Revised Jun 22 2021
Norfolk Island, lying in the Southern Pacific, in latitude 29° 3′ 45″ South, and longitude 167° 58′ 6″ East from London, was discovered, by Captain Cook, October 10, 1774, and named by him from the noble family which bears the title of Norfolk. It is about 600 miles from New Zealand, and about 900 from Sydney. It appears to have been formed by the eruption of volcanic matter from the bed of the sea; and is estimated to contain about 10,000 acres.
It was not until nearly fourteen years after the discovery of Norfolk Island that steps were taken by the Government for the occupation of the place, which had remained entirely uninhabited. On the 14th February, 1788, a few settlers, consisting of a small number of marines and convicts, and two agricultural labourers, were sent thither by Governor Phillip, under the command of Lieutenant P. G. King.
By the year 1790, a great increase had taken place in the number of convicts, and there were then upwards of 500 persons on the island.
In September, 1800, Lieutenant King became Governor of New South Wales, on the retirement of Captain Hunter, who had been Governor for five years. Not long after quitting Norfolk Island, Governor King recommended its entire abandonment. Many hundreds of acres of land had at that time been brought into cultivation; and several costly buildings,, belonging both to Government and private individuals, had been erected. There was a population of a thousand souls; and the quantity of cattle, pigs, poultry, and goats was abundant.