sums drawn, occasioned a representation by your Lordship's predecessor to His Royal Highness, who ordered Colonel Paterson, then in England, to rejoin the corps (1799). I was soon after lespatched on the most unpopular errand, to supersede the Governor, put a stop to officers' trading and dealing in spirituous liquors, destroy the oppressive monopolies that had so long existed, and to make a total reform in the expensive and dishonourable plans which had prevailed so long. On arriving I found the same practices prevailing, and as soon as decency towards the late Governor admitted I took the measures stated in the enclosure."
Instructions were framed in England. King arrived in Sydney on the 15th April 1800. Hunter was loth to lay down his authority. On the 8th May King wrote earnestly to the Earl of Mornington in India to request his aid for an object in which the interests of humanity and of His Majesty's service are so materially concerned. The quantities of this poison (rum) thrown into this colony would be truly distressing to your Lordship's feelings could you be informed of the evils attendant thereon." To Major Foveaux, acting Lt.-Governor at Norfolk Island, he sent (June 1800) the detailed instructions, which he was unable to obtain Hunter's consent to promulgate in Sydney until September. He added warnings from himself.
Meanwhile, he assisted Hunter in general affairs at Sydney. But the spirit traffic[1] continuing, and fresh importations being dreaded, he was constrained to urge Hunter to permit him to reveal to the officers the nature of the new instructions devised to control the irregularities which had abounded amongst them and others. It was hard for Hunter to acquiesce, and perhaps unintentionally he increased his successor's difficulties. Enclosing all his correspondence with Hunter to the Duke of Portland, King pointed out "the embarrassing situation in which I have been placed from the moment of my arrival until Governor Hunter's departure."
The new instructions (framed after consultation with Phillip and King) said:—
"And whereas it has been humbly represented to His Majesty that the greatest evils have arisen from the unrestrained importation of spirituous
- ↑ Despatch—King (14th Nov. 1801) to the Duke of Portland. "So great was the faine of the propensity of the inhabitants of this colony to the immoderate use of spirits, and the certainty of getting any amount of payment in government bills, that I believe all the nations of the earth agreed to inundate this colony with spirits."
