Copy of a letter received by John Maitland from Banks, 31 March 1804 (Series 23.31) - No. 0001

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Soho Square

March 31, 1804.

My dear Sir

I am sorry I was out when you were so good as to call upon me a few days ago I have of late stayd cheifly at home which makes me consider myself the more unfortunate. 

As you & the Gentleman concernd with you seem determind to persevere in your New South Wales Sheep adventure, & as I am aware that its success will be of infinite importance to the Manufacture of England & that its failure will not happen without much previous advantage to the infant Colony, I should be glad to know, whether the Adventurers would be contented with a Grant of a large quantity of Land as Sheep Walks only, resumeable by the Government in any Parcels in which it shall be found convenient to grant it as private propetly on condition of an equal quantity of land being granted in recompencd as Sheep Walk; The Lands to be chosen by your Agents in Lots of 100,000 Acres each & a New Lot granted as soon as the former has been occupied as far as 1,000,000 of Acres.

Such a Grant appears to me likely to answer your purpose to its utmost extent, you may upon it institute a Code of Laws like the Mæsta of Spain, making all the inferior Shepherds dependant on the superior & by granting to the Shepherds a small share of the Profits make honesty their best policy. 

I doubt much the Propriety of Granting Land in Perpetuity to a Scheme which embraces nothing but the feeding of Sheep, the run over land suited for that purpose is all that can be wanted

John Maitland Esqr.