s
Management, &c._]

[Footnote 239: 1843.]

[Footnote 240: Address to the Legislative Council of New South Wales,
August, 1842.]

[Footnote 241: "The whole island, we understand, is in a disorganised
state, and thefts of every day occurrence. A few weeks since a boat (the
second) was ran away with by nine convicts: one named Barratt, who a few
days before he left the island had been charged with making a picklock,
for the purpose of robbing the store, of which he was acquitted; and
Captain Maconochie actually begged his pardon for allowing him to be
locked up."--_Sydney Herald, July 26 1841._]

[Footnote 242: _Comptroller-general Forster's Report,_ 1845.]

[Footnote 243: _Observations on the State of Norfolk Island: Par. Pap._
1847.]

SECTION XXII.

Lord Normanby was succeeded by Lord John Russell, 1840. The decrease of
transportation to Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land, was interpreted
as an intention to terminate the system altogether. This was avowed in
the usual organs of the government, and the colonists were warned[244]
to prepare for the change which awaited them. Thus the total number
arriving in Van Diemen's Land in 1839 and 1840, was little more than
2,000: less than one-fifth of the usual number transported.

Two thousand inhabitants of New South Wales made a last effort to
recover their share in the benefits of convictism. They forwarded a
petition to the British parliament, entreating the continuance of
transportation for five years longer. Lord John Russell regarded their
request as a strong argument against compliance; and a few weeks after
settled the question by cancelling the order in council! The intention
of Lord John Russell was to limit transportation to the worst class of
offenders, estimated at 500 per annum.

Sir William Molesworth endeavoured to prevent the restoration of the
practice, and proposed to supply the demand for labour by anticipating
the land fund. The decision of parliament was precipitated by the
contrivance of a friend of Captain Maconochie, Mr. Innes, who, in a
pamphlet of considerable acumen and literary merit, set forth the value
of his scheme. He asserted that the advantage of transportation as a
reformatory and deterring system, notwithstanding the numerous
experiments, remained yet to be resolved.[245] The House of Commons
negatived the motion of Molesworth (September, 1840), and the crowded
condition of the hulks excited serious complaints. The House of