A man-of-war was also to be stationed in Australian
waters. A still more welcome assistance came in the early part of the
year from the Governor of Tasmania, who sent, at Latrobe's earnest
request, a body of two hundred pensioners, who had been serving as
convict guards, and who might be expected to resist those temptations
which, if yielded to, would result in the loss of their pensions. But
all this assistance meant money, and the Government soon fell into sore
straits.
It is true that at first the revenue rose substantially. Comparing the
income for the quarters ending December 31, 1850, and December 31, 1851,
respectively, we find, on general account, an increase of eleven
thousand pounds, or about 30 per cent., and, on the Territorial account,
or Land Fund, an increase of seventy-three thousand pounds, about 100
per cent. Three months later the increase was about 200 per cent. on the
general revenue, while the Territorial revenue was about the same. But
the latter fact may be accounted for by the transferrence of the fees
for gold licenses to the general revenue.
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