• Title
  Thomas Townshend, first Viscount Sydney, letter received from John Shortland, 19 August 1797
• Creator
  Thomas Townshend Sydney, Viscount, 1733-1800
• Call number
  SAFE/MLMSS 6702 (Safe 1/191)
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  19 August 1797
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  402217
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  0.05 metres of textual material (1 box) - manuscript
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  John Shortland (1769-1810) arrived with the First Fleet as master's mate on the Sirius. His position was procured by his father (John Shortland, 1739-1803), naval agent to the transports, who also sailed with the Fleet. After five years Shortland went back to England, returning in 1795 as first lieutenant on the Reliance which brought newly appointed governor John Hunter to the colony. In September 1797, while in pursuit of escaped convicts, Shortland entered the estuary of the Hunter River. He explored and named the river, made the first chart of the harbour and collected samples of coal. Shortland returned to England in 1800 and served with the navy in Egypt and Guinea. He died in 1810 from wounds received in an engagement with the French.
  Viscount Sydney was Secretary of State for the Home Department from 1782 to 1788 during the period when it had responsibility for the colonies. The organisation of the First Fleet was completed under his direction and the new settlement of Sydney was named after him.
• Scope and Content
  Autograph letter to Viscount Sydney signed by John Shortland, H.M.S. Reliance, Sydney Cove, 19 August 1797. In this seven page letter Shortland describes the visit, in 1796, of the Reliance and the Supply to the Cape of Good Hope where he and other officers bought supplies for the New South Wales colony including sheep, cattle and horses. He comments on affairs in New South Wales, mentioning Henry Waterhouse and Bennelong. He recounts the story of the survivors of the shipwrecked Sydney Cove who made their way along the coast from Cape Everard to the place now known as Coalcliff where they were rescued by boat. The schooner Francis and the sloop-rigged boat Eliza were then sent to rescue members of the crew stranded on Preservation Island in the Furneaux Group. Shortland also describes how George Bass went to Coalcliff and returned with samples which confirmed the discovery of coal. ;
• Finding Aids
  Transcription available online - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2011/D14128/a001.html
• General note
  
  The original letter is written on paper 22 x 18cm. A transcription of the letter, made in 1999, is available at MLMSS 6920.
  Digital order no:Album ID : 823212
  Microfilm copy available at CY 3991, frames 1-14
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Shortland, John, 1769-1810
  
• Name
  Bennelong, approximately 1764-1813
  Francis (Ship)
  Sydney Cove (Ship)
  
• Subject
  Australian merino sheep--Breeding--History.
  Coal mines and mining--New South Wales.
  Livestock--Australia.
  New South Wales--History--1788-1851.
  Shipwrecks--Australia.
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE1078421

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