Thirdly, the Strategic Motive , which is closely related to the Trade Motive, was developed in the
nineteen sixties by an historian named Geoffrey Blainey. His interpretation includes the strategic
location of Botany Bay for trading, as well as the benefits of Norfolk island, just off the coast, in terms
of mast timber and flax plants.
These are the differing interpretations of why the British government decided to colonise NSW when it
did. The question really is, was the colonisation of NSW an event in British domestic history, or British
Emperial history? Was it a domestic policy decision or a foreign policy decision? This is essentially the
crux of the debate.
Until the nineteen fifties, there was no debate. The enduring view was that NSW was colonised
because of the crisis convict situation in Britain.
Convicts were sent to America between seventeen eighteen and seventeen seventy-six. However, the
American Revolution ceased transportation to the American colonies. A place was needed to dump
the convicts, and Botany Bay was chosen.
A key historian of the inter-war period, Eris O Brien published a book called The Foundation of
Australia in nineteen thirty-seven. He believed that there is no shred of evidence that if the gaols of
England were not unwontedly full, the colony would ever have been founded when it was (O Brien,
1937). In seventeen eighty-eight NSW was a penal colony. The first fleet contained convicts, their
warders, and British military. The second and third fleets were similar. Free settlers did not arrive in
large numbers until the eighteen twenties.
From studying the obtainable sources and documents, there are many references to the convict
situation in England. In a letter from the Attorney General to Lord Sydney dated January the 13th,
seventeen eighty five, he mentioned the plan put together by Sir George Young, that outlined some of
the advantages of establishing a settlement in NSW. The Attorney General admitted that he did not
know if such a scheme would work, but said that it appears to be the most likely method of
effectually disposing of convicts, the number of which requires the immediate interference of
Government (Martin (ed.) 1975, p.18). Not only did they need a place to dump convicts, but loyalists
to the crown in America were also seeking refuge out of the country after the American Revolution.
The convict dumping theory has its merits, but if the only purpose of colonising Botany Bay was to
dump convicts, then why was Botany Bay chosen over somewhere that is closer to Europe, and not
such a distance to travel? Also, why was more than one colony established? There is evidence in
Arthur Phillip s instructions from the King and his advisers on April 25th, seventeen eighty-seven,
that they wished the colonisers to go to the islands off the coast, that were not under another European
country s rule. It was [their] will and pleasure that as soon as either of [the] vessels can be spared
with safety...[to] detach one or both of them for [this] purpose (Historical Records of New South
Wales, p.88). A ship was sent out to Norfolk Island just after landing at Botany Bay to establish a
colony. Phillip Gidley King, Esq. was appointed Superintendent and Commandant of Norfolk Island.
In his instructions from Arthur Phillip Esq., on the 12th of February seventeen eighty-eight, Arthur
Phillip says: after having taken the necessary measures for securing yourself and people...you are
immediately to proceed to the cultivation of the flax-plant (Historical Records of New South Wales,
p.137).
When thinking historically, it is very important not to think with hindsight. Just because Botany Bay
was a penal colony, and convicts were transported there, does not mean that that was the sole purpose
of the colonisation. Perhaps there were other factors in the decision to chose Botany Bay, but they did
not eventuate, or prove as possible as they thought. This is a key factor in Dallas interpretation of the
events, he believes that other factors were involved, namely trade factors, but that unfortunately for
Britain s economy, they did not transpire.
In the early nineteen fifties, an economist by the name of K. M. Dallas said that the explanation for the
colonisation of NSW was trade. Botany Bay (and later Port Jackson) was intended to be a crucial port
for four major British trading enterprises. These are, the Fur trade, the South American trade, the
Whaling and Sealing trade, and the China trade.
The fur trade in British Columbia or Canada, which was a very rich and profitable trade could be
made use of by Britain, suggested Dallas, by shipping the furs down across the Pacific from
Vancouver, down to Sydney to be trans-shipped to Europe. As it was otherwise very difficult to get
the furs shipped to Britain. This did not eventuate, but that does not mean that it was not thought of at
the time. Because something did not transpire in history, does not mean that the idea was not
influential then.
As early as 23rd August, seventeen eighty-three, an American loyalist from the War of Independence,
by the name of James Maria Mantra composed a proposal for the settlement of NSW. In it he makes
mention of trading issues, saying: should this settlement be made, we may enter into a commerce
that would render our trade to China, hitherto extremely against us, very favorable (Martin (ed.) 1978,
p.11). He also goes on to say: the Aleutian and Foxes islands...abound with the choicest furs, lie
nearly north of New South Wales. It is from these islands the Russians get the most and best of their
furs, with which they carry on a very lucrative trade by land with the Chinese (Martin (ed.) 1978,
p.11). Mantra believed that the situation of NSW would enable the British to carry on that trade with
great proficiency.
There is quite a bit of evidence in the documents that trade issues were considered in relation to the
settling of NSW. However, there is not solid evidence that the reason that the British government
decided to colonise NSW was for any other than to dump convicts. However, even the possibility of
these trade advantages may have influenced the government s decision, when deciding where to
dump the convicts. There is no way to prove either is true, or not, but there is certainly evidence that
the Government was aware of the possibilities concerning trade that NSW held, so there is reason to
suggest that it is a possibility that trade was one of the factors that affected the decision made by the
British government in seventeen eighty-eight, to colonise NSW.
The Strategic Motive, is perhaps the most complex, involving a multitude of factors, all combined into
one interpretation. The economic historian, Geoffrey Blainey put forward the idea that when making
the decision to settle NSW, the British government was thinking of a lot more than just a convict
dumping ground. Namely the location of Botany Bay strategically, for such things as trade and war
purposes. The major element of this idea though, was Blainey s belief that the pines and the flax plants
on Norfolk island were of major importance to the British at the time of the decision in seventeen
eighty-eight. Captain Cook reported on the pines and flax, when he went past the island. He related
back to the British that the pines were of very suitable quality for mast timber. Also that the flax plants
were of a fine quality, and were found in abundance on Norfolk Island. The fact that the actual
enterprise failed was less important than their initial promise. There is evidence that this topic had
been referred to as early as seventeen eighty-five, in Sir George Young s plan, titled The Plan. Young
mentioned the benefits of cultivating the flax plant, and suggested that it may be obtained at a much
cheaper rate then those materials [they] at present [got] from Russia (Martin (ed.) 1978, p.19). He also
went on to imply that Russia [might] perhaps at some future period think it [Russia s] interest to
prohibit [their] trade for such articles (Martin (ed.) 1978, pp.19-20)., and the difficulties that arise
from such a case are too obvious to mention (Martin (ed.) 1978, p.20). Meaning that England would be
left without essential naval equipment. It is then understandable that the British government would
perhaps have given this issue a lot of consideration, and historians would be unable to discount this
issue as being an essential element of this discussion. This theory has been well thought out, and
includes a wide range of elements that could have affected the British government s decision. It is
advantageous also, as it takes into account the issues of the time, and puts the event in the eighteenth
century England. Which of course is from whence the decision came from, and allows a person to
think about history not as a past event, and it in terms of what eventuated, instead to think of it as how
it would possibly have been thought about at the time, which includes ideas and hopes, that may have
failed in the undertaking.
When faced with historical problems such as this, it is useful to have an awareness of the background
to the time of the events in dispute. A clear understanding of the events cannot be had, unless one
looks not in retrospect, but in the same mindset as the people at the time. In hindsight, it would be
easy to say that NSW was colonised so as to provide a convict dumping ground. As that is
essentially what occurred, however, that does not mean that that is what was intended.
As the documents recording the principal discourse regarding the settling are so limited and
incomplete, it is not really possible to disregard any plausible interpretation, so long as the facts are
correct. All three of the aforementioned interpretations are in my mind, plausible, and entirely
possible. This debate is far from over, and it is doubtful that it ever will be, historians can only offer
their own understanding and hopefully it will broaden our perspective on the issue as a whole.
Bibliography
Matra s Proposal in Ged Martin (ed.) The Founding of Australia, (Sydney: Hale & Iremonger) 1978,
pp. 9-18.
Young s Plan in Ged Martin (ed.) The Founding of Australia, pp. 18-21.
Heads of a Plan in Ged Martin (ed.) The Founding of Australia, pp. 22-29.
Governor Phillip s First Commission in Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 (2) pp. 24-25.
Governor Phillip s Second Commission in Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 (2) pp. 61-67.
Act of Parliament Establishing the Colony in Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 (2) pp. 67-70.
Phillip s Instructions in Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 (2) pp. 84-91.
Governor Phillip s First Dispatch to Lord Sydney in Historical Records of New South Wales, 1 (2) pp.
121-139.
Lecture The Botany Bay Debate , Dr Lenore Layman, S181 Different Histories, March 6 2000.
