Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume ISturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
As some particulars respecting the introduction of this source of
national wealth into Australia may prove interesting to the public, I
have put together the following details of it, upon the authenticity of
which they may rely. The person who foresaw the advantage to be derived
from the growth of fine wool in New South Wales, and who commenced the
culture of it in that colony, was Mr. John M'Arthur. So far back, I
believe, as the year 1793, not long after the establishment of the
first settlement at Sydney, this gentleman commenced sheep-farming, and
about two years afterwards he obtained a ram and two ewes from Captain
Kent, of the royal navy, who had brought them, with some other stock
for the supply of the settlement, from the Cape of Good Hope, to which
place a flock of these sheep had been originally sent by the Dutch
government. Sensible of the importance of the acquisition, Mr. M'Arthur
began to cross his coarse-fleeced sheep with Merino blood; and,
proceeding upon a system, he effected a considerable improvement in the
course of a few years. So prolific was the mixed breed, that in ten
years, a flock which originally consisted of not more than seventy
Bengal sheep, had increased in number to 4,000 head, although the
wethers had been killed as they became fit for slaughter. It appears,
however, that as the sheep approached to greater purity of blood, their
extreme fecundity diminished.
TO REAR MERINO FLOCKS.
In 1803, Mr. M'Arthur revisited England; and there happening at the
time to be a committee of manufacturers in London from the clothing
districts, he exhibited before them samples of his wool, which were so
much approved, that the committee represented to their constituents the
advantages which would result from the growth of fine wool, in one of
the southern dependencies of the empire. In consequence of this a
memorial was transmitted to His Majesty's government, and Mr.
M'Arthur's plans having been investigated by a Privy Council, at which
he was present, they were recommended to the government as worthy of
its protection. With such encouragement Mr. M'Arthur purchased two ewes
and three rams, from the Merino flock of His Majesty King George the
Third. He embarked with them on his return to New South Wales in 1806,
on board a vessel named by him "the Argo," in reference to the golden
treasure with which she was freighted. On reaching the colony he
removed his sheep to a grant of land which the Home Government had
directed he should receive in the Cow Pastures. To commemorate the
transaction, and to transmit to a grateful posterity the recollection
of the nobleman who then presided over the colonies, the estate,
together with the district in which it is situated, was honoured by the
name of Camden.
EXPORT OF WOOL TO ENGLAND.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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