An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales Volume II Part 25

An excellent framed bridge was built over Duck-river, capable of bearing the weight of several heavy loaded carriages at one time.

At Sydney a good granary, 72 feet in length by 21 in width, with two floors, was built out of the ruins of a mill-house, which had been erected with much labour and expense by Lieutenant-governor Grose, there not being a building of that description at Sydney.

Built a framed and weather-boarded house on the Green-hills at the Hawkesbury, for the residence of the commanding officer of that district.

This house was shingled, and furnished with a cellar, a kitchen, and other accommodations, and surrounded with paling.

Erected a second strong wind-mill tower at Sydney, 36 feet in height.

This tower, before it was covered in, was so damaged by a storm which continued during three days, that it was taken down, and was rebuilt and completed.

A weather-boarded store-house with two wings was built at Sydney, and on the burning of the church was converted into a temporary place of worship.

At Parramatta a weather-boarded granary, 140 feet in length, was built for the reception of maize. This building was shingled.

Built a complete smith's shop for forges at Sydney.

Erected at Sydney an excellent brick granary, 100 feet long and 22 wide, with three floors. An addition was made to this building about 70 feet in length, for a kiln for drying the grain.

Built a range of barracks at Sydney for three officers.

Erected a handsome church at Parramatta, 100 feet in length and 44 in width, with a room 20 feet long, raised on stone pillars, and intended for a vestry or council room. (See the Plate.)

Began the foundation of a church at Sydney, but of larger dimensions.

Built a tower steeple at the same place for a town clock; and some time afterwards, having been much damaged by the same storm that injured the wind-mill, it was repaired at the south angle, and the whole made good with plaster, and coated with lime.

Built an apartment of brick in the yard of the old gaol, before it was burnt, for debtors, containing three rooms.

Paled in a naval yard on the west side of the cove, and erected within it a joiner's and a blacksmith's shop, with sheds for the vessels while repairing, and for the workmen; with a steamer, a storehouse, a warder's lodge, and an apartment for the clerk.

Build a commodious stone-house, near the naval yard, for the master boat-builder.

Began and nearly finished a handsome and commodious stone gaol at Sydney; with separate apartments for debtors, and six strong and secure cells for condemned felons.

A large and elegant government house was erected at Parramatta, the first being too small, and the framing so much gone to decay that the roof fell in. The present building is s.p.a.cious and roomy, with cellars and an attic storey.

Built a neat thatched hut in the government garden at Parramatta, for the gardener.

Built a new dispensary, and removed the pannelled hospital to a more convenient situation, raising it upon a stone foundation. At the same time was erected a new hospital store.

Prepared the foundation of a new powder magazine.

Raised a frame, and thatched the roof of an open barn at the Ninety Acres, and laid a threshing floor.

Fenced and surrounded the military barracks with lofty paling.

Paled in a cooperage adjoining the provision store at Sydney. Cleansed from filth the public tanks at the same place, and surrounded them and the spring-head with paling.

Enlarged by a scalene building running the whole length of each house, the dwellings of the princ.i.p.al surgeon, the senior a.s.sistant-surgeon, and the deputy-surveyor; which gave an additional accommodation of two rooms to each house.

Built a military hospital and dispensary at Sydney, and an officer's guard room at the main guard.

Built sheds for the boats belonging to government when hauled on sh.o.r.e.

Repaired a house for a school at Sydney, plastered, white-washed, and coated it with lime.

Erected houses within the precincts of the hospital at Sydney, for the nurses and attendants while on duty.

Laid a new foundation, rebuilt part of the walls, and completely repaired the wet provision store at Parramatta, it being in a very ruinous condition.

Enclosed several stock yards for cattle, and repaired the old sheds at Parramatta, Toongabbie, and Portland Place. In the latter district, the timber of 120 acres was cut down, and nearly half (that of 50 acres) burnt off, a small township marked out, and a few huts built.

Raised also a variety of inferior buildings.

The inclosures of the park and burial ground having been suffered to go to decay, a gang of carpenters and labourers were for a considerable time employed in preparing pickets and railing, and putting them up.

The judge-advocate's house at Sydney was enlarged and completely repaired, several alterations made, and out-houses built.

Exclusive of erecting and repairing the foregoing public works, small detachments were daily employed in preserving in good order and condition the various buildings belonging to the crown, particularly those occupied by that cla.s.s of inhabitants subordinate to the commissioned officers.

And, as these repairs were considered as essentially necessary to prevent such buildings from going to decay, they had been invariably attended to under Governor Hunter.

Had the strength of the public gangs permitted their being further employed, it was intended to have erected a large water-mill at Parramatta, of which some part of the machinery and water-works were prepared.

A court-house at the same place, and two new stores, with a guardhouse at the Green Hills. The stores were to be built of brick, and the guard-house of weather-boards.

It was likewise intended to build a strong log-prison or lock-up-house at the Hawkesbury, not to be thatched as formerly, but to be either tiled or shingled.

In the district of Portland Place, a stock-yard, consisting of about 30 acres, was inclosed with posts and rails. It included four chains of fresh-water ponds. Buildings were also designed to be erected within it; and it was meant to continue clearing the ground there, it being remarkably good, and at a convenient distance from Parramatta.

Another stock-yard was designed for government, at Pendent Hills, in Dundas district; but the inclosure was not begun.

In the naval department, a vessel in frame was left on the stocks. She was designed to be of about 150 or 160 tons burden, and capable of taking the relief of the military to and from Norfolk island.

A boat named the _c.u.mberland_ was on the stocks, and nearly finished, of about 27 tons burden, intended to be schooner rigged and armed, for pursuing deserters; who were, at the time when her keel was laid, in the practice of carrying away the boats of the settlement.

The lighter or hoy called the _Lump_, for want of tar to pay her bottom, was worm-eaten; but, being a serviceable boat, it was intended to repair and double her.

In addition to these buildings (which must have contributed to render the town of Sydney, the princ.i.p.al seat of the government, a picturesque and pleasing object to strangers, as well as tended to the infinite accommodation of all the inhabitants) Lieutenant Kent, the commander of the _Supply_, had, at a very great expense, built a handsome, large, and commodious mansion-house, on a spot of ground which he held on lease in the front of the cove, forming a princ.i.p.al and striking object from the water. This house, on that officer's departure for England in the _Buffalo_, was purchased for an orphan school.

Nothing has been said in this account of the public labour, of preparing the government ground annually for seed and cropping it, or of gathering the harvest when ripe. But these must be taken into the account, as well as threshing the corn for delivery, and unloading the store ships on their arrival; which latter work must always be completed within a limited time, pursuant to their charters. It has been said before, that it was impossible to obtain a fair day's work from the convicts when employed for the public: the weather frequently interfered with outdoor business, and occasioned much to be done a second time. Under all these disadvantages, and with a turbulent, refractory body of prisoners, we are warranted in saying, on thus summing up the whole of the public labour during the last four years, that more could not have been performed; and it is rather matter of wonder that so much had been obtained with such means.

The following is a statement of the ground granted and leased to individuals by the different persons who were thereto authorised, from the 22nd of February 1792, the date of the first, to the 25th of September 1800, the date of the last grant.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Granted by: Phillip Grose Paterson Hunter Total DISTRICTS WHERE GRANTED ----------------------------------------------------------------- At Parramatta 460 845 100 741 2,146 At Toongabbie - 420 160 4,734 5,314 At Sydney - 349 80 40 469 At the Northern Boundary Farms 370 80 125 150 725 At the Ponds 660 200 20 80 960 At Prospect Hill 810 275 - 835 1,920 At the Eastern Farms 450 170 190 1,516 2,326 At the Field of Mars 590 905 760 1,420 3,675 At Mulgrave Place - 2,040 2,475 6,820 11,335 At Liberty Plains - 530 100 830 1,480 At Concord - 710 325 140 1,175 At York Place - - 50 330 360 At Bu-la-nam-ing - 565 30 1,516 2,111 At Petersham Hill - 2,140 410 2,015 4,565 At Hunter's Hill - 850 - 74 924 In Port Jackson Harbour - 390 140 195 725 At Banks Town - - - 3,247 3,247 At Dundas District - - - 700 700 At Norfolk Island 49 205 - 3,267 3,521 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Total granted by each 3,389 10,674 4,965 28,650 47,678 -----------------------------------------------------------------

DISTRICTS WHERE LEASED

In the township of Sydney 30 27 2 43 102 In the township of Parramatta - - - 47 47 In the township of Toongabbie - - - 30 30 At Mulgrave Place - - - 12 12 At Norfolk Island - - - 265 265 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Total leased by each 30 27 2 397 456 -----------------------------------------------------------------

It may not be altogether uninteresting to those who may wish for information respecting the concerns of this settlement, to find a register of the shipping which has visited New South Wales from various parts of the globe; whereby it will be seen, that, in however insignificant or contemptible a point of view the colony may in general have been held, individuals have found in it either a port of refreshment after the fatigues of a long voyage, or an advantageous market for their speculations. The arrivals will be confined to the harbour of Port Jackson; only mentioning in this place that of the two ships _Le Boussole_ and _L'Astrolabe_, at Botany Bay, in January 1788, under the command of the ever-to-be-regretted and unfortunate M. de la Perouse, who followed in the path of our immortal circ.u.mnavigator, Captain Cook (with whose name every writer must be proud to adorn his page), and who, like him, has left his country, indeed the whole world, to lament his loss.