consolidation of the two offices of Ship-owner
and Contractor into one, and the undertaking to land all stores
which are liable to injury in the colony, in a perfect state, at
his own risk; for it is a notorious fact, as I have often had
occasion to observe in an official capacity, that vast quantities
of clothing, stores, and provisions, are landed out of every
vessel which arrives in the port, in such a damaged state as to
be actually unserviceable; the necessary consequence of which
very often is, the total loss of the articles to government; nor
has it unfrequently happened, that boxes containing stores have
been broke open on the passage, and articles of various
descriptions thereby have been purloined to a very great amount.
It cannot be doubted that there are many ship-owners who would
not scruple to enter into an engagement of the kind to which I
have alluded, by sending out his own vessels, and might undertake
to convey the stores safely at a very reduced expense. The saving
which would thus be effected is surely sufficient to justify the
experiment, since the security of the articles, which are in
general the most damaged, might be easily guarded by the adoption
of a few measures of prudent precaution, and by a careful
attention during the voyage. A considerable advantage might also
accrue to the merchant from employing his vessels in the Southern
Whale-fishery, and a strong probability would exist of his
procuring freights from India for his ships, on account of the
East India Company: The adoption of this plan seems to be
practicable, and there cannot be a reasonable doubt entertained
of its superiority over every other in point of economy.

A commissioner or agent might be appointed for the purposes of
inspecting the stores and various articles sent to New South
Wales, whose duty it would be to see the articles shipped
correctly, and thus to prevent those omissions which are daily in
the habit of occurring, and which are of more consequence than
may, at first glance, be imagined. This person might also be
beneficially employed in comparing the stores shipped with the
receipts of the masters, so as to preclude all possibility of
practices which are inconsistent with the welfare of the
government, but which are too common, and can only be prevented
by the adoption of such a measure as the one which I now propose.
Whenever the governor of the colony should send over a
requisition, this agent ought immediate