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SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT BOTANY BAY: THE LONDON CHRONICLE

February 8-10 & 19-22, 1791: The first includes a lengthy report on Sir Charles Bunbury's speech and the subsequent debate in the House of Commons, on the subject of the "settlement of Botany Bay" and the "delayed disposal of convicts" there. Mr Jekyll observed that "he had many doubts of the policy of the system of colonizing New South Wales......The Chancellor of the Exchequer admitted....that the sending of such a number of convicts to Botany Bay, if it was not known to be capable of receiving them, would be a measure for which Ministers ought to to be highly responsible...."; the second edition includes a follow-up report from the House of Commons in which Colonel Tarleton observes that "after noticing the loss of the Sirius, and the narrow escape of the crew, proceeded to shew that the settlement was under the apprehension of famine, thatthey were as much cut off from communication with mankind, as if they were stationed in the Moon...He concluded by reprobating the sending out of more convicts, or rather victims, to such a place, which he considered to be a measure repugnant to humanity and expedience." (2 editions)