Letter received by Philip Gidley King from Banks, 8 April 1803 (Series 39.076) - No. 0003

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Friendship & I beg you will accept my best Thanks for your goodness on this occasion.

This will be deliverd to you by your old Friend Col Collins who is Come to extend the bounds of your Dominions by establishing a new Colony at Port Philip & the opposite Island   I think the Reason given by Ld Hobart for this measure is excellent "if you continualy send thieves to one Place said my Lord it must in time by [be] supersaturated, Sydney I think is now Completely Saturated we must Let it rest & purify for a few years & it be again in Condition to Receive"  I conclude an Effort will soon be made to form a Communication between the Colonies as I do not suppose that by the Road they Can be more than 500 miles assunder.

The Mass of Salt you sent to me is wholly free from the mercurial Salts which I found in the Last parcel sent by Capt Hunter I have no doubt therefore that some wag of chicaneries put the sublimate amongst it as a Practical Joke it is Singular if delechd Peices of such a magnitude are found & no Regular bed yet discoverd such a bed must exist & will in due time be met with