute of December, 1802, quoted in a former paper, 

 and to the sending of Governor Collins to Port Phillip 

 with instructions to place a post on King's Island also. 

 The Cabinet, however, was not yet satisfied with the 

 precautions taken, and six months later Lord Hobart 

 24 June, 1803. addressed a despatch* (24th June, 1803, p. 429) to 

 Governor King, in the following terms : — 



" It appears to be advisable that a part of the establish- 

 ment now at Norfolk Island should be removed, together 

 with a proportion of the settlers and convicts, to Port 

 Dalrymple, the advantageous position of which, upon the 

 southern coast of Van Diemen's Land, and near the 

 eastern entrance of Bass' Straights, renders it, in a political 

 view, peculiarly necessary that a settlement should be 

 formed there, and as far as the reports of those who have 

 visited that coast can be depended upon, it is strongly 

 recommended by the nature of the soil and the goodness 

 of the climate." 



The despatch proceeded to designate Lieutenant-Colonel 

 Wm. Paterson of the New South Wales Corps, 

 Lieutenant-Governor under Governor King, as the 

 Administrator of the new Colony, at a salary of ,£250 a 

 year. 



Lord Hobart's despatch was very perplexing to King. 

 The direction to occupy Port Dalrymple was too positive 

 to be disregarded, and yet the grotesquely inaccurate 

 description of Port Dalrymple as on the southern^ coast 

 of Van Diemen's Land, and near the eastern entrance of 

 Bass Straits, introduced an element of uncertainty that 



* As an instance of the roundabout way"hi" which evenlniportant 

 Government Despatches reached the Colony in those days, it may be 

 m entioned that Lord Hobart's despatch was landed at Norfolk Island 

 by the Adorms whaler, and brought thence to Port Jackson by the 

 Alexander whaler. 



t It does not seem to have struck King that "southern" was 

 probably merely a clerical error for " northern." In fact, this is the 

 only possible explanation. 



