eat injury of the concerns of
government, rendered it highly expedient that the governor, who had those
concerns to attend to, should be assisted by trusty and active persons in
every situation where public works might be carrying on. Having made some
discoveries of this nature in the department of the sawyers, he issued a
public order, specifying the hours which should be employed in every
branch of public labour. This had by no means been the first attempt to
check the impositions of these people; but it was found, that the private
concerns of those who should superintend the various public works
occupied so much of their time, that their duty was either wholly
neglected or carelessly performed. This created such a relaxation of
discipline, that a repetition of orders and regulations were from time to
time published, to keep the labouring people constantly in mind that they
were the servants of the crown, and remind those who were appointed to
look after them, that they had neglected that duty which should ever have
been their first and principal consideration.

The expected signal for a vessel was at length made at the South Head on
the morning of the 18th; and in the afternoon the ship _Barwell_
arrived from England, with male convicts, some stores, and provisions. It
must be supposed, that while the mother country was engaged in such a war
as then subsisted, she would not spare from the service of the state any
other than the most worthless characters, who, instead of assisting in
the public defence against the common enemy, were employed in
perpetrating private injuries. The weakness of the public gangs, however,
was such, that this allotment of villainy was considered as an
acquisition to the general strength, and it was hoped that they might be
employed to advantage.

The _Barwell_, touching at the Cape of Good Hope, brought an account
of the loss of the _Lady Shore_ transport in her passage to this
settlement, having on board about 60 convicts, three only of whom were
males, and a large assortment of all kinds of stores which had been so
long and so much wanted. There was also a complete company of recruits
for the New South Wales Corps on board, to whom was owing the loss of the
ship; for, after murdering the commander, Mr. Wilcox, and his first mate,
they took possession of the ship, and carried her into Rio de la Plata,
where she was delivered up to the Spaniards. This ship, besides the
public stores, had a