Arthur Phillip (1738-1814), painted by Francis Wheatley (?-1801) in 1786, two years before his historic landfall at what is now the city of Sydney in New South Wales. The artist has imagined the keenly-anticipated scene: but Phillip himself could not have imagined the rotten stores, rodent infestations and flimsy tents (all of which he endured with the others), or the challenge of working with men broken in body and spirit and with nothing to lose. Yet by Phillip’s retirement in 1792, barely a penny the richer and worn to a shadow, his settlement was thriving.
Introduction
The first British settlement in Australia was established at Sydney Cove on January 26th, 1788, and named after the Home Secretary. The policy of penal transportation was barbarity, but out of it Captain Phillips and his successors conjured civilisation — and began by disobeying orders.
CAPTAIN Arthur Phillip, R.N., was appointed governor of New South Wales on the 12th of October, 1786, and commanded the First Fleet, consisting of the Sirius, the Supply, six transports, and three store ships. He was a naval officer experienced in handling men of all classes, and in the Seven Years War and the later war with France had proved himself to be a man of outstanding ability.*
Food and farming implements necessary for beginning the settlement were to be purchased in England before leaving, but live-stock was to be obtained from the Cape of Good Hope. On the 13th of May, 1787, the fleet sailed from England.* Captain John Hunter was second-in-command; Major Robert Ross, in command of marines; and Lieutenant-Colonel David Collins, judge-advocate.
After calling at Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town (where live-stock and a scanty supply of provisions were obtained), the ships reached Botany Bay on the 20th of January, 1788.
See The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). The ‘later war with France’ was the Anglo-French war of 1778-1783, part of the American Revolutionary Wars.
Chard’s account of the number of crew and passengers has been omitted; he gives ‘771 convicts, 695 officers,marines, and sailors, and 16 children — 1482 persons in all’. However, no complete muster of the ships’ crews and passengers was kept, and the figures are still disputed. Modern research confirms that at least 1,420 embarked in London on eleven ships, including crew, convicts and family members, military personnel, and government officials.
Précis
In 1788 Australia, selected as a penal colony for the British Empire, received her first transports, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. Following an eight-month voyage, the ‘first fleet’ arrived in Botany Bay near modern-day Sydney on January 20th, and began unloading the convicts, along with animals and other cargo brought from England and the Cape. (57 / 60 words)
In 1788 Australia, selected as a penal colony for the British Empire, received her first transports, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. Following an eight-month voyage, the ‘first fleet’ arrived in Botany Bay near modern-day Sydney on January 20th, and began unloading the convicts, along with animals and other cargo brought from England and the Cape.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, besides, despite, may, must, otherwise, since, whereas.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
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