Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 25 December 1857, page 8


CHRONOLOGICAL MEMORANDA.

1825.—FEBRUARY 12.—First jury empanelled in the Supreme Court, for the disposal of the cause of the King against Robert Cooper, the distiller. Verdict given for the defendant.—"The ship Almorah, char-tered by the colonial Government, in a case of pressing exigency, an account of having on her return a few chests of tea on board, with all her cargo of stores, and 100,000 dollars, was seized by the sloop of-war Slaney, Captain Mitchell."—Mr. Edward Riley, a magistrate,

shot himself.

March 2.—The Almorah in defiance of the Colonial Government, was despatched off for Calcutta, under charge of a Mr. Matthews, first lieutenant of the Slaney, the Attorney-General having had something

like a rencontre the day before.

5.—Advices from Melville Island, of the establish-ment and safety of that distant dependency.

May 2.—First number of Howe's Weekly Express

published.

3.—Colonel Stewart, commanding the Buffs, sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor.

7.—The first Archdeacon (Rev. Thomas Hobbes Scott) arrived.

June 9.—" Primary visitation" held in St. James's Church by Archdeacon Scott.

June 30.—French frigate and corvette put in to refit.

August 17.—Mr. Stephen, the Solicitor-General, appointed Assistant Judge in the Supreme Court.

September 1.—Mr. Henry Grattan Douglas took his seat as clerk of the Legislative Council.

7.—Mr. W. H. Moore appointed H.M. first coroner,

or attorney, in the Supreme Court.

26.—Howe's Weekly Express discontinued.

29.—The Sydney Gazette published twice a week. The Governor and Chief Justice Forbes visited the cascade in " the new country, which is 2800 feet above

the level of the sea."

October 21.—The first Constitutional County meet-ing, under the auspices of the Sheriff, was assembled, for the purpose of addressing Sir Thomas Brisbane on his retirement from the Government. A great con-course was convened in the Court-house, "many patri-otic and elegant speeches were delivered, and one of the most manly and loyal addresses was presented that ever came from any people."

December 1.—Governor Brisbane sailed for Eng-

land.

6.—Colonel Stewart sworn in as Acting-Go-

vernor.

7.—" Major Ovens, Captain in the 57th Regiment, private secretary to Sir Thomas Brisbane, major of brigade, chief engineer, &c.,&c., died in Sydney, from severe illness induced by an accumulated weight of public business."

3.—Independence of Van Diemen's Land formally declared, and Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling sworn in as the first governor of that island ; after which his Excellency resigned the immediate reins of the Govern-ment into the hands of Lieutenant-Governor Arthur.

19.—Governor Darling, having arrived on the 17th, was sworn in at Government House, and the nomi-nation and appointment of the Executive and Legisla-tive Councils took place. Illuminations on the nights

of the 19th and 20th.

1826.—January 3.—The hon. Alexander Macleay, the second Colonial-Secretary, arrived, with Mrs. Macleay and family.

5.—Land Board established.

February 5.—Major Goulburn, the first Colonial Secretary, " a man of uncontaminated purity, marked integrity, and indefatigable zeal," returned to Europe.

22.—The Agricultural Society now also called the Horticultural Society. Mr. John Stephen sworn in as acting Chief Justice, during the absence of Chief Justice Forbes through indisposition. The Bank of Australasia received its name. The Australian Sub-scription Library established under the Governor's auspices in February.

March.—School of Industry established by Mrs. Darling, wife of his Excellency the Governor-in

Chief.

15.—The Sydney Gazette promulgated letters patent for the institution of a corporation for the management of the Church and School Lands in New South Wales.

April 26.—The King's birthday kept at Govern-ment House " with unusual splendour."

29.—Mr. Icely's thoroughbred mare Manto dropped a fine bay foal, being the first thorough-bred animal produced in the colony. The Darling Mills, erected on the Windsor Road, to the westward of Parramatta, by Mr. John Raine, began working during this month. In April also, " the name of Darling Harbour was given to that fine and magnificent sheet of water on the west side of Sydney formerly called Cockle Bay."

May.—Spurt of wilful independence! The Sydney Gazette, the first journal in Australasia, voluntary abandoned the words "published by authority," with the view of becoming absolutely free.

14.—"Tremendous stir," occasioned by a false alarm, "industriously propagated," that the Bank of New South Wales had stopped payment. Caledonian

School formed.

" His Excellency the Governor steps forward in the most liberal way to save the colony from universal bankruptcy, and aids the Bank of New South Wales with a loan from the Treasury chest."

18.—News of the death of Czar Alexander I.

19.—Mr. Edward Smith Hall issued the first num-ber of the Monitor weekly paper.

June.—Detachment of the 40th Regiment, under Captain Bishop, returned from an expedition against the natives in the county of Argyle, "fortunately with-out bloodshed having been occasioned."

3.—The Chamber of Commerce established under the " flattering auspices" of the Governor. News of the successful termination of the Burmese War.

July 12.—The dollar system of currency abolished by Act of Council.

8.—The first detachment of the New South Wales Corps, placed under the orders of Colonel Dumaresq, arrived. The first Albion press arrived for the Gazette office. The Sydney Dispensary instituted under the Governor's patronage.—A settlement formed at Illa-warra, under the commandancy of Captain Bishop of the 40th Regiment.

August 6.—Account of the death of the Bishop of Calcutta, the celebrated Dr. Heber, arrived by H. M. ship Fly.

October.—William Henry Moore made Acting At-torney-General, vice Sax Bannister. The editor of the Sydney Gazette prosecuted by criminal information for an alleged libel on the first and (now) retiring Attorney-General (Sax Bannister). The trial "ended victoriously for the rights of freedom of discussion," in a verdict of acquittal on the 20th October ; the alleged libel having been published only six days previously. —Advices received from Moreton Bay of the discovery of a magnificent river 60 miles to the southward of that penal settlement, by Captain Logan, com-mandant. It was called " Darling River."

October 19.—"The first 74 that ever entered the port of Australia, H.M.S. Warspite, with Commodore Sir James Brisbane, C.B., Lady Brisbane, and the two Misses Brisbane, arrived from Trincomalee, on their passage to South America."

October 28.—News of Sir Thomas Brisbane's arrival in England.

November.—A catarrh, or influenza, prevailed throughout the colony " to a most alarming extent," at the latter end of the last month, and during a great part of the present.

8.—Receipt of the King's Commission, appointing John Stephen, Esq.; one of the Judges of the Supreme

Court.

10.—H.M. ship Fly, the Government brig Amity,

and the colonial brig Dragon, sailed together on an

expedition to colonize Western Port and King George's

Sound.

1827.—The Sydney Gazette became the first daily paper "in these colonies."

January 26.—" The third grand Colonial Assembly of Australia convened in the Court-house, at which the Sheriff presided, with petitions to His Majesty, and both Houses of Parliament, for the bestowment of the civil rights of trial by jury, and a House of Assem-bly, were put and carried ; and Mr. Gregory Blaxland, a wealthy, respectable, and intelligent colonist, was commissioned to be the bearer of the said petition to the House of Commons.

February.—" The Sisters, whaler, put into port from the Bay of Islands, with the brig Wellington, which had been piratically captured by the convicts destined to Nor-folk Island, in the month of December, and retaken in January by the efforts of Mr. Topsell, the first mate of

the Sisters.

April 9.—The Customs organised and established, and the naval officership superseded thereby.—Dr. Halloran published a weekly paper called the Gleaner.

May 12.—Deputy Commissary-General Laidley arrived, to succeed W. Wemyss, Esq., in the charge

of the commissariat department.

May 23.—News received, of the death of H. R. H.

the Duke of York.

Governor Darling, accompanied by the Archdeacon, visited the northern settlements in June, and returned in July.

July 31.—New Court-house formally opened by proclamation, and occupied. Alexander Macduff

Baxter, Esq., Attorney-General, arrived. News of the formation of the Canning Administration in England.

October.—The Licensing and Stamp Act introduced

into Tasmania.

November.—The Governor and Captain Dumaresq

visited the interior.

November 27.—The office of Lieutenant-Govenor declared no longer to exist in New South Wales, after the departure of Colonel Stewart.—28.—Head quarters of Colonel Stewart's regiment (the Buffs) embarked for Calcutta. Mr. Hamilton Hume discovered a new line of road to the Bathurst country.

December 3.—News of the death of Mr. Canning, Prime Minister, and of Lord Goderich's succession. December 30.—The H. E. I. Company's cruiser Redarch, returned from a voyage of exploration to the Manicolo Islands, where a search was made for the remains of the wrecks of the French discovery ships Astrolable and Buffole, under Messrs De la Perouse and De l'Angle. These ships had never been heard of since the 28th January, 1788, when they left Botany Bay. Captain Dillen suc-ceeded in discovering the wrecks of the French vessels, and he recovered valuable property belonging to them, with which he shortly afterwards sailed, per Calcutta.

December 31.—Black Tommy, a black native, was

executed for murder.

1828.—February 24.—Mr Justice Dowling arrived. March 8.—General Post Offices instituted through-out the colony by Governor Darling. March 13.— News of the total destruction of the Turkish and Egyptian fleets by the united forces of England, France, and Russia ; Mr. Sampson, Solicitor-General arrived ; whooping-cough prevailed, and many chil-dren died by it.

May.—The Rev Samuel Marsden, Principal Chap-lain of the colony, issued a pamphlet in vindication of his character from aspersions resulting out of pro-ceedings connected with a Court of Inquiry held in 1825.—May 25, Mr. Oxley, the Surveyor-General, died after a long illness, " brought on by the pressure of public business."

July 26.—" The small-pox, introduced by the transport ship Bussorah Merchant ; but its spread was happily obstructed by the prompt and decisive steps pursued by his Excellency Governor Darling."

August 3.—The infant son of Governor Darling died of whooping-cough. 28th.—The new Supreme Court, being completed, was occupied.—The Clarence and Richmond Rivers discovered by the Hon. Captain

Rouse.

October 29.—Intelligence received of the wreck of the brig Bona Vista, on her way through Torres

Straits towards Calcutta.

November 20.—Captain Sturt set out, in company with Mr. H. Hume, and under the auspices of Govern-ment, on an expedition to explore that part of the interior situated eight or nine hundred miles to the northward and westward of the Wellington Valley.

December 10.—Upwards of forty acres of wheat, belonging to various settlers on the Hawkesbury, were consumed, in consequence of a breeze communicating the flame which proceeded from a quantity of burning

stubble.

1829.—January 11.—A very violent hurricane visited Sydney. The chronicler records, in his usual sublime language—" About noon, the sky became partially obscured and a shower of hail—some of the stones of an extraordinary size, as usual—accompanied by frightful gusts of wind, carried devastation before it to every object exposed to its fury. The destruction of glass in the windows throughout the town was im-mense in its extent, and the injury to buildings con-

siderable."

January 29.—Mr. Robert Howe was drowned whilst fishing off Pinchgut Island.