Willson, Thomas

Bridge Cottage, Chelsea Water Works. /
20 August 1819. /
My Lord, /
I have the honor to acknowledge your /
Lordships Circular of the 14\th/ Instant, and trust I shall not be deemed /
Importunate in addres+sing you again upon the subject of the proposed /
Settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, as it is very es+sential for me in making /
the neces+sary arrangements of Funds to ascertain distinctly, if the Settlers are /
to be located (at Algoa as I understand) by Government, or if they are to /
proceed overland at their own expence? /
On arriving at the Cape (that is I conceive /
Cape Town) I am to receive back, the deposit made in England, by three /
Instalments, and be enabled to purchase stores of the Government /agent\ at prime cost./ Will your Lordship do me the honor to state if that agent may be Instructed /
to receive Bills in payment for the same at limited dates? It will be /
obvious to your Lordship that for the better management of the requisite Funds /
for carrying into effect the views of an Infantile Settlement, whose first /
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Expenditure must be very considerable, and without any proportionate /
return! some such arrangement will be highly needful and I therefore /
hope you will excuse the suggestion./
I am at liberty to enter into such /
stipulations with the persons proceeding to the Cape under my direction /
as I may judge proper, Government making the grant of land (at the rate of one hundred acres per family) to me Individually, as my security /
for the fulfilment of the agreement which these persons enter into with me, /
and for the responsibility and anxiety which naturally attends the undertaking /
of such direction? Will your Lordship be pleased to intimate that I am /
correct in forming this conclusion? /
I should ill discharge my duty both /
to your Lordship, and to these Individuals, were I to omit stating /
their regret in ascertaining the total want of dwellings at the place /
of Settlement; which, together with the Intelligence recently I fear /
and mischievously published, if not exaggerated, by Journalists, /
respecting the disturbed state of the Country by the Incursions of the Caffres /
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will I am afraid operate extensively in damping the ardour for emigration /
notwithstanding the powerful Impetus which is to be found in „the Land of promise”. /
It is doubtles+s to be presumed that /
the next advices will enable Government to counteract the pernicious /
effects of their publications; and to allay the prejudices which they have /
engendered, I hope that I have succes+sfully urged the ample protection /
for British Subjects which is always to be found in the wisdom, and /
promptitude of His Majesty’s Government in providing the neces+sary /
means of defence and future security: and if, Canvas+s Covering /
may be afforded by His Excellency the Governor, as a loan to the /
Settlers, for a Temporary resource until suitable dwellings /
can be erected, I flatter myself that these prejudices will soon /
cease to exist, which I fear may otherwise deter many respectable /
Individuals, whom I most value as practical Men, from uniting /
with me in carrying into effect, extensive Improvements in the Country./
I have the honor to be /
Your Lordships /
most devoted humble Servant /
Tho\s/. Willson /
The Right Hon\ble/ /
Earl Bathurst /
7+c 7+c 7+c. /