Good fortune continued to befriend us.  Before the end of the month, three more transports, having on board two companies of the New South Wales corps, arrived to add to our society.  These ships also brought out a large body of convicts, whose state and sufferings will be best estimated by the following return.

Names of     No. of people   No. of persons who died   No. landed sick
Ships         embarked          on the passage       at Port Jackson

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Neptune           530                 163                  269

Surprise 252 42 121

Scarborough 256 68 96

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1038                 273                  486

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N.B.  Of those landed sick, one hundred and twenty-four died in the hospital at Sydney.

On our passage from England, which had lasted more than eight months and with nearly an equal number of persons, only twenty-four had died, and not thirty were landed sick.  The difference can be accounted for, only by comparing the manner in which each fleet was fitted out and conducted.  With us the provisions, served on board, were laid in by a contractor, who sent a deputy to serve them out; and it became a part of duty for the officers of the troops to inspect their quality, and to order that every one received his just proportion.  Whereas, in the fleet now arrived, the distribution of provisions rested entirely with the masters of the merchantmen, and the officers were expressly forbidden to interfere in any shape farther about the convicts than to prevent their escape.

Seventeen pounds, in full of all expense, was the sum paid by the public for the passage of each person.  And this sum was certainly competent to afford fair profit to the merchant who contracted.  But there is reason to believe, that some of those who were employed to act for him, violated every principle of justice, and rioted on the spoils of misery, for want of a controlling power to check their enormities.  No doubt can be entertained, that a humane and liberal government will interpose its authority, to prevent the repetition of such flagitious conduct.

Although the convicts had landed from these ships with every mark of meagre misery, yet it was soon seen, that a want of room, in which more conveniences might have been stowed for their use, had not caused it.  Several of the masters of the transports immediately opened stores, and exposed large quantities of goods to sale, which, though at most extortionate prices, were eagerly bought up.