The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson: With the journal of her first commander Lieutenant James GrantLee, Ida
History
The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson: With the journal of her first commander Lieutenant James Grant
Lee, Ida
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Grant, James, 1771 or 2-1833; Lady Nelson (Ship)
Commodore Baudin afterwards wrote to Governor King assuring him that the
rumour as to his intentions was without foundation, but, he added,
"Perhaps he (Robbins) has come too late as for several days before he
hoisted the flag over our tents we had left in prominent parts of the
island (which I still name after you) proofs of the period at which we
visited it." This insinuation evidently raised King's ire, as he made a
note on the margin of the letter, "If Mr. Baudin insinuates any claim of
this visit the island was first discovered in 1798* (* King writes 1799
in the chart.) by Mr. Reid in the Martha and afterwards seen by Mr. Black
in the Harbinger and surveyed by Mr. Murray in February 1802." Baudin
seems to have totally ignored what could not have been a secret at Port
Jackson, namely, the fact that the Lady Nelson had surveyed King Island
from Cape Farewell to Seal Bay.
To return to the story of the logbooks. After another voyage to Norfolk
Island, whither the Lady Nelson conveyed troops to relieve the men there,
Murray was forced to resign his command, the Governor being informed, in
despatches from the Admiralty, that he had sent them an erroneous
statement of his services. In writing to Secretary Nepean, King remarks,
on April 12th, 1803, "I had the honour of receiving yours respecting the
discovery...about Mr. Murray's statement of servitude which appeared in
his passing certificate at the Cape of Good Hope, in consequence of which
he has been superseded in the command of the Lady Nelson and goes home a
passenger in the Glatton. He promises himself being able to clear the
point up to their Lordships' satisfaction. Should he be able to
accomplish this, I consider it but doing common justice to his
perseverance and good conduct while in command of the Lady Nelson to say
that his future services in that vessel would be very acceptable to me
and beneficial to the service that the vessel is employed on. In
consequence of Mr. Murray's being superseded from the Lady Nelson, I
applied to Captain Colnett for a person to command her not having anyone
who can be spared, either from the Buffalo or Porpoise. He has appointed
the master's mate of the Glatton, Mr. George Courtoys,* (* The name is
spelt Curtoys in the Commander's own log.) who is passed and appears
equal to the charge of Acting-Lieutenant and Commander of that vessel."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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