The First Fleet: The Real Story

The First Fleet: The Real Story

Synopsis

In 1787 a convoy of eleven ships carrying about 1400 people set out from England for Botany Bay on the east coast of New South Wales. According to the conventional account it was a shambolic affair: under-prepared poorly equipped and ill-disciplined. Robert Hughes condemned the organisers for their muddle and lack of foresight while Manning Clark described scenes of indescribable misery and confusion.In The First Fleet: The Real Story Alan Frost draws on hundreds of previously neglected records to debunk these persistent myths. He shows that the voyage was in fact meticulously planned reflecting its importance to the British governments ambitions for imperial and commercial expansion. He examines the ships and supplies passengers and behind-the-scenes discussions. In the process he reveals the hopes and schemes of those who planned the voyage and the experiences of those who made it.Alan Frost is emeritus professor of history at La Trobe University Melbourne. His previous books include Botany Bay: The Real Story The Global Reach of Empire Voyage of the Endeavour Arthur Phillip and Botany Bay Mirages.

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