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178

GROSE'S COURT OF INQUIRY.

tion, and that in consultation about the mutiny it was arranged to seize upon the opportunity. King at once disclaimed any want of respect to Grose, and explained the reasons for his conduct in the past, springing from "an earnest desire of forwarding the king's service, and promoting the peace and happiness of those under my charge." His defence was respectful, but firm. Grose had placed before his military Court of Inquiry in Sydney a private letter from King to himself. The finding of the Court was that the soldiers were reprehensible for disobeying their officers, but they were recommended to the commanding officer's clemency in consequence of the provocations they had received. The finding was an echo of the sentence—"We all too plainly perceive," &c.—in Grose's letter.

The Court^[1] alluded to King's private letter as containing a phrase derogatory to Lieut. Abbott. King disclaimed having made any such imputation, and having kept no copy of his letter, applied to Grose for it. Grose shabbily declined to produce it while he remained in the colony; but permitted Captain Paterson, who succeeded him, to send a copy to King. There was in it no insinuation against Abbott. King had pointed out the expediency of having a captain of the corps at the island. "Without reflecting the least on Lieut. Abbott, as he deserves a very different opinion, yet I am certain if a captain had been here this event had never happened-at least its consequences." The unwillingness of Grose to produce the refu-

↑ The Court was composed of Captains Paterson, Johnston, and Foveaux: Lients. Townson, Rowley, Macarthur, and Prentice; Ensigns Lucas and McKellar; and Quartermaster Laycock. They found the conduct of the detachment "highly reprehensible,"—their refusal to obey Abbott "certainly mutinous,"—but deemed that King's suggestion of "want of a captain" at the island reflected on Abbott. They expressed surprise that two justices could "consider that a fine of ten shillings would satisfy the feelings of a soldier for being beat." They seem to have thought that Dring was not entitled to feelings. One of the court, it will be observed, was sent to Norfolk Island to carry out Grose's arrangements for making the soldiery superior to law.—Record Office MSS., New South Wales, vol. ix.
1896. The details in the text which in the first edition of this work were taken from MSS. in the Record Office have now been made accessible to the Australian public in the "Historical Records of New South Wales, Vol. II." In that work King's explanatory despatch to Dundas occupies thirty-six closely-printed pages.

[1] The Court was composed of Captains Paterson, Johnston, and Foveaux: Lients. Townson, Rowley, Macarthur, and Prentice; Ensigns Lucas and McKellar; and Quartermaster Laycock. They found the conduct of the detachment "highly reprehensible,"—their refusal to obey Abbott "certainly mutinous,"—but deemed that King's suggestion of "want of a captain" at the island reflected on Abbott. They expressed surprise that two justices could "consider that a fine of ten shillings would satisfy the feelings of a soldier for being beat." They seem to have thought that Dring was not entitled to feelings. One of the court, it will be observed, was sent to Norfolk Island to carry out Grose's arrangements for making the soldiery superior to law.—Record Office MSS., New South Wales, vol. ix.
1896. The details in the text which in the first edition of this work were taken from MSS. in the Record Office have now been made accessible to the Australian public in the "Historical Records of New South Wales, Vol. II." In that work King's explanatory despatch to Dundas occupies thirty-six closely-printed pages.

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