King's life, exclusive of the period of two years and three weeks which elapsed between the dates of relinquishing the government of New South Wales and of his death, may be divided into five distinct periods, the first three of which have been discussed already, but may now be summarised. The first period extended from the date of his birth, 23rd April, 1758, to January, 1783, when he became a lieutenant on the Europe, under Captain Phillip. The last thirteen of these years had been spent in the navy, in which he had risen to the rank of a lieutenant in a line of battleship. During this period his achievements were of no consequence or value, and he gained little beyond a knowledge of the ordinary naval life. The second period ended with his arrival at Sydney in the Speedy, on the 15th April, 1800. For practically the first half of this epoch, his advancement was due to Phillip's patronage; his commission, in 1786, as second lieutenant of the Sirius, was probably obtained through Phillip; his appointments, as commandant at Norfolk Island, in 1788, and later as lieutenantgovernor, in 1790, were due directly to Phillip; and many minor favours were shown him also by Phillip. The influence of Phillip at the home department waned about 1792-1793, and King's appointment as governor, suggested by Phillip, in 1793, seems to have received little consideration. In fact, the home department appear to have paid little attention to King, until, in 1797, Sir Joseph Banks took an interest in his case. From March, 1788, to October, 1796, King was in charge of Norfolk Island, with the exception of the interregnum caused by his visit to England, when charged with despatches. The administration of a community commencing with twenty-four in 1788, and numbering eight hundred and eighty-seven* at the time of King's final departure, was not a problem of great consequence; yet, on several occasions, he was censured for his actions. In the second half of this period, King concluded his active service as lieutenant-governor practically on his departure for England, in October, 1796. On his arrival in London, he received little attention from the home department or the admiralty office, and appears to have been treated with scant courtesy, as if he were * These were the figures at the census on the 16th October, 1796. During the period 1788-1796, the numbers had occasionally risen to over one thousand. under a shadow of disgrace. He obtained his dormant commission, dated 1st May, 1798, through the influence of Sir Joseph Banks. During the last eighteen months in England, he exhibited one trait of his character in writing querulous letters about the delay in his embarkation, and the resultant cost to himself. This period may be summed up as one of advancement, due to the patronage of Governor Phillip and Sir Joseph Banks, during which King gained a little experience of administration at Norfolk Island in controlling a community, which was usually less than one thousand men, women, and children. Governor Phillip appears to have honestly considered King to be a suitable man in many positions; but Sir Joseph Banks, in many of his private letters, showed that, while holding a high opinion of King's character and abilities, he was aware that he had many limitations, which would militate against his success as an administrator in a big position. The third period of his life commenced with his arrival at Port Jackson, on the 15th April, 1800 (when he was nearly 42 years of age), and closed on the 28th September, 1800, when he assumed the government of New South Wales. This period has already been discussed.* It is necessary only to mention a few of his actions, and to summarise his character at the end of the period. He showed a vindictiveness and over-anxiety to obtain the administration for himself as early as possible, and appeared disappointed that Hunter did not sail, eighteen days after his arrival, in the Friendship, viâ India. His total lack of the finer feelings is illustrated by the fact that he submitted to the perusal of Hunter the despatch in which he made serious insinuations in respect to him; and this at a time when Hunter was treating him with every consideration, allowing him, for example, when Hunter was still governor, to draw up the commission and instructions to Major Foveaux, as commandant at Norfolk Island. He gave evidence of gross unscrupulousness or a desire to cover his actions with superior authority by constant quotations from royal instructions§ that did not exist. He admitted to Under Secretary King that his actions were "not strictly warrantable," and he hoped that they would be excused by the authorities in * See volume II, pages xvii, xviii, xix. See volume II, page 501. See volume II, page 511 et seq. § See volume II, pages 513 to 516 and 543. ||See volume II, page 507. England. King, by these and other actions, showed that the man who was to assume the government possessed little dignity, an overpowering conceit, and a jealous, suspicious, hasty, and ungovernable temper.* The fourth period of King's life extended from the 28th of September, 1800, to the 16th of October, 1802, the day on which King's instructions as governor-in-chief were delivered at Port Jackson. This period has now to be examined. The discussion of the fifth period, which extended to the 13th August, 1806, will be found in volumes IV and V. Philip Gidley King assumed charge of the administration on the 28th of September, 1800, immediately after Governor Hunter's embarkation on H.M.S. Buffalo, by virtue of the dormant commission, dated 1st May, 1798, which appointed him "(in the case of the death or during the absence of Captain John Hunter) to be Governor of our territory, called New South Wales." The commission was a very brief one, and, after reciting his jurisdiction, empowered him to discharge "the duty of Governor." He was provided with no instructions, and it is very doubtful if Hunter was directed to give King a copy of his (Hunter's). Hunter received no orders to that effect in Portland's letters of the 26th February and 5th November, 1799. In a letter, written three days after his arrival, King stated to Hunter: "Agreeable to the commission I have the honor to hold, it is His Grace's directions, that you will be pleased to furnish me with copys of His Majesty's commission to you, the Royal Instructions you received in England, and such orders. . relative to the King's service in this territory."§ It seems strange that the Duke of Portland should not have communicated such an important order in writing, and that King should have been so hasty as to communicate it to Hunter before even he had disembarked from the Speedy. The commissions of Phillip and Hunter appointed them captains-general and governors-in-chief, and made two provisions in the event of their death or absence from office. The adminis * Sir Joseph Banks, in a private letter, stated that capsicum should be planted in N.S.W., as it might be beneficial to Governor King's constitution." See volume II, page 605. See volume II, pages 338 et seq. and 387 et seq. § See volume II, page 502. tration was, first of all, to devolve on the lieutenant-governor of the territory, if one was present and duly appointed, and in the event of his absence, on "the officer highest in rank." If an administrator became necessary under these commissions, he was granted the full powers of the governor-in-chief for whom he acted. King's commission,* dated 1st May, 1798, did not appoint him captain-general and governor-in-chief, but instructed him simply "to discharge the duty of Governor by doing and performing all and all manner of things thereunto belonging." His status during this period was unique in the history of New South Wales before constitutional government; and later, the administration of Sir John Young, between the 22nd March and 15th May, 1861, formed only a modified parallel on one point. Unfortunately all the addresses of the various despatches are not available, and therefore it is impossible to define the usual method of address to King. In one case a despatch from Lord Hobart, dated 6th August, 1801, was copied into King's private letter-book as addressed to Lieutenant-Governor King. But on the other hand, a despatch from Secretary Nepean, dated 5th May, 1802, after the signing of King's full commission, was addressed by a similar title. If King had been sent out in 1800 to assume the full office of captain-general and governor-in-chief, it seems improbable that the completion of his commission and instructions would have been delayed for twenty-seven months after his departure. King was aware of some doubt existing in the minds of the authorities in England, for in a despatch, dated 28th September, 1800, he used the phrase " in the event of the government of this territory being continued to me." King, notwithstanding his knowledge of his position, did not hesitate to use the full title, "Captain-General and Governorin-Chief," in a proclamation,§ dated 28th March, 1801, and the title of "Governor-in-Chief" in a general order.§ dated 16th December, 1801. His predecessors, Grose and Paterson, when administering the government, described themselves in legal documents simply as "Lieut.-Governor," and "senior officer executing the office of Governor " respectively. * See volume II, page 605. See pages 119 and 487. § See pages 140 and 467. See volume I, pages 448 and 503. It is probable that, to the mind of the British government, King's position during this period was that of acting-governor, pending a permanent appointment. King does not appear to have felt any doubts with regard to the interpretation of his commission, in respect to the limits of his jurisdiction. Proof positive of this was given by his appointment of the Revd. John Jefferson to the position of a justice of the peace at Otaheite, whereas the commissions of Phillip and Hunter empowered them to make such appointments only "in our said territory and its dependencies." Thus King claimed jurisdiction over all land lying within seventy-five degrees of longitude. This is also proved by his proclamation* to merchant captains at Otaheite. King commenced his administration with Hunter's commission and instructions for guidance. He was, however, little daunted by their limitations, for when the instructions failed him, he manufactured new ones for himself, and clothed them with the royal authority. His first efforts were directed against the spirit traffic. He commenced the campaign by the communication of pseudo royal instructions to Paterson on the 8th of September, 1800, about officers' traffic in spirits. This was followed by a whole series of general orders, with reference to the importation of, licensed vending of, duties on, fixation of prices of, and transference of spirits. The result of these efforts is difficult to analyse, as the figures during the government of Hunter are not fully available. The figures under King's administration, however, are complete, and an analysis of them gives some extraordinary results. Between September, 1800, and October, 1802, 69,880 gallons of spirits were landed, and 37,691 gallons sent away; of the latter, 861⁄2 per cent. was imported in four ships, out of twenty-five. In the same time, 33,246 gallons of wine were landed, and 22,932 gallons sent away; of the latter, 912 per cent. was imported in two ships, out of fourteen. The four ships, mentioned first, included the latter two, and they were the Follensbe, Missouri, John, and Harrington. The first two sailed from America, the last two from India. The Follensbe attempted to land 15 per cent. of the total spirits imported and sent away, and 45 per cent. of the total wine. The average population during these twenty-five See page 594. *See page 140. See volume II, page 542. |