Angas and Special Survey No. 2, Port Lincoln (4)

Angas agreed with Flaxman on January 16, 1841, to take waterfrontage allotment No. 11 and town allotments 265, 372, 577, 685, and 951 in Port Lincoln and 21 acres of country lands; and a share in the Adelaide Victoria survey for the sum of £215. The same day Angas advised Forster of the transaction and stated his expectation of selling in England and at the same time put the two items under offer to H. Hughlings. Hughlings offered £200 for the lands and asked for further details of the share. Angas accepted the former and said £90 had been paid for the share. 

On February 1, Rowlands and Forster were advised to hand over the scrip for land to John Morphett, Mr. Hughlings attorney. Angas advised Hughlings on January 23, 1841, that he was striving for a settlement, but details were not yet to hand to permit him making any decision, and said that Flaxman "has consented to allow me to negotiate with the Boston Bay friends and will not object to them exchanging for the lands at Barossa Range, but he thinks they should increase the price to £6 per acre from £4 ... Some persons still speak very highly of the Boston Bay survey, I cannot make it out myself." 

Hughlings complained on 20 and 22 April, 1841, that "as soon as it was proved that the land was comparatively worthless" the purchase money should have been returned. In his reply of the 23rd, Angas said that that fact had not been established, but that with the arrival of McLaren from Adelaide it would soon be settled. He was not at all desirous of selling the Barossa lands at £4 per acre. He would rather return the cash with interest than let the Barossa land go at a cheap rate. 

Commenting on the S.A. Coy. and the Union Bank of Australia, in which friends of Hughlings, it was said had taken up shares, with regard to Angas. Angas stated "Truly I owe nothing to any man in respect of these companies which have cost me the best energies of the past eight years; and in return I have reaped no thanks for what of them has succeeded and abundance of painful anxiety for what has been adverse or for what has not been prematurely prosperous. The only return for my sacrifices is the satisfaction of having laboured to promote a great national undertaking which is sure eventually to succeed. I must be allowed to have an opinion of what is "equitable and just" as well as other individuals; I am quite prepared to justify my measures if needful." 

Wheeler again wrote to McLaren, or the manager. May 5, 1841, "The Port Lincoln survey appears likely to cause much trouble . . . the buyers incline to be troublesome, therefore, we trust Mr. McLaren's expected ar rival will facilitate a settlement." That this was so can be gauged by a letter, Angas to Flaxman, December 6, 1841, which is almost quoted in full, "I have used every possible means to induce the holders of the Boston Bay land orders to accept other lands in lieu thereof, but I deeply regret to state it has been in vain, and to avoid legal expenses I have accepted drafts at 12 mos. date with interest for some of them and others will not come into any arrangement. What the issue of these may be, I do not know, but it has been a source of extreme anguish to my mind besides the reproach of your ordering me to sell lands which you could not secure possession of .... I have not been able to sell an acre of the joint lands at the Barossa Ranges since you left. The new colony is ruined in this country by the conduct of the settlers abroad; more than any other cause that I know of ! ! !" 

The months were rolling by and settlement seemed no nearer to hand. The strain had been telling on Angas, so much so, that he had to get away from business for a few weeks. On his return to active service he wrote Hughlings on December 9, 1841, saying "I fear the time has come that will render it necessary for me to go to Adelaide as soon as ever I can get my affairs arranged at this end." 

Before he could do that, he had two businesses to dispose of. The London House would require a capital of £15,000 to £20,000 to purchase, and a Copperas Manufactory in Newcastle about £4,000. He said "one of my greatest perplexities is the arrangement with the Boston Bay people." 

He had no hope of any remittances from Adelaide and then went on to enunciate his scheme for settlement and the one which no doubt was generally accepted. "My opinion," he said, "is that it would be much better for you to accept shares in the S.A. Coy. at par, which I am ready to transfer into your name , at once, than allow the matter to remain in its present unsatisfactory condition. Some others have expressed a willingness to accept shares in the company, which if held for a few months must realise their real value. It is quite impossible for me to raise money unless I could sell my lands, and that is impossible just now, except at a very ruinous price. I have had the mortification to receive such letters from these landholders as I never had experience of through out my whole life, but as it is impossible for me to help myself for a year to come, as far as I can see, I shall hear all these insults with patience, knowing well that my position is the effect of the conduct of others, which I could not avoid as you know." 

On the same day, Angas advised S. J. Birchall, that he had transferred shares in the S.A. Coy. at £2 10/- discount which would be a heavy loss to him, "still it seems right to submit to it." Interest had to be adjusted. 

On December 11, to W. Beverley, Angas stated that the whole of the purchase money had been invested in S.A. Coy's, shares, and offered to return his money immediately in shares of that company at a discount of £2 10/-. Here again interest to be adjusted as also was the next dividend. The offer was accepted and on the 16th Angas advised Beverley that he was arranging to transfer 20 shares. 

On the same day Angas offered Robt. Bevan, land as selected by McLaren in lieu of the Boston Bay land, or to transfer S.A. Coy's, shares which he (Angas ) preferred to clear off the obligation at once. A little more light is shown in this letter, as he quotes Hughling's acceptance of terms as "'taking S.A. Coy. old shares at par half land and half bank, you to pay expense of transfer say ten land shares at £25 paid up, £250, then ten old shares in the bank £22 10/- paid, £225, total £475. The approaching dividend to be mine." 

On December 15, 1841, R. H. Cowell was offered similar terms. It would be interesting if a balance sheet could be drawn out to see how Angas actually came out of the deal. There are many gaps still to be filled in, so that proposition is hopeless. Will draw this to a close by referring to a letter dated July 15, 1843, from Anthony Forster to Wm. Giles the manager of the S.A. Coy. (having taken up the position vacated by D. McLaren). 

He acknowledges the receipt of a claim for £448 13/3, com prising expenses incurred in the exchange of Port Lincoln survey and advances for provisions for Germans per "Bengalee." Forater said, "the only intimation I have from Mr. Angas respecting the Port Lincoln matter is that he has already been a considerable loser by the exchange of the survey (which was made without his knowledge) having sold lands to be delivered at Boston Bay, and been obliged to return the purchase money with interest and other expenses in consequence of the alteration," and suggested that the account be sent to McLaren in London. (Conclusion.)

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