Page:Transportation and colonization.djvu/78

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64
TRANSPORTATION

afterwards unfortunately induced to recede, in consequence of the refusal of government to extend the laws of England to the settlement.

If these intentions of the founders of the colony of New South Wales had been followed up; if the reiterated recommendations of the first governor of that colony had been duly attended to, and the requisite means employed to induce agricultural and other emigrants of reputable character and industrious habits to emigrate to the new settlement; if, for instance, in addition to the encouragement proposed to be held out to such emigrants by Governor Phillip, a moderate salary had been guaranteed to any Protestant minister, of approved character and zeal, and of whatever communion, who should accompany each small detachment of emigrants proceeding to New South Wales, of not less than twenty families each, to dispense the ordinances of religion to these families, and to whatever convicts might be employed either in their service or in their vicinity,—the happiest results would doubtless have been realized. In particular, the settlement would have been able to supply itself with the necessaries of life at a much earlier period than it actually was; a state of things, which would have saved the government, in the way of outlay for imported grain, as much as it would have cost them to form