Previously to that unfortunate occurrence, I had made notes of some observations regarding the treatment of the convicts during the voyage, and the effects of the system which I found it proper to employ. Those papers being of considerable extent occupied much of my time and attention on the passage from New South Wales; but they too became involved in the above disaster off the Mauritius. I had the greater reason to regret this latter circumstance, as my intention was thereby defeated of laying before the Commissioners of the Navy a full and detailed account of the voyage, for the “information of His Majesty’s Secretary of State.” I considered it, however, an indispensable duty to draw up a statement from such materials as memory could furnish, agreeably to the instructions received from the Navy Board; and in compliance, immediately on my return to London, I made a hasty sketch of my remarks in the form of a letter addressed to that Board; but as I have not since been favoured with any intimation of its ever having been received, I am compelled to think that it never came to hand. As this document may be interesting to those who bestow consideration on the subject of these remarks, I beg leave to subjoin a copy of it from the rough draught which happened to remain with me. “GENTLEMEN, “London, 3rd September, 1819. “I have the honour to acquaint you of my return from New South Wales, whither you were pleased to send me as Surgeon and Superintendent of the late convict ship Neptune. In obedience to your instructions, I took occasion to give a sketch or outline of the measures I employed for the management of the convicts, in a letter I had the honour to address you from the Cape of Good Hope, dated 8th March 1818. On this head I have only to add, that we received sixteen more convicts at that colony, and seven soldiers additional guard, which crowded us considerably; but I am happy to say we performed the voyage without losing a man. “In the letter above alluded to, I mentioned having formed twenty-three of our juvenile depredators into a school, of whom only three knew the alphabet. I found it an agreeable relaxation from other duties, to instruct, and to the best of my power reclaim, these children of error; and I am glad to say my endeavours were not unavailing; for, before we arrived at Sydney, they could all read the Scriptures gracefully, some indeed elegantly.