Western Australia a History from Its Discovery to the Inauguration of the Commonwealth
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WESTERN AUSTRALIA A HISTORY FROM ITS DISCOVERY TO THE INAUGURATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH BY J.S. BATTYE, LITT.D. PUBLIC LIBRARIAN OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. OXFORD AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1924. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, COPENHAGEN, NEW YORK, TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPE TOWN, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, MADRAS, SHANGHAI. HUMPHREY MILFORD PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY. PREFACE. In view of the prominent part taken by Australia in the recent war, and the enthusiasm which the achievements of the Australian Forces have aroused throughout the Empire, the story of one of the great States of the Australian Commonwealth may not be without some general interest. The work has been the result of over twenty years' research, undertaken, in the first instance, in conjunction with the Registrar-General (Mr. M.A.C. Fraser) and his Deputy (Mr. W. Siebenhaar) for the purpose of checking the historical introduction to the Year Book of Western Australia. It has since been continued in the hope that it may prove a contribution of more or less value to the history of colonial development. In the prosecution of the work, the files of the Public Record Office, London, were searched, and copies made of all documents that could be found which related to the establishment and early years of the colony. These copies are now in the possession of the Public Library of Western Australia, which contains also most of the published matter in the way of books and pamphlets dealing with the colony, as well as almost complete files of the local newspapers to date, and the original records of the Colonial Secretary's Office up to 1876. All of these have been at my disposal. I have had, further, the opportunity of consulting official documents of the Government, and, by permission of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, secured through the kindness of his Excellency Sir F.A. Newdegate, have had access to all dispatches from the Colonial Office to the colonial authorities up to the year 1901. So far as possible every statement has been verified by documentary evidence, and every care exercised to make the whole work strictly accurate. In addition to those mentioned, I have to express my obligation to the heads of Government Departments, more especially to the Under Secretary for Lands, Mr. C.G. Morris, and the Surveyor-General, Mr. H.S. King; to the Honourable J.W. Kirwan, M.L.C, for information concerning the federal movement in Western Australia; to Professor Ernest Scott and Dr. R.C. Mills for much helpful criticism; and to Miss M.E. Wood, of the Public Library of Western Australia, for invaluable assistance in checking references and in preparing the manuscript. J.S.B. PERTH. September 30th, 1921. CONTENTS. PREFACE. CHRONOLOGY. CHAPTER 1. DISCOVERY OF AND EARLY VOYAGES TO AUSTRALIA. CHAPTER 2. DISCOVERY OF AND EARLY VOYAGES TO AUSTRALIA (CONTINUED). CHAPTER 3. ANNEXATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. CHAPTER 4. 1829 TO 1830. COLONISATION AND EARLY SETTLEMENT. CHAPTER 5. 1831 TO 1838. ADMINISTRATION OF SIR JAMES STIRLING. CHAPTER 6. 1839 TO 1842. GOVERNOR HUTT'S ADMINISTRATION. LAND REGULATIONS. PROJECTED SETTLEMENT AT AUSTRALIND. ABORIGINES. EXPLORATIONS. CHAPTER 7. 1843 TO 1849. DEPRESSION. LABOUR PROBLEMS. FINANCIAL CONDITION. QUESTION OF CONVICT LABOUR. ESTABLISHMENT OF PENAL SETTLEMENT. CHAPTER 8. 1850 TO 1853. TRANSITION PERIOD: FREE COLONY TO PENAL ESTABLISHMENT. GOVERNMENT. LAND LAWS. FINANCIAL CONDITIONS. INDUSTRIES. GENERAL DEVELOPMENT. CHAPTER 9. 1854 TO 1860. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT. IMPROVEMENT IN LAND REGULATIONS AND CONSEQUENT AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL EXPANSION. DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION OF THE CONVICT SYSTEM. GROWTH OF THE COLONY DURING THE PERIOD. CHAPTER 10. 1861 TO 1868. DEPARTURE OF GOVERNOR KENNEDY AND ARRIVAL OF DR. JS. HAMPTON. CONVICT ADMINISTRATION. INCIDENTS OF THE SYSTEM. PROGRESSIVE PUBLIC WORKS POLICY. CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION. EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEM REVIEWED. CHAPTER 11. 1861 TO 1868 (CONTINUED). EXPLORATIONS. OPENING UP THE NORTH-WEST. TRADE AND INDUSTRY. NATIVE TROUBLES. AGITATION FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. CHAPTER 12. 1869 TO 1875. ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR WELD. CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES. PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION. LAND LAWS. RAILWAYS AND TELEGRAPHS. GENERAL DEVELOPMENT. EXPLORATION. CHAPTER 13. 1875 TO 1883. AGITATION FOR ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION. LEGISLATION. LAND LAWS AND REGULATIONS. IMMIGRATION. RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT. RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES. CONVICT ESTABLISHMENT. EXPLORATIONS. MISCELLANEOUS. CHAPTER 14. 1883 TO 1890. GOVERNOR BROOME'S ADMINISTRATION. LAND REGULATIONS. TARIFF REVISION. FINANCES. RESOURCES, INDUSTRIES, AND TRADE. PUBLIC WORKS: RAILWAY AND TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. CHAPTER 15. 1883 TO 1890 (CONTINUED). GOLD DISCOVERIES: KIMBERLEY AND YILGARN GOLDFIELDS. AGITATION FOR AUTONOMY CONTINUED. RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. CHAPTER 16. 1891 TO 1900. FIRST TEN YEARS OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL OCCURRENCES. PHENOMENAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOLDFIELDS. RESOURCES, INDUSTRIES, AND TRADE. LAND LAWS AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT. GENERAL. CHAPTER 17. FEDERAL MOVEMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. APPENDICES. 1. DISPATCH FROM SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES TO CAPTAIN STIRLING, 30TH DECEMBER, 1828. 2. PROCLAMATION BY CAPTAIN STIRLING, DATED 18TH JUNE, 1829. 3. CONVICT SYSTEM. 4. STATISTICS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 1829 TO 1900. 5. PROSPECTUS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY AND DESCRIPTION OF AUSTRALIND. INDEX. [MAP OF SOUTH-WEST SHOWING GRANTS OF CAPTAIN STIRLING, THOMAS PEEL AND COLONEL LATOUR.] PLATES. PLATE 1. DIRK HARTOG'S PLATE, 1616. 1616. DEN 25 OCTOBER IS HIER AEN GECOMEN HET SCHIP D EENDRAGHT VAN AMSTERDAM DE OPPER KOPMAN GILLES MILBAIS VAN LUCK. SCHIPPER DIRCK HATICHS VAN AMSTERDAM DE 27 DITO TE SEIL GEGHN NA BANTUM DE ONDER COEPMAN JAN STINS DE OPPER STUIERMAN PIETER DOORES VAN BIL ANNO 1616. Translation of the original inscription: On the 25th of October, 1616, arrived here the ship Eendracht, of Amsterdam: The first merchant, Gilles Milbais van Luyck: captain, Dirk Hartog, of Amsterdam; the 27th ditto set sail for Bantam; under merchant, Jan Stins; upper steersman, Pieter Dockes, of Bil; A.D. 1616. PLATE 2. VLAMING'S PLATE, 1697. 1697 DEN 4 FEBREUARY IS HIER AEN GEKOMEN HET SCHIP DE GEELVINCK VOOR AMSTERDAM DEN COMANDER ENT SCHIPPER WILLEM DE VLAMINGH VAN VLIELANDT ADSISTENT JOANNES BREMER VAN COPPENHAGEN OPPER STUIERMAN MICHIL BLOEM VAN T STICHT BREMEN DE HOECKER DE NYPTANGH SCHIPPER GERRIT COLAART VAN AMSTERDAM ADSIST' THEO-DORIS HEIRMANS VAN DITO OPPERSTIERMAN GERRIT GERITSEN VAN BREMEN TE GALIOOT HET WEESELTIE GESAGH HEBBER CORNELIS DE VLAMINGH VAN VLIELANDT STUIRMAN COERT GERRITSEN VAN BREMEN EN VAN HIER GEZEYLT MET ONSE VLOT DEN VOORTS HET ZUYDLANDT VERDER TE ONDER SOECREN ENGE DISTINEERT VOOR BATAVIA. 12 (DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY LOGO ?) Translation of the original inscription: On the 4th of February, 1697, arrived here the ship Geelvinck, of Amsterdam: Captain commandant, Wilhelm van Vlaming, of Vlielandt; assistant, Jan van Bremen, of Copenhagen; first pilot, Micheel Bloem Van Estight, of Bremen; the hooker Myptangh: Captain, Gerrit Collaert, of Amsterdam; assistant, Theodorus Heermans, of the same place; first pilot, Gerrit Gerritz, of Bremen. Sailed from here with our fleet on the 12th to explore the South Land and afterwards bound for Batavia. CHRONOLOGY. 1606: Duyfken in Gulf of Carpentaria. First authenticated voyage to Australia. 1616: Dirk Hartog in the Eendracht. First authenticated voyage to Western Australia. 1619: Discovery of Abrolhos Islands by Houtman. 1622: Voyage of Leeuwin. Wreck of Trial. 1627: Nuytsland discovered. 1628: Discovery of De Witt Land. Voyage of Pelsart in Batavia. Pelsart wrecked on Abrolhos Islands. 1644: Voyage of Tasman to North-West and North coasts. 1688: Dampier in the Cygnet. 1696 to 1697: Discovery of Swan River by Vlaming. 1699: Dampier's second voyage. 1772: Voyage of St. Alouarn. 1791: Discovery of King George's Sound by Vancouver. 1792: Voyage of D'Entrecasteaux. 1801: Flinders' voyage in the Investigator. Voyage of Geographe and Naturaliste. 1802: Geographe joined by Casuarina. 1817: Voyage of Freycinet in Uranie. 1817 to 1822: Lieutenant King's survey voyages on the North-West coast. 1826: Occupancy of King George's Sound by convicts from Sydney under Major Lockyer. 1827: Examination of Swan River by Captain Stirling in H.M.S. Success. 1828: Syndicate formed in London for colonisation of Swan River. Decision of British Government to found colony. Captain Fremantle in H.M.S. Challenger dispatched to take formal possession of Swan River. Captain Stirling appointed Lieutenant-Governor. 1829: February. Parmelia leaves England with officials and first settlers. May. Formal possession taken by Captain Fremantle. Act 10 George IV ch.22, authorising establishment of Legislative Council. June. Arrival of Parmelia. Proclamation of colony. August. Foundation of Perth and Fremantle. 1830: Legislative Council constituted by Order in Council. Executive Council constituted by Instructions under Sign Manual. 1831: Lieutenant-Governor Stirling appointed Governor. Convict settlement at King George's Sound withdrawn. Agricultural Society established. First newspaper issued. 1832: Executive Council, Legislative Council, Civil Court established. Duel between Clarke and Johnstone. 1833: First issue of Perth Gazette--now West Australian. 1834: First definite petition for convicts (from Albany). Native disturbances--Battle of Pinjarra. 1837: Bank of Western Australia established. 1837 to 1840: Lieutenant Grey's explorations. 1838: End of Governor