JAMESON, Hugh

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 36

No.36 Hart Street

Bloomsbury

27 July 1819

Sir,

With a view to avail myself of the facilities offered by Government to convey persons desirous of emigrating to the Cape of Good Hope, I beg leave to request the favour of being furnished with the regulations proposed, and also replies, if possible, to the following queries:

1^st Is there a sea port to which shipping can resort near to the lands to be allotted to the colony?

2^nd Are the lands covered with trees or brushwood

3^rd What distance are the lands from Cape Town

4^th Are the lands flat or hilly in general?

5^th Are the lands to be allotted to become Freehold under the Crown to the Principal who takes out the several individuals?

6^th Has any survey been made of the lands and if so where may it be seen

7^th Will it be necessary to take out food to support the settlers during the first six months or until they can raise food for themselves from the land

8^th Is any military protection necessary to the colony?

9^th Where will the settlers be landed?

10^th If they are to be landed at Cape Town will Government find and defray conveyance to the point of settlement.

I trust these questions will be considered as merely proceeding from that degree of caution and foresight which is the more necessary from the welfare of so many individuals being contemplated and united with my own.

I have the honor to be Sir your most obed't hbl svt

Hugh JAMESON

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 57

No.36 Hart Street

Bloomsbury

4 Aug 1819

Sir,

I have to thank you for the printed circular containing the terms on which Government will promote the new colony at the Cape of Good Hope.

I now beg leave to state my wish to be favoured with a grant of land at Algoa Bay (which I understand is the proposed place of settlement) on the terms mentioned in the circular, it being my intention to take out twenty settlers, with or without families. This number I intend shall be chiefly composed of able bodied and industrious Scotch Agriculturalists, many of whom are at present in great distress. I should also engage several artisans such as a carpenter and wheelwright, a blacksmith, a cooper &c.

The arrangement between me and these people I shall endeavour to make as liberal as possible, as indeed my own interests will be best supported by studying theirs. I have therefore to hope it will be found that my views are perfectly in unison with the provident intentions of Government.

May I request to be favored with a communication of the result of my application at your earliest convenience in order that if my wishes are acceded to, my arrangements, which must be partly formed in Scotland, may be made so as to enable me to go out by the first vessel in November.

Lest it should be considered of any importance to know the connections of persons thus applying I beg to mention that my family is very respectable and that I have a brother who has recently departed for the Havannah on a Commission for the Government.

I have the honor to be Sir your most obed't hbl svt

Hugh JAMESON

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 83

No.36 Hart Street

Bloomsbury

16th Aug 1819

Sir,

I took the liberty of addressing you on the 4^th inst stating my wish to be favored with a grant of land at Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, whereon I proposed to settle with twenty Scotch agriculturalists either with or without families and have since been honored with your printed reply intimating that my proposals were under consideration. Subsequently I have learnt that a circular has been issued stating it to be necessary for all applicants for lands at the new colony to give in a list containing the names, ages, business & family of each settler.

I beg leave to state that my letter did not contain this information because I presumed the grant was to precede any private arrangements and also because I feared it might be an aggravation of existing distress to raise hopes by any conditional agreement with poor Scotch agriculturalists which might be put an end to by my not succeeding in obtaining the grant from Government. If however it were possible to admit my proposal as it stands in my letter of the 4^th inst with this declaration that the number of able bodied men shall be twenty, with fifteen wives and not exceeding thirty children under fourteen years of age, perhaps all that Government have in view would be ascertained in the meantime until the certainty of the grant would warrant me in making agreements with the people to be taken out, when the name, age, business and family of each of them can be distinctly stated.

It would be a great accommodation if this would be acceded to, and as an immediate opportunity has occurred for my entering on arrangements in Scotland I should be greatly obliged by learning as speedily as may be convenient the decision that may be come to.

I have the honor to be Sir your most obed't hbl svt

Hugh JAMESON

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 125

No.36 Hart Street

Bloomsbury

5 Oct 1819

Sir,

On the 5^th August I was favored with an intimation from you that my proposals for obtaining a grant of land at the new settlement at the Cape of Good Hope were under consideration and that due notice would be given me of the decision thereon. Since then I have not been honored with any communication and lest that should have arisen from a mistake as to my address I take the libert of laying it again before your.

I am Sir

Your most obed't sev't

Hugh JAMESON