Historical Records of Australia

Series 1, Vol., VII., p. 218

Governor Macquarie to Viscount Castlereagh

{Extract}

Sydney, New South Wales 8th March 1810,

My Lord,

I arrived at Port Jackson on the 28th December last, after a most tedious passage of seven months and six days from England; But I have the pleasure to inform your Lordship that, notwithstanding the great length of the Voyage, the 73rd Regiment, as well as the Crews of His Majesty's Ships Hindostan and Dromedary, arrived here in excellent health and good condition, touching on the passage at Madeira, Rio Janeiro, and the Cape of Good Hope for refreshments having proved of the most essential advantages to the health of the Troops and Seamen.

I found Lieut-Governor Paterson in the command of this Government, Governor Bligh being still at the Derwent.

The situation of the Colony appeared to me to require that I should immediately take charge of it; and from the length of time which must intervene before I could apprize Governor Bligh of my arrival, and of his return to this settlement, I judged it most expedient not to wait, conceiving it to be the real Spirit of your Instructions that I should immediately take charge of the Government in the event of my not finding Governor Bligh at Port Jackson

I accordingly landed here on the 31st of December, and disembarked the 73rd Regiment on the day following. I had my Commission as Governor-in-Chief of this Territory read with all due Solemnity on the 1st of January in presence of all the Troops and Inhabitants of Sydney.