A History of Tasmania Author:James Fenton Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. GOTBRNOR DAVEY—PROGRESS OF THB COLONY—"V. D. LAND GAZETTE"— CONVICTS AND BUSHRANGERS—"HOBART TOWN GAZETTE" PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED BY ANDREW BENT... more »—HIS DIFFICULTIES—FOUNDATION STONB OF FIRST CHCBCH LAID—CAPTAIN KKLLY's DISCOVERIE8—HIS INTBRYIEW WITH NATIVES—DAVEY'S BETIREMENT—POPULATION OF COLONY. (HE brief administration of COLONEL DAVEY, second Lieutenant-Governor, commenced on the 4th day of February, 1813, on which date he arrived at Hobart Town. He was a man of no capacity to govern. His free and easy manner betrayed a want of that wisdom and discretion which were especially needful at this important period. The young colony was rapidly sinking into a demoralised condition ; and the new administration of affairs intensified rather than abated the evil. The failings of the new Governor were of the head—not the heart; his ruling infirmities being of a character which disqualified him for the art of governing. By his loose and indolent habits he failed to command respect. Landing from the ship in the afternoon of a sultry day, Davey walked along the streets to Government House with his shirt sleeves exposed, while his coat was carelessly slung across his arm. He indulged in peculiarities much less excusable than this during his stay. Nevertheless, while Davey was Governor considerable progress was made in developing the resources of the colony. Mercantile houses were established, the ports West. (40) PROGRESS OF THE COLONY. 41 were opened for general commerce, and English goods were imported direct from Great Britain. The whale fishery was carried on with profitable results, and a lucrative trade in seal skins from the islands of Bass Strait was established. In 1815, 1770 bushels of wheat were exported to Sydney, and in 1816, 13,135 bushels. A flour ...« less