NEW SOUTH WALES. 3 the China ships— the only difficulty —added Matra— I 1784 can think of in the way of the South Sea scheme." The repeated and emphatic reference to Sir Joseph Banks, sir JoMph which appears in the course of Matra's paper, shows that the distinguished naturalist had signified his approval of it in strong terms. It may be inferred that his personal influ- ence with the Grovemment, which was very great, had been exerted in favour of the project, and it was undoubtedly at his suggestion that Botany Bay was selected as the field of operations when it was resolved to colonise New South Wales. Thirteen years had passed since he had collected his botanical specimens about the shores of the bay, and during that time no movement had been made for the occupation of the country ; although he had given strong Evidence evidence in favour of it before a select committee of the oonunittee. House of Commons in 1779. The Coalition Government having remained in office only a few months — from April to December, 1783 — it is not Political probable that any colonising project, however sound in itself, could have met with much consideration in the midst of the political uncertainties which surrounded the Cabinet. On the formation of Pitt's administration, Matra seems to have renewed his negotiations on the subject, and pressed the matter on the attention of Lord Sydney. It was referred by the Minister to Lord Howe,* the First Lord of the The Admiralty, for his opinion of it, and the Admiral's ideas consulted. were communicated immediately afterwards in a remarkable letter to his lordship, dated 26 December, 1784: — I return, my dear lord, the papers you left with me to-day, Lo,d Howe's which are copies only of the former sent to me on the same sub- ^^p*""®"- jeet on Friday evening. Should it be thought advisable to increase the number of our settlements on the plan Mr. Matra has suggested, I imagine it would be necessary to employ ships of a different construction.
- Lord Howe was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty on the formation
of Pitt's Cabinet. He was George the Third's '< favourite Admiral.'* — Jesse, Memoirs, vol. iii, p. 204. Digitized by Google
