[AUSTRALIA] – James Mario MATRA (1746-1806)

Series of 99 diplomatic copy-letters to home secretaries Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and William, 3rd Duke of Portland, Tangier and Gibraltar, 23 August 1792 - 15 July 1801.

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[AUSTRALIA] – James Mario MATRA (1746-1806)

Series of 99 diplomatic copy-letters to home secretaries Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and William, 3rd Duke of Portland, Tangier and Gibraltar, 23 August 1792 - 15 July 1801.

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[AUSTRALIA] – James Mario MATRA (1746-1806)
Series of 99 diplomatic copy-letters to home secretaries Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and William, 3rd Duke of Portland, Tangier and Gibraltar, 23 August 1792 - 15 July 1801.
In English. 13 letters to Melville and 86 to Portland, together 300 pages, most 324 x 200mm, including ten original attachments, mostly translations of letters to Matra by the Sultan of Morocco (Sulayman), some with contemporary dockets. Modern cloth portfolios, morocco-backed case.

Diplomatic copy letters by a key proponent of the First Fleet to Australia. The letters date from Matra's period as consul in Tangier, Morocco: topics discussed include negotiating the freedom of British ships and crews captured by Barbary pirates, the activities of the Moroccan court, internal politics and conflicts in Morocco, agriculture (including his efforts to secure grain for export to England) and influence of other European powers in Morocco.

Born in New York, James Matra (his original name was Magra) enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1761, and in 1768 sailed as a midshipman on Cook's first voyage, including the exploration of the coast of New South Wales: he struck up a lasting friendship with Sir Joseph Banks, and has been identified as the anonymous author of the first account of the voyage, A Journal of a Voyage Round the World. After beginning a diplomatic career, Matra became 'a leading proponent of the idea of establishing a convict colony at Botany Bay. He presented his schemes for settlement to the Portland and Pitt administrations in 1783 and 1784. One of the very few Europeans then alive who had actually visited New South Wales, he testified to the House of Commons committee enquiring into the resumption of transportation in May 1785' (Alan Frost, Australian Dictionary of Biography online); his 1783 Proposal for Establishing a Settlement in New South Wales, which stressed the need for a component of free settlers from the outset, was the basis for the plan considered by Pitt and his cabinet. Matra's hopes of a post in the proposed colony were disappointed, and in July 1786 he accepted the role of consul at Tangier, in which he remained until his death.

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

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Eugenio Donadoni Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

edonadoni@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2152

Series of 99 diplomatic copy-letters to home secretaries Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and William, 3rd Duke of Portland, Tangier and Gibraltar, 23 August 1792 - 15 July 1801.

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Series of 99 diplomatic copy-letters to home secretaries Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and William, 3rd Duke of Portland, Tangier and Gibraltar, 23 August 1792 - 15 July 1801.

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