THE PEOVaST-MABSHAL. 317 amount of convict labour^ as well as provisions for two 1788 years, under proper regulations. In deference to his urgent » July- and repeated representations on this head, the Government ultimately consented to adopt his suggestions ; and from tliat point the prosperity of the colony may be said to have begun. But no free settlers were sent out until 1793. The natLves are far more numerous than thej were supposed to be. I think they cannot be less than one thousand five hundred in Botany Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, including *heThetat«rior intermediate coast. I have traced them thirty miles inland, and, having lately seen smoke on Landsdown Hills, which are fifty miles inland, I think leaves no doubt but that there are inhabitants in the interior parts of the country. Lists of what articles are most wanted will be sent by the Com- aothing missary ; and I am very sorry to say that not only a great part of Sad rprovi- the cloathing, particularly the women's, is veiy bad, but most of ■*°"" *^°**^* the axes, spades, and shovels the worst that ever were seen. The provision is as good. Of the seeds and com sent from England, part has been destroyed by the weevil ; the rest is in good order. The person I have appointed Provost-Marshall is likewise very somo useful useful in superintending the carpentera The person sent out by ^^^'^ the contractor, who assists the Commissary in the delivery of pro- visions, one that was derk of the Sirius, a master sudth, and two farmers, are very useful people, and I beg leave to recommend them to Government The granting them lands would draw their attAu- tion from their present occupations. The person appointed Provost-Marshal was Henry Brewer, a midshipman of the Sirius, who was appointed on the ^JJ^^**^ voyage out, as mentioned by Phillip in one of his letters from Bio. The title was a military one, and in the army the duties of the office were analogous to those of the head of a poUce department.* The Provost-Marshal appointed by
- Under the Articles of War existing before the Army Act, Provost-
Manhais possessed the power of punishing those whom they detected in the aotaaf oommission of crime, the punishment being limited by the necessity of the case and the orders received by them from the Ck>mmander of the forces in the field. This power was frequently exercised. The Duke of Wellington wrote of it :— *' By the custom of British armies, the Provost has been in the habit of punishing on the spot, even with death, under the orders of the Commanaer-in-Cmef, soldiers found in the act of Digitized by Google
