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to the effect that the French intended to form a settlement in Van Diemen's Land.

On the 18th King formally presented his compliments to Lt. Gov. Paterson, requesting him to furnish information "in order that Governor King may take the necessary steps which he cannot but lament he had not an opportunity of doing before he closed his despatches." Paterson evasively replied that he considered what he had heard commonplace conversation," which he would have communicated, "but that he could not suppose it was unknown to Governor King." He added in a postscript: "One of the officers who spoke of it sent Col. Paterson the accompanying charts."

King (again on the 18th) told Paterson that had he ever heard the rumour he would

"certainly have required a positive explanation from the French commodore, and would have taken a vessel up to have preceded any attempt. . . . As I have been kept ignorant of it until their departure, it only remains for me to counteract them. It is therefore necessary that an officer of the rank of captain, and as many non-commissioned officers and privates as can be accommodated, should be sent by a conveyance that I hope will be able to leave this in seven days, in order to assert His Majesty's claims and dispossess and remove any party that may be landed there. I shall take leave to retain the chart given to you by the French officer (until a copy can be made) who spoke to you of the settlement intended to be made."

The "conveyance" which was to be the means of asserting His Majesty's claims was the colonial armed schooner Cumberland (mentioned sometimes as of 26, and sometimes as of 29 tons burden). Her commander was to be young Charles Robbins,^[1] master's mate of H.M.S. Buffalo, who was to be endowed "with the territorial rank of captain."}}

The Surveyor-General of the colony, Grimes, was to accompany the warlike expedition, which was to go to King's Island and Port Phillip, and thence to Storm Bay, taking care to hoist His Majesty's colours every day on shore during your examination of those places, placing a guard of two men at each place, who are to turn up ground for a garden, and sow the seeds you are furnished with." H.M.S. Porpoise was to follow, on her return from Tahiti with pork, and the King's colours were to be "kept flying