SIR JOSEPH BASKS. 
I 2<S 
Desirous of extending his knowledge and being of an enterprising 
nature, he wrote to Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, 
expressing his desire to be employed as a botanical collector abroad. 
Sir Joseph Banks’ reply and advice came in due course.* * * § He offered 
him a post as working gardener at Kew, to prepare him for higher 
work. I 
iianks writes to Under Secretary King,J 13th December, 1798: — 
I liave with me a young man who has for more than three years studied practical 
botany and horticulture under my directions, and who has, without the advantages^ 
of wliat is called a liberal education, made a considerable progress in both these 
branches of useful knowledge. 
I took him under my care because he appear’d to me to have a natural bent 
towards these studies, and because he assur’d me that he felt an irresistible impulse- 
to travel into foreign parts, and a full persuasion that he should be able to discover 
something useful to the manufactures of his native town, Manchester. I intended 
to have recommended him to his Majestie’s service as a botanist traveUing for the 
improvement of Kew Garden, had a vacancy happen’d in that department, which 
I expected would have been the case. 
He is young, full of health, and abounding with zeal for his favourite pursuit, 
and is at present without em])loyment. I have, therefore, determin’d, if the Duke 
of Portland will grant me ])erinission, to send him to Xew South Wales, where he 
will find an ample field for his researches. 
The young man was George Caley, and he was allowed a free passage 
to New South Wales in the “Porpoise” (1) in (October. 1798, but did 
not sail till September, 1799. Owing to a storm in the Bay of Biscay 
she returned, most of the passengers going on to Sydney in the 
“ Speedy,” but Suttor went in “ PorpoLse,” (2). See pp. 57 and 210. 
Under Secretary King the following day wrote to Governor Hunter,§ 
informing him that the Duke of Portland, Secretary of State for the 
Colonies, had approved of Caley’s receiving the customary ration from 
the iHiblic stores, together with suitable accommodation. 
Banks followed this up with a letter to Governor Hunter, 1st 
February, 1799, in which occurs the passage, “ He is hardy and bold. 
His skill in botany is much beyond what his appearance promises, and 
he has some smattering in other sciences.” 
Vol. iii, “ Historical Records,” contains a number of letters between 
Banks and Caley, during the period which elapsed before Caley’s 
ship sailed. The delay fidgeted Caley a good deal, and Banks, whose 
protege Caley w'as, sent him remittances. 
Lieut.-Governor King also came out in the “ Speedy,” which touched 
• Hist. Rec., iii, 516. 
t Another Lancashire working-man botanist wlioni Banks encouraged was John Bradbury of 
Stalybridge, author of “ Travels in tlie Interior of -America,” and afterwards Curator of the Botanic 
Garden of St. Louis, U.S.A. See the Loiirashirc Sntiira/ist for March, 1908. 
J Hist. Rec., iii, 515. See also footnote at p. 516, giving an account of Caley prior to his leaving, 
for Xew South Wales. 
§ Ib., 517. 
II Ih., 532. 
