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Government House Sydney, New South Wales, 25 February 1807
Sir,
I have, without any opportunity until now by the Lady Nelson to answer them, received Your letters of the 27 Dec last, of the 1st and of the 7th Instant.
I wrote to you by the news schooner but am surprised you have not acknowledged the receipt of the Dispatch, & therefore fearful some accident may have suppressed to her; by this opportunity I send a duplicate.
In your second Paragraph you state, that altho you had permission for the building a vessel, yet the persons clearly understood that such permission was subject to my approval. - had you prevented the vessel being begun to be built before my approval was obtained, then all would have been right; but you allow the act to be done which is unlawful, & then ask to legalize the proceeding. This is surely contrary to my spirit of your Instructions, and must be avoided in future; 
With respect to the Harvest, it can only be lamented; but surely the Corn being blighted is no proof there is a want of change of seed, as whatever wheat had been sown would have survived the same injury: however we shall send you what we can, but you must bear in mind that the sufferings of want of the Poor People here, have been far beyond what has been felt at Norfolk Island. - as the other settlements are likewise in peak distress, I have to attend to them also; therefore you will see the necessity of growing potatoes & every substitute for bread, & husbanding