Volume 66: Macarthur family correspondence relating to land, 1819-1881: No. 028
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[Page 28]
plans that my family have been long engaged in maturing; and if I were not also impressed with a belief that their complete success must mainly depend upon the extension to them of the encouragement originally contemplated by one of your Lordship's predecessors. I shall, therefore, without presuming to intrude upon your Lordship's time by other preliminary observations, proceed to state, as shortly as I am able, the particulars of the promise made my father by the Marquis of Camden and his reasons for hoping that your Lordship will now consider him entitled to its fulfilment.
During a temporary residence in England, in the year 1804, some specimens of Merino wool raised by him in New South Wales were accidently seen by a Committee of Manufacturers of woollen cloth, and in consequence of a memorial presentation by them to Govt he was directed to attend the Privy Council, before whom he was examined as to the state of his flocks, and the probability of their improvement. Their Lordships were satisfied on these points; and thinking it an object of public importance to encourage in a British Settlement, the growth of fine wool, a regular supply of which was then with difficulty obtained from Spain, they recommended the subject to the attention of Earl Camden, the Secy of State for the Colonies, & to direct that he should be allotted 10,000 acres at Cow Pastures; a
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