著者

鈴木 顕介

出版者

オーストラリア学会

雑誌

オーストラリア研究 (ISSN:09198911)

巻号頁・発行日

no.7, pp.1-12, 1996-01-25

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Against the background of an urban population explosion resulting from the Industrialization and the Enclosure, big cities in 18th century Britain, especially London, faced an increasing number of criminals. The British government decided to establish a penal colony in Australia in 1786. There have been several interpretations and hypotheses analysing the motive of this decision ; A subject of great controversy among historians in Australia. The intention of this paper is to analyse the motive behind the establishment of the Colony in New South Wales. Using the record of the trial of some First Fleet covicts written by John Cobley under the title of "THE CRIME OF THE FIRST FLEET CONVICTS" together with the documents of the British government, the paper asserts that the motive was to banish the criminal factor from Great Britain and to set up a self-sufficient colony which would be able to accommodate further number criminals. A thorough study of the trial record and the process of the decision making by the government indicated that no adequate preparation had been made for the establishment of the colony. No feasibility study had been ordered and the government relied solely on the report of Captain James Cook who anchored in Botany Bay where the First fleet intended to build the base. The only concern of the government was to send young convicts, especially young female. The proportion of female convicts in the First Fleet was about 25%, which was higher by about 10% than that of all the convicts sent during the time of transportation. In the First fleet about 66% of the women were with the record of age, but only 25% of the men were with it. At the same time women convicts between 16 and 25 years old reached 49%. Almost 40 % of the women convicts' trials Started after the government's decision to establish the colony. These clearly indicate that the government tried to send as many young women convicts as possible. Also "THE HEAD OF A PLAN", one of just a few official documents surviving today, states that without a sufficient proportion of that sex (women) it is well-known that it would be impossible to preserve the settlement from gross irregularity and disorders. Furthermore, the plan intended to convey to the new settlement a further number of women from the Friendly Islands and New Caledonia. In view of these facts it is fair to conclude that the British government's objective was to have convicts settle in Australia even after the expiration of their transportation. To that end marriage would be an ideal way to get them to stay in the colony.