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The fifth son of Andrew
Stirling of Drumpellier, Lanarkshire, Scotland, was born there in January
1791, entered the navy in August 1803, and became a lieutenant in August
1809. In January 1826 he was given the command of the Success and
in the following December, when reporting on the removal of a settlement
on Melville Island in the north of Australia, he suggested taking
possession of the land on the west of Australia near the Swan River. He
pointed out that a colony in that position would have great opportunities
for trade, and also the advisability of forestalling the French and
Americans. On 17 January 1827 Stirling was sent from Sydney in the
Success and arrived off the Swan River on 6 March. Stirling went up
the river in boats and explored its course for some miles. He then sailed
for King George's Sound, which was reached on 2 April, and he arrived in
Sydney again on 15 April. His report so impressed Governor Darling (q.v.)
that he strongly advised the English government that a settlement should
be made as soon as possible. Stirling apparently took this dispatch to
England himself, but the colonial office at first was averse to the
proposal. However, a change of government took place, and on 5 November
the admiralty was given instructions to send a ship to take possession of
the country at or near the Swan River. Stirling was selected to take
charge of the settlement, and for some time there was a doubt as to what
was to be his exact position. He sailed on 6 February 1829 on the
Parmelia, with a band of officials, and arrived on 1 June. It was not,
however, until 18 June that he landed on the mainland and began the actual
settlement of Western Australia. Stirling and his officers fixed the sites
of Fremantle and Perth, and the surveyor-general was soon busy surveying
the land so that grants could be made to the settlers who began to arrive
almost at once.
The usual difficulties of a
settlement of this kind were faced with courage, but unfortunately the
Immigration scheme arranged by Thomas Peel (q.v.) was badly mismanaged and
became a failure. On 20 January 1830 Stirling in a dispatch pointed out
that the success of the colony practically depended on the right kind of
immigrant being sent out; men who had been failures in England would be
quite unlikely to prosper. He went on to say "I would earnestly request
that for a few years the helpless and inefficient may be kept from the
settlement, while to the active, industrious, and intelligent there may be
assured with confidence a fair reward for their labours. This country may
at no distant period absorb, with advantage to Great Britain and herself,
an immense migration of persons, any great portion of which if sent
forward too soon will ruin her prospects and their own". The winter of
1830 was extremely rainy, which increased the difficulties of the settlers
who were increasing very much. It was found. necessary to throw open land
where Bunbury now stands and also near King George's Sound. The government
was vested solely in the hands of Stirling, who had little to guide him
beyond a letter of instructions. On 5 March 1831 a commission was issued
appointing him governor and commander-in-chief of Western Australia, and
when this arrived Stirling called together a legislative council of which
the first meeting was held in February 1832. The colony was faced with
shortages of provisions and money, and in August 1832 the governor, at the
request of the settlers, sailed for England to put its difficulties before
the government. He did not return to Perth until August 1834 and in the
meantime much progress had been made. It was known that he had been to
some extent successful in his mission and his return was welcomed with
rejoicing. Alterations in the system of government provided for an
increase in the number of members of the legislative council, and also in
the civil and military establishments. Revenue was to come from sale of
crown lands and duties on spirits, supplemented by a grant from the
Imperial treasury. The land laws were liberalized and precautions were
taken by storing foodstuffs against future famine. The settlers, however,
began to object to paying for their land, and it was even suggested that
new settlers should each receive 2560 acres free. The land question was
one of the causes of friction which arose between the council and the
governor. The colony was, however, making some progress, evidence of which
may be found in the establishment in 1837 of the Bank of Western
Australia, which gave a distinct impetus to development. A fair amount of
exploring was done in which Stirling himself took part, and when he
resigned in December 1838 his leaving caused much regret.
Stirling again took up his
naval duties and was in command of the Indies in the Mediterranean
from October 1840 to June 1844, and the Howe from April 1847 to
April 1850. He was commander-in-chief in the East Indies front January
1854 to February 1856, became vice-admiral on 22 August 1857 and admiral
on 22 November 1862. He died at Guildford, England, on 22 April 1865. He
married in 1823 Ellen Mangles, who predeceased him, and was survived by
children. He was knighted on 3 April 1833.
Stirling was an excellent
naval officer and an admirable governor. He has been accused of having
been over sanguine, but his optimism was a source of strength in the
conditions in which he found himself. He realized, however, that the
colony could be successful only if the settlers were able and willing to
work hard, and that there was no room for men who had failed in England.
Like all the early Australian governors he was hampered to some extent by
instructions from the colonial office, and he had the inevitable
disagreements with the colonists and the legislative council, but he laid
the foundations of Western Australia surely and well, and it was no fault
of his that progress lagged for so long a period after. |
