Macquarie Harbour . 
113 
Charlotte , Clyde , and Shamrock , of about 50 tons each ; 
the schooners Penelope , Shannon , Badger , Kangaroo , 
Industry , of about 25 tons each; twenty-two launches, 
of from 5 to 10 tons each; forty-six small boats. Pre¬ 
vious to Mr. Hoy’s arrival, the brig Derwent , schooners 
Sorell and Despatch , sloop Opossum , lighter James 
Lucas , and several launches and whale boats had been built. 
This does not include the boats for the use of the Settle¬ 
ment, repairs to sundry vessels, &c. 
The whole work in the dockyard was performed by 
comparatively few convicts, thirty-six to thirty-eight 
being the usual number of men employed there, and. 
not more than three of these had served their appren¬ 
ticeship to either ship or boatbuilding; and, indeed, very 
few of them knew the use of sharp-edged tools. 
The method adopted by Mr. Hoy was to select from 
the draughts as they arrived, such men as appeared ac¬ 
tive, and willing to be taught, and who were under a long 
sentence to the Settlement. These men, according to 
their capacity and inclination, were placed as shipwrights, 
boat-builders, blacksmiths, or sawyers : some of them in 
time became efficient and good workmen, whilst others, 
not realizing the hopes that were entertained of them, 
were turned into the labouring gangs. The great expense 
that would be incurred by the number of officers, of troops* 
&c. necessary for the discipline of an establishment where 
convicts are employed, would most probably render it 
unprofitable to procure timber from, and build vessels 
at Macquarie Harbour for the use of Government; 
but I have no doubt that, could an individual or a com¬ 
pany obtain from Government a lease of Macquarie 
Harbour for a certain period, say seven years, to engage 
in procuring timber, and at the same time building a few 
vessels, such as are most required in the Colony, it would 
be found a most lucrative undertaking. 
vol. ii. no. vii* i 
