intended. 28 PHILLIP'S COMMISSION. 1787 and Qovemor-in- Chief in and over our territory called New ^^ South Wales, extending from the northern Cape or extremity defined. of the coast Called Cape York to the southern extremity or South Capoj* and of all the country inland westward as far as the 135th degree of east longtitude, including all the islands adjacent in the Pacific Ocean; and of all towns, garrisons, castles, forts, and all other fortifications or other military works which may be hereafter erected upon the said territory or any of the said islands.'^ coioniaatioii The jurisdiction thus created was evidently designed to answer a higher purpose than that of establishing a place for the reception of convicts. Any of the adjacent islands in the Pacific Ocean — ^Norfolk Island or New Caledonia, for instance — ^might have been sufficient for that purpose, and might probably have been even better adapted to it than the mainland ; but the territory placed under Phillip^s administration comprised the best half of New Holland, and taking possession of it was in fact taking possession of the whole. That the intention of the British Government in occupying New South Wales was to colonise it is further shown in the direction — "that you take the oath required to be taken by Governors in the plantations, to do their utmost that the several laws relating to trade and the plan- Trade and tations be duly observed.'^ The laws referred to were the mmga on (531^13^^^^^ Trade and Navigation Laws, passed for the for his execution. *He meant well,' says Stokes, 'but being a military man, conceived tbat as he had power to reprieve after sentence, he had power to execute also when he pleased, and the criminal was actually hanged as the Governor ordered, nor could his Excellency be persuaded that, by this very act, he was himself committing felony. ' And of another military Governor, it is said that he ' took it into his head to suspend a gentleman from his seat in the Council, for no other reason than marrying his daughter without his consent. ' "
- By the South Cape was then meant the southern extremity of Van
Diemen*s Land, discovered and named by Tasman. " A point much like the Bam Head, off Plymouth, which I take to be the same that Tasman calls South Cape, bore north four leagues off us. — Captain Fumeaux's Narrative, 9 March, 1773. Van Diemen's Land was supposed, until the discovery of Bass's Straits, to form part of New Holland. " Van Diemen's Land has been twice visited before. I need hardly say that it is the southern point of New Holland."— Cook's Third Voyage, voL i, p. 103, January, 1777. Digitized by Google
