Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

John William Croker - letter received from Marshall Waller Clifton, 19 July 1841
MLDOC 891

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Australind 19th July 1841.

Mr dear sir,

I feel so confident from your uniform friendship towards me & the interest you expressed in my undertaking that you will be glad to hear of our welfare and that of my Colony, that I make no apology for troubling you with this Communication. I earnestly hope it will find you & Mrs Croker in good Health, a blessing which all my family and myself and all those with me, above 105 in No. have undeviatingly enjoyed from the moment we left England up to our arrival here & ever since. You will no doubt have heard of our prosperous voyage & the extraordinary responsibility which I was obliged to take upon myself under the Governor's advice to found Australind in Leschenault Inlet on the Property where originally purchased by the Company, an act which may perhaps cost me the appointment I hold but which, whether it does or not I shall ever applaud myself for having had the boldness to adopt. Subsequent information of the pretended Port Grey and personal knowledge of the fine District in which I have founded the Colony more than justify the step I took; And happily I find here concentrated all that I could wish to prove myself right, and more than the most sanguine of those who embarked in the Enterprise could have anticipated. I heartily wish that you had been induced with Sir Geo. Cockburn to accept a Seat in the Direction. If you had, the change of plan would never have been adopted, but if it had been even approved by you, you would have admitted readily that here we have found more than we could in the Grey Districts have found in ten years, and that here are the elements of a great Colony which the other did not possess.

I have since had responsibility to take, almost as great as my first step. I found the Surveying Department which had preceded me three Months in a wretched State of disorganization with every thing wrong in it. The Chief Surveyor had disregarded his Instructions to map the Grant & take accurate levels before He decided whether the Site which I had suggested to him in England was the best, & of course before He determined another

[overwritten]

P.S. After all I am fearful I shall not be able to send you the plans of the Town in this letter. The Surveyors Drawing Room is still a Marquee, and a very heavy Rain yesterday drenched it & spoiled the plan when nearly completed.
20th July.

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plan of the intended Town & proceeded with the Survey & laying out of the Quarter Acre Sections. I found that He had taken the site I recommended, but had not only not made the most of it, but had laid down & partly measured off a Town upon an injudicious plan - but worse than that - that He had done so without taking the levels of the Ground, which being of an undulating nature with Hills in the Town Site 128 feet high, his plan could not possibly be carried into effect. - His rectangular Streets in some cases passing directly over the brow of these - in one case - precipitous, Hills. I was therefore obliged to discard his plan & throw overboard all the work which had been done and actually to begin de novo.

I ought to have dismissed him from his Office, but I eventually suspended him from it his Office & with the aid of the assistant Surveyors have produced a totally different plan, suited in all respects to the nature of Ground; & instead of making the Town as in his case, a long paralellogram I have concentrated it into nearly a Square, carrying it across the River Brunswick which thus becomes a striking & important feature in passing thro the limit of the Town. Never was there a more beautiful or delightful or advantageous situation for a Town, and the land proves every where of the finest description up the River and on the High Range called Roe's Range which is within our Grant, reaching the elevation of 800 feet thinly timbered with beautiful Trees to the top, the soil diluvial of the best quality with beautiful grass to the Granite summits. My space will not allow me to enter into a full description to you of the Beauty & Advantages of the Situation from the nature of the Port, the lovely inland Sea which this fine clear Inlet proves to be - the Sea & River communication which we possess, the superiority to flood, the good Water, pure Air & exquisite Climate: But as I hope my correspondence with my Board will be published, you will, if you feel as interested in us as I think you will be, have an opportunity of reading my various descriptions of every thing under my observation.

My great object in now writing you is to send you which I do

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herewith a Copy upon a very reduced Scale of the Splendid Plan which I send of my Town by this opportunity to the Directors. I have also another object in view. The district in which my Colony is formed is in the District of Wellington. It is just possible that the Duke will feel an Interest also in the Town which will certainly be the Capital of that County if not of the whole Colony of Western Australia and therefore, if that should be the case, I entreat you to submit it the plan to His Grace with my humble Duty. I have given the name of the Great Captain & Statesman to one of the principal Squares and I have had the gratification of testifying my respect, gratitude & attachment to you & Sir Geo. Cockburn by giving your Names to the two great Streets which run parallel with Brunswick (the Main) Street. I have also given Sir John Barrows name to another Street in the same parallel in proof of my feelings towards him likewise. I flatter myself that you will admire my plan & think I have combined as much as I could in it. If you who have so much taste, applaud my work I shall feel gratified beyond expression.

My appointment naturally has been one of enormous labour of Mind & body as well as of responsibility, but happily my measures up to this period have been attended with complete success & every thing has gone on well without a single Circumstance to interrupt our happy progress. I have managed to keep all my Settlers & Emigrants together, to have preserved strict discipline amongst them, tho' armed with no power but that which I have possessed by gaining a moral influence over them & to have kept those employed, on low wages in the face of the extravagant wages usually given here. We have already advanced into a state of Civilization by constructing a small Dwelling for my family instead of the Tents & Rush Clothes under which we dwelt for 3 Months till a Storehouse & other more important objects were accomplished and we have now all the comforts if not the elegancies of Life. Mrs. Clifton has grown strong & young again, & the most delicate of my Children active & robust.

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[Writing begins at bottom of page]

My situation is enviable in the extreme. I possess almost regal power and a boundless domain; and in fact I could never have had any thing in this world which I liked so much.
Perhaps however like every thing else, it may be transitory. My first act, which will be the foundation of the Colony's prosperity may (unjustly) have cost me the forfeiture of my Appointment. Until I hear the Directors determination I shall feel everything insecure, but I proceed steadily as if I had nothing to fear and perhaps I have not. Your Opinion in Society will have great weight, and I shall be most anxious to acquire you approval & the expression of it. At all events I shall have the consolation of feeling that you will believe that my Intentions were honest & right. Mrs. Clifton & my Family unite in kindest regards Mrs. Croker Yourself & Mr. Gifford & Mr & Mrs. Barrow. And if you have the opportunity of presenting my respects to Sir George Cockburn & Sir J. Barrow I entreat you to do so.
I have the honour to be always
My dear Sir
Your most faithful Servant

M. Waller Clifton

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Rt. Hble.
J.W. Croker
To the care of [E.?] Gifford Esq.
Admiralty
London

M:W:C

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Hemming's patent improved portable houses

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Advertt. Of Iron House for me to choose to take out to Australia. I ultimately bought one for £95. 2 Roomed - vy. Comfortable - but it cost me altoger. abt. £200