Published by W Clements and J Sadler, London, in 1789, this rare publication is thought to be the earliest description of the British colony in New South Wales being dated 1789 only one year after the planting of the flag by Governor Arthur Philip. The text was taken from a series of articles published in the London Chronicle newspaper. The articles were based on ‘interviews’ from various crew members from the Prince of Wales, the Borrowdale and the Alexander, transport ships returning to England from Sydney Cove throughout 1789. The authorship of this compilation was attributed to ‘an Officer’. The name of the "Officer" is unknown. This edition is held in only three other libraries.
The Introduction of this book starts with the following (in Old English Our modern "s" if often shown as "f") -
The public curiofity had been excited to fuch a degree, to fee this diftant part of the globe, that feveral committed robberies in order to their being tranfported thither.
The Officer's view of transportation was an optimistic one -
To the generosity and public spirit of this nation, those culprits who had forfeited every title to indulgence, were provided with every necssity, and most amply suplied with sufficient quantities of all sorts of provisions for three years. They had also live stock, feeds of all sorts, surgeons to attand to them there, homes ready framed for setting up, and all sorts of tools that were thought necessary were sent in abundance, so that if they considered rightly, they are under very advantageous circumstances, first they travel at their country's expenditure; second they begin a new life, for had they stayed at home, it is a great chance if nine out of ten had not been hanged before the end of seven years.