JOHNSTONE, A

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 63

Orchard Hills

Kinsales

Ireland

August 5th 1819

My Lord,

Having seen in the newspapers that the British Government have offered great advantages to British settlers who will go to the Cape of Good Hope and that your Lordship was to be applied to on the subject I take the liberty of troubling your Lordship under the following circumstances. I am the eldest of seven brothers who in consequence of the property being entailed have become entirely dependent on me. As the United States of America offers great scope for the improvement of property and offers very many advantages to a family such as mine I determined on going to that country and for that purpose have raised money on my property, but feeling infinitely a greater wish to be under the protection of the Government of my native land I have delayed going to America until I can ascertain what are the advantages of emigrating to the Cape; they certainly must be very great to induce a respectable family to banish themselves to so distant and perhaps wild a region. My family consists of seven very fine young men from twenty five to fourteen, who have even been accustomed to a farming life, three ladys, three children, three male servants and one female, such a family as the present [presenting?] advantages to a rising colony. May I request your Lordship will have the kindness to let me have the earliest information on this subject as I only await your answer to determine if I go to America or not; if I go to the latter place I intend sailing this autumn. I am perfectly ignorant in what manner to act on the present occasion, what would be necessary articles of furniture, or implements of husbandry, necessary to take out or if they can be procured there. How near it is to other European settlers. Whether a respectable family could be comfortably accommodated before an establishment could be formed & what description of ground it is and what kind of accommodations are given on the passage out as that would be no trifling object to the female part of my family, particularly on so long a voyage. I have a large connexion in this country several families of whom only wait my report of my emigration to follow me. Permit me to hope your Lordship will pardon my thus intruding on your time and patience with so many questions but it is so material a point as the settlement for life of my family, I feel it absolutely necessary to be informed on every point. Awaiting your Lordship's reply I have the honor to submit myself

Your Lordship's most humble servant

A. JOHNSTONE

[Transcriber's Note: See letter by Hutchinson JOHNSON]