favour. It was testified that he had been a gallant officer,
and had fought at the taking of Seringapatam. King gave
him a pardon "conditional on his not leaving the colony,"
and availed himself of his services in teaching "the use
of our few cannon.' He had previously forwarded (1st
March 1802) a petition for the king's clemency, respectfully
supporting it himself."[1]
Duelling was not in those days socially reprehended; and, if it had been, the New South Wales Corps could hardly have ostracised a stranger for it, when their own colonel had recently fought with one of his captains.
Bellasis was kindly received in Sydney. Two days after appointing his body-guard, the Governor notified that he had appointed Mr. G. B. Bellasis "to be a lieutenant of artillery, and to rank as such in this colony, being charged with the inspection and direction of the batteries and cannon in this settlement; and also as commandant of the Governor's body-guard of cavalry." The Governor was independent of the New South Wales Corps, and finding this to be the case, the defeated Paterson permitted Ensign Barrallier to be King's aide-de-camp.
These proceedings may appear trivial, but the records of them are the floating relics which show the conditions of the time, and the weapons with which King waged war against the dangerous notions encouraged amongst the military by Grose and Paterson, and unchecked by Hunter. It is to the honour of King and of the military that in time of danger no disagreement on other subjects prevented them from addressing themselves with whole-hearted energy to the duty of the day, as was shown in the prompt suppression of the insurrection in 1804. In Dec. 1804 we find Major Johnston, who had gallantly aided in putting down the rebellion in the previous March, writing thus to Piper at Norfolk Island: "His Excellency has not as yet refused me anything I have requested of him for the comfort of the soldiers."
- ↑ After some delay Lord Hobart, on full consideration of the case, and of the conduct of Mr. Bellasis, despatched (Nov. 1803) a free pardon. The Governor had anticipated it. Bellasis office required him to take a principal part in the ceremonies" attendant on the King's birthday in June 1803, when the Royal standard was displayed for the first time in the colony, and King gave him a free pardon on the occasion.
