To be observed by Persons wanting a FREE PASSAGE to QUEENSLAND; and also the CONDITIONS on which the Passage, when granted, must be understood to be accepted.
DESCRIPTION OF EMIGRANTS.
1. The Emigrants must consist principally of married couples, men must be under 40, and women under 35 years of age. All the Adults must be capable of Labour, and must be going out to work for wages. The candidates most acceptable are young married couples without children.
2. The separation of husbands and wives, and of parents from children under 18 will in no case be allowed.
3. Single women cannot be taken without their parents, unless they go under the immediate care of some respectable married couple.
4. Single men cannot be taken except in a number not exceeding that of the single women by the same ship.
5. No emigrants, whether Adults or Children, can be accepted unless they have been vaccinated, or have had the Small Pox.
6. No applicant will be accepted without decisive certificates of good character, and of efficiency in his professed trade or calling.
7. The class of persons alone eligible are domestic Servants, Farm Labourers, Vine-dressers, Labourers, and Mechanics.
APPLICATION AND APPROVAL.
8. Applications must be made in the form annexed, which must be duly filled up and attested, as explained in the form itself, and then forwarded to this Office, or to Messrs. James Baines, Liverpool, and T. M. Mackay & Co., 1, Leadenhall Street, London, with Certificates of Birth and Marriage of the applicants. It must, however, be distinctly understood, that the filling up of the Form confers no claim to a passage, unless the Candidates are deemed desirable for the Colony, and can be accepted consistently with the Shipping arrangements, at the time the application is made.
9. If approved of, the Emigrant will receive a passage as soon as arrangements will admit. But no preparation must on any account be made by the Applicants, whether by withdrawing from employment or otherwise, until they have received answers favourable to their applications, when they will also receive notice of the Ship in which they are to embark, and of the time and place of joining her.
10. Should it be found that any of the signatures attached to the Certificates are not genuine, or that any other deception is attempted, the application will be rejected; or should any Emigrant, on personal examination at the Port of Embarkation, or on board, be discovered to have made any mis-statement whatever with regard to age, trade or calling, health, &c., such person will not be allowed to proceed in the Ship. To prevent disappointment, therefore, Applicants should be very careful to have their trade or calling and ages correctly stated in their Application Form.
SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS
11. The expense of reaching the Port of embarkation must be paid by the Emigrants. If, after arrival they, or any of their family, are found not to be in a fit state of health to embark, or to have left any of their young children behind, or to have brought with them more children than are mentioned in their Application Form, they will be refused admission on board the ship, or if embarked, will be landed again, without having any claim for a free passage.
12. If any Emigrants fail to attend at the appointed time and place for embarkation, or to proceed in the Ship, or are rejected for any of the reasons specified in the preceding article, unless they give timely notice, and a satisfactory explanation of their inability to proceed, will not be eligible a second time for a passage.
13. Provisions and Medical Attendance will be provided by the Ship. The Emigrants must bring their own Clothing, Knives and Forks, Spoons, Metal Plates, and Drinking Mugs, together with bedding, which will be inspected at the Port by an Officer, and all parties are particularly desired to observe, that they will not be allowed to embark unless they provide themselves with a sufficient supply for the voyage. The lowest quantity that can be admitted for each Person is as follows:-
OUTFIT OF CLOTHING.
For MALES Six shirts; six pairs stockings; two warm flannel or Guernsey shirts; two pairs of strong shoes; two complete suits of strong exterior clothing.
For FEMALES Six shifts; six pairs of stockings; two warm and strong flannel petticoats; two pairs new shoes; two strong gowns, one of which must be warm.
But for each child nine shirts or shifts, four warm flannel waistcoats, and one warm cloak or outside coat, six pairs of stockings, two pairs of strong shoes, and two complete suits of exterior clothing, are required.
There must be also, at least, three sheets for each berth, and four towels, and two pounds [almost a kilogram] of marine soap, for each person. These things together with the necessary brushes and combs and clothes-brushes, for cleanliness, must be provided also by the Emigrants.
Emigrants must not have less than the above outfit; but the larger the stock of clothing, the better for health and comfort during the voyage, which usually lasts about four months; and as the Emigrants have always to pass through very hot and very cold weather, they should be prepared for both.
Two or three coloured serge shirts for men, and an extra supply of flannel for women and children, are strongly recommended.
14. It is desirable that Emigrants should take out with them the necessary tools of their Trades. Bulky Agricultural Implements, however, cannot be admitted, on account of their inconvenient size and weight; neither can furniture be received on board. Feather Beds are especially prohibited.
15. The whole quantity of Baggage for each Adult Emigrant must not measure more than 20 cubic or solid feet [.57 cubic metres], nor exceed half a ton [508kg] in weight. It must be divided into two or three boxes, the contents of which must be closely packed, so as to save space in the ship. Large packages and extra baggage will not be taken unless paid for, and then only in case there be room in the ship.
16. Each Family will be allowed to take only its own luggage. Any violation of this rule will subject the party to forfeiture of his passage.
17. On arrival in the Colony the Emigrants will be at perfect liberty to engage themselves to any one willing to employ them, and to make their own bargain for wages. No repayment in service or otherwise is required from them for the passage out.
The only return expected is, a strict observance on board of the Regulations framed with a view to their health and comfort during the voyage, and general good conduct and industrious habits in the Colony.
18. Letters and Applications should be addressed, Post-paid, to

Messrs. J. Baines & Co., Liverpool, and T. M. Mackay & Co.,
1, Leadenhall Street, London. E. C. (4)

By the start of July, 1866, Richard and Agnes had travelled (almost certainly in a series of train journeys) from their home in the Cumbrian (then Westmorland) village of Holme, about 14km south of Kendal, to London's bustling East Indian Docks.
The Black Ball Line packet clipper ship, Queen of the Colonies, was scheduled to sail for Moreton Bay on July 10.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

So what do we know about the vessel, captain and crew into whose hands Richard entrusted his life and that of his own family?
The Queen of the Colonies started out as the Wizard. This sleek and feted vessel, with a registered tonnage of 1,367.5 tonnes [1,346 tons], was laid down in the East Boston, Massachusetts, shipyards of Samuel Hall in 1853.
The ship was constructed to the exacting criteria of its owner and first captain, Shungar H. Slate, for his company, Slate & Co., of New York. (5)
Wizard was planned and constructed during the golden era of American clipper packet ships and built to go fast.
Her dimensions were: length, 64 metres; beam, 12.34 metres; and deck to keel depth, 7.85 metres. In 1914, historian, the Reverend T. P. Boland, wistfully described the features of this type of ship:

...[they had] slim, symmetrical lines; [and with] their tapering spars and storeyed yards of billowing canvas, they were the most beautiful things ever made by man... (6)

A contemporary newspaper reporter in Boston gave a glowing description of the Wizard when she was fresh off the slipway:

...she has as fine a set of spars as ever towered above a ship's deck. The fore and main masts are built and hooped over, and both are 3 feet in diameter. The mizzenmast is of a single spar, and the yards upon the fore and main masts are alike; those upon the mizzenmast are of nearly the same dimensions as those above and including the topsail yards on the other masts. Her lower masts are, commencing with the foremast, 86, 90 and 82 feet long, and the lower yards 80 and 62 feet square, and the fore and main yards are 22 inches in diameter. She has hard pine topmasts and jibbooms, the best of Russia hemp rigging, and is fitted aloft in excellent style. Her spars were made by Mr. Spear; she was rigged by Frs. Lowe & Co., and her sails were made by E.F. Porter & Co. As already stated, this beautiful ship was built by Mr. Sam'l Hall, and is, we believe, the first large vessel, having hollow lines, which he has built. In the outline of her model, as well as in the style of her construction, she is unquestionable the most perfect vessel he ever built; and we have no hesitation in predicting, that she will be the swiftest. Mr. Hall built her on his own account. In a few days she proceeds to New York, and will there load for San Francisco. Our New York friends will do well to inspect her, for she is an excellent vessel in every particularly, and will well repay an hour's visit. Good luck to her. (7)

Wizard's maiden voyage under Captain Slate was on the New York-San Francisco run via Cape Horn. Slate took her out of New York Harbour on July 24, 1853 and had her at her destination 148 days later on December 19.
Her next trip from New York set an all-time record for a sailing vessel on the route from New York to Singapore.
With Slate at her helm, Wizard weighed anchor on August 10, 1854 with a full cargo and arrived at Singapore 78 days later on October 27, 1854.
She was back in her home port on January 26, 1855 with her bays filled with tea, hemp and sugar. (8)
Wizard normally plied the New York-San Francisco beat.
One of her roughest passages was under Captain Woodside, who set sail for San Francisco on January 31, 1859. Four days from New York the ship evidently started wallowing in the heavy swell and some of the cabins filled with water. She rolled hard enough for the tips of her masts to dip in the briny.
After 144 days at sea, Wizard entered San Francisco Bay on June 24, 1859.
With Slate on the return voyage, Wizard was off Cape Horn in a remarkable 15 days after leaving San Francisco on June 27.
She sailed into New York Harbour on February 29, 1859, after a journey of 117 days.
On April 5, 1861, with Woodside at the helm, Wizard created another all-time record on the Manilla-New York route. She sailed into harbour on April 6, 84 days after leaving Manilla on January 11. (9)
The outbreak of the American Civil War and the trade downturn caused by the blockading of the sea routes to the Confederate States ended Wizard's runs between New York and San Francisco.
Like dozens of other similar ships, she seemed in danger of becoming mothballed, however events in England and Queensland were combining to map out a new career for her.
Wizard was sailed to London in 1862 and bought for a song by agents of the English shipping company, James Baines & Co. Pty. Ltd., the principal of which was Liverpool shipowner, James Baines.
Thomas Miller Mackay, a shipwright, who had broken away from the company he and Baines had founded in 1852 - Mackay, Baines & Co. - established the firm of T. M. Mackay, Son & Co. Pty. Ltd.
Together they had founded the Black Ball Line in 1852 and, despite their separate business concerns, continued to work very closely in the management of this fleet into the 1870s.
The company came into its own between November 1861 and March 1871 with a contract with the Queensland Government to convey immigrants to Moreton Bay.
Although in need of substantial repairs and an extensive refit to cope with a new role as a passenger liner, Wizard was rushed on to the London-Moreton Bay route in December 1862.
Queensland historian, Alfred G. Davies, wrote the following account of the sensational start of that voyage when the Confederate gunship, Alabama, gave chase and threatened to sink the newly-named Queen of the Colonies:

...the sailing ship, Sunda and Queen of the Colonies, which between them brought some 3,500 new settlers to Queensland between 1863 and 1867, had exciting experiences when chased by the Confederate cruiser, Alabama, which wrought havoc among American shipping in the time of the Civil War...Another ship whose career, as well as her nationality, was entirely changed by the Alabama scare, was the Queen of the Colonies, which afterwards became perhaps the best known of all the Queensland immigrant vessels.

Originally, she was called the Wizard, and under that name she did good service for 10 or 11 years as a Californian clipper. She was bound for a British port in 1862 when the Alabama hove in sight, and she just managed to escape capture by slipping into the Thames. She was then bought by T. M. Mackay and Coy., the London managers of the Black Ball Line, and, as a compliment to Queensland, she was named Queen of the Colonies.
She took a number of immigrants on board, in London, all destined for Moreton Bay; and she left for Queenstown (Cork) to embark an additional number. As events proved, she had not seen the last of the Alabama.
One of those who were making the voyage to Queensland gives a graphic description of the encounter with the raider on the trip across to Ireland.
He says: 'It was on December 13, 1862, that the Queen of the Colonies was towed from the London docks outward bound. The air was full of snow and the cold very severe.
On the run down channel and across the Irish coast a succession of gales was met with, in consequence of which, the crew were kept constantly at work, having few opportunities for sleep.
One morning it was observed that a steamer - there were not many of them in those days - with a long line of smoke steaming from her single funnel, was heading for our ship, a manoeuvre which caused no little surprise to the people crowding excitedly on the deck.
The stranger ran up to within a quarter of a mile of us, and fired a gun across our bows, which naturally occasioned further surprise, and from the poop to the cuddy, the cry went up, 'The Alabama!!'
Our skipper, Captain {Robert} Cairncross, steadfastly refused to heave to, and kept on his course, apparently ignoring the other ship; but the quartermaster, a Newfoundlander, 'Philip Pepys' by name, had the Union Jack bent on the poop halliards, ready to fling defiance athwart the gale at the privateer, the moment the word of command was given.
A second gun was fired from the Alabama with the same negative result. The ball was seen to ricochet along the tops of the waves.
In the meantime, the Queen ploughed her way with the anxious quarter holding the flag, and the skipper stolidly refusing to allow it to be hoisted until, in his opinion, the psychological moment had arrived.
The long, black steamer then turned end on, ran on a bit, and then rounded within a hundred yards of the Queen of the Colonies, the two ships running parallel for a short while.

The world-renowned Captain {Raphael} Semmes {1809-1877} - I can see him now in my mind's eye - shouted through his speaking trumpet: 'What ship is that?'
He, no doubt, knew her. Captain Cairncross, in his rich Scottish accent, replied: 'The Queen of the Colonies frae London tae Brisbane with two hunner and feefty souls aboard, including sundry stowaways.'
Up then went the flag! The two ships sailed along in silence for a few minutes, after which Captain Semmes evidently made up his mind that he had no chance of a look in under the Union Jack, and the sinister looking craft paid off, dipped her flag, then put on steam, and in half and hour was hull down on the horizon. (10)

This voyage of the Queen - she made five in all to Moreton Bay - ended safely at the Brisbane Roads on April 9, 1863. (Sue Osborne's website about the Queen of the Colonies includes a passenger list for this particular voyage to Queensland).

Other trips as an immigrant transport the Queen of the Colonies made to Queensland were:

• (arrived, Brisbane Roads, Moreton Bay) September 21, 1864
• (left Gravesend for Moreton Bay) July 9, 1865 - Captain Henry Jones
• (arrived Brisbane Roads) October 7, 1865
• (left Moreton Bay for England) January 30, 1866
• (left Gravesend for Moreton Bay) July 21, 1866 - Captain Daniel Owen
• (arrived Brisbane Roads) October, 14, 1866
• (left for England) November 15, 1866
• (returned to Moreton Bay with a small passenger manifest) on December 3, 1867.

While the conditions for passengers aboard left much to be desired, Boland suggests the ship's various crews had a much harder time of it. He wrote:

...the Queen of the Colonies was a notorious hell-ship of those days of man-killing captains and bucko mates. Some 17 crew off the Queen of the Colonies were imprisoned aboard the floating jail house, the Julia Percy in 1863 for playing up while at sea...and [Black Ball Line] crews were paid-off on arrival at Moreton Bay and fresh crews were engaged to take the ship home... (11)

Captain Daniel Owen, who was to die in tragic circumstances in the English Channel collision of the passenger ship Calcutta and the Prussian barque, Emma, on February 7, 1869, was hired for the journey to Moreton Bay that we are looking at. (12)

THE PASSAGE.

The Queen of the Colonies' 76-day passage from London to Brisbane in 1866 was considered very fast indeed.
No first-hand log or diary of this particular voyage appears to have survived, but one of the-then passengers, Edgar Foreman, throws an interesting light on why the trip was so rapid.
Foreman submitted the following item to The Queenslander some 66 years after he arrived as a boy in October 1866 aboard the Queen of the Colonies:

Recent references in The Queenslander to the ship Queen of the Colonies reminds me that I have read a lot about the old-time 'windjammers', including the Cutty Sark, the Flying Cloud, and the Fiery Star, and the quick passages they made to Australia; but I believe I am right in saying that the Queen of the Colonies beat them all, for, in 1866, she made the passage from England in either 72 or 74 days.
I know what I am writing of, for I was a cabin boy on that dear old ship at the time.
Out of the time I have mentioned as the period of passage we were becalmed for nearly a week off the coast of Portugal.
The Queen was a Black Ball liner and Captain Owens was the skipper; and in a way reminds me now of Jack London's Sea Wolf, for I have seen him jump down from the top of the deck and knock down a hulking sailor twice his size for complaining of the 'tucker'.
And the food certainly was bad, what with weevily biscuits and salt pork rank with old age.
The crew called the old hooker a 'limejuicer', which meant in those days going hungry half the time. The Queen was about 1,100 tons and besides the crew there were about 400 immigrants and passengers, consisting of saloon, second cabin, intermediate and steerage.
The skipper, who I understand, had an interest in the ship, used to crowd on every rag of canvas in a fair wind, and if a squall came on he would rather have the sail blown away than shorten it.
That old hooker used to eat up the miles. One night, however, through not shortening the sail, the dear old ship nearly went down, for a head wind suddenly took her aback.
We reached Moreton Bay about October 26, 1866. A few years after that the old Queen, I heard, was wrecked in the English Channel on a return voyage.
My parents came out on the ship, but the skipper took a fancy to me and with their consent, engaged me as cabin boy; but when we arrived in Brisbane my people, to my disgust, broke the engagement, so I had to leave the job. (13)

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID.

To get a flavour of what the journey from England was like for the Maudsleys and their shipmates, let us review what contemporary writers had to say. From October 15, 16 and 17, 1866, The Brisbane Courier carried these reports about the arrival of the Queen of the Colonies: 

Queen of the Colonies, ship, 1346 tons, Captain Owens [sic], at Brisbane Roads, from London. G. & J. Harris, agents...
Cape Moreton - By Electric Telegraph. October 13...
Arrival.- Queen of the Colonies, ship, from London, at 5 a.m. She reported all well...
The Queen of the Colonies got under way from her anchorage, off the Pilot Station, at daylight, and went across the bay...
The Kate, steamer...will start again tomorrow, at 5 a.m., to bring up the immigrants from the Queen of the Colonies. The immigrants may be expected about 4 p.m...
The Queen of the Colonies, clipper ship, arrived at Brisbane Roads yesterday, from London, via Portsmouth. She sailed from the last-named port on July 24, and consequently had made passage of eighty days to Cape Moreton. We do not know the exact number of her passengers, but it will be not far short of 350. The report per Telegraph, from Cape Moreton, respecting the health of the immigrants, is satisfactory.
The Emma, s. s. [steam ship], will go down to the Bay with a supply of fresh provisions. (14)

Before the regular dredging of the channel of the Brisbane River, ships would lie offshore at the "Brisbane Roads", a safe anchorage in the vicinity of the present pile-light.
From the arriving ships, passengers and goods would be unloaded on to sailing ketches or lighters - large barges - and towed by small steamers, such as the Kate, to the disembarkation point, usually at North Quay, literally across William Street from today's lavish Conrad Treasury Casino, in the centre of modern down-town Brisbane, or otherwise at Southbank, on the opposite riverbank.
The reloading process, before the construction of wharves upstream, could take between four and six months. In those days lighters were able to get all the way to nearby Ipswich without impediment, but it made for a busy waterway.
The Engineer of Harbours and Rivers reported that 18 steamers, 18 sailing vessels, 23 barges and 70 market boats plied the route from the Brisbane Roads to Ipswich in the year of 1866.
The Courier's short-lived rival, the Queensland Daily Guardian, gave this particular ship's arrival astonishing coverage:

The Queen of the Colonies, Black Ball ship, 1,346 tons, Captain Owens [sic], from London, is the latest arrival from England. She left the Channel of July 28, and arrived off Cape Moreton on October 12, having made the passage in seventy-six days.
Her voyage was an exceedingly favourable and pleasant one, and throughout she did not experience a single heavy gale, the weather throughout having been steady as far as Cape Howe, after which she had light winds on the Australian coast.
The greatest day's run she made 336 knots; one week she ran 2,059 knots, and the next 1,993 knots, in all 4,050 knots in 14 days, or equal to 10 knots per hour.
In coming out she performed a feat we believe unprecedented, having anticipated her own sailing from London by three days.
The Home News containing the notice of her sailing and cargo, arrived in Brisbane on October 12.
Most flattering testimonials, accompanied with purses of money, have been presented to the Captain, Surgeon-Superintendent, Chief-officer, and Purser...
The Queen of the Colonies sailed from the Downs at noon on July 21st, and reached Spithead on the 24th, at 0.15am. She was off Ushant on July 28th, from which date the period of her leaving the Channel may be calculated.
Cape Finisterre was passed on July 30, and she crossed the line on Wednesday, August 22, in longitude 28 deg. W., twenty-six days out from the Channel.
The meridian of the Cape of Good Hope was made on Saturday, September 10, latitude 41 deg. S., and she ran down her easting on the 43 deg. parallel S. Cape Lewin was rounded on September 29, and King's Island was made on October 4, Cape Howe on October 12.
The pilot came on board early on the 13th, and she anchored in Yule Roads the same day at noon. She again weighed on the 14th, and finally anchored in Brisbane Roads on the 14th at noon.
The Health Officer visited the ship the same afternoon, at four o'clock, and his inspection having been satisfactory, he immediately admitted her to pratique...
The intercourse between the officers and the passengers seems to have been a happy combination of friendship, comfort, and discipline; and flattering testimonials accompanied with substantial tokens of the best wishes of the passengers have been presented to the captain, surgeon-superintendent, chief officer and purser of the ship.
From what Captain Owen tells us, we believe that the class of passengers, who have arrived by this vessel, ranks in the highest position; while, by their mutual amiability and considerate attention to the regulations of the ship, and the feelings of their neighbours, all enjoyed an amount of comfort and happiness seldom attained in an immigrant ship, this being a fact, which also occupies a prominent place in Dr. [Henry Thomas] Scott, the Medical-Superintendent's report.
The single females - 68 in number - were under the immediate charge of Miss Barker, who successfully performed the duties of matron.
The Queen of the Colonies brings in all 330 souls to the colony, and, in bidding them welcome, we only wish that they had arrived during more prosperous times [the Queensland Government was almost bankrupt and the economy was in crisis].
The following vessels were spoken to on the voyage:-
On August 5, the Swedish barque Augusta, from Gesse, in lat. 27 N., and long 22 W.; August 15, the French ship Pevidal, from Bordeaux to Buenos Aires, lat. 10 N., long 26 W.; August 18, British ship Tennyson, from Liverpool to Bombay, in lat. 10 N., long., 21 W.; August 30, British barque Fitzroy, from London to the Swan River, in lat. 23 S., long. 33 W.; September 6, ship Dauntless, from Liverpool to Sydney, in lat. 40 S., long 3 W.; October 4, ship Lattara, from New York to Sydney, lat. 40 S., long 155 E...
The following report of the committee on behalf of the passengers on board the Queen of the Colonies has been handed to us for publication, and we have much pleasure in presenting to our readers the bright side of a voyage to Australia:
We feel it but right to bring before the notice of the public, the extraordinarily prosperous and quick passage the Black Ball clipper, Queen of the Colonies, has just accomplished; owing to a Merciful Providence which overlooked us in the first place, and in the second, through the excellent management of all in authority on board.
We sighted the Australian coast between Sydney and Brisbane on the seventy-second day after leaving Spithead.
The highest praise is due to Captain Owen and Dr. Scott, the Surgeon-Superintendent, for the excellent examples of sobriety and good conduct they always exhibited; and it is almost entirely owing to them, that the good feeling and fellowship of all classes on board, were preserved throughout, intact.
We left London under very evil auspices indeed, for cholera had begun to make its fearful ravages in the densely populated quarters of East London, and we did not escape the contagion.
Through the skill and attention however of our doctor, the disease was nipped in the bud; and marvellous though it may seem, only one person in the whole ship succumbed to its force.
The healthiness of the ship is deserving of great praise, there not having been any other illness except of the most trifling nature.
For this, we consider Dr. Scott is worthy of receiving our most hearty thanks and congratulations, for his watchfulness and care in looking after the cleanliness and ventilation of the ship and passengers have been most untiring.
We may also attribute this healthiness in a great measure to the excellence of the provisions.
We believe that the managers of the Black Ball Line have frequently been blamed for the badness of their supplies; but in this particular instance every praise is due to the Commissioners who chose, and the purveyors who supplied them at home.
For these reasons, the passengers unanimously determined to present the captain and officers with addresses and testimonials as more substantial proof of their esteem and friendship.
A meeting having been convened on Monday, October 8, these testimonials were presented on the poop, in the presence of the assembled passengers.
Mr. [George] Harding, the chairman, in addressing the meeting, gave a resume of the whole voyage, enlarging on in the most emphatic manner, the courtesy and kindness of the captain to all, combined with such good qualities as a sailor; and the skill and attention exhibited by the doctor.
The addresses were then read and presented, together with the purses, to both gentlemen, and three hearty cheers having been given, Captain Owen and Dr. Scott spoke in reply.
The tenour of both speeches was much the same. They thanked the passengers most heartily for their kind wishes towards themselves, and for their good order they had assisted in maintaining.
Most excellent was the advice they gave to the avoid the various temptations of the colony, and all would do well to often call it to mind.
They concluded by wishing to all the greatest prosperity through life. Most hearty cheers were given at the end of the speeches, and a vote of thanks to the chairman being passed, the meeting separated.
The same evening a capital tea was given by both gentlemen to the single women and the rest of the steerage. On the following day, addresses and testimonials were given to Mr. Jones, chief officer, Mr. Gibson, the purser, for the exemplary manner in which their various duties were performed.
A token of respect was also given to the matron, Miss Barker, who had so carefully and conscientiously looked after the welfare and interests of the single women under her charge.
An excellent supper was, that evening, given by the Captain, and doctor to the first and second cabins, at the conclusion of which a variety of toasts were spoken to and drunk with musical honours.
The tedium of the voyage had been in a great measure dispelled by a series of concerts given on the poop and in the saloon.
On Wednesday evening one was given, and at its conclusion a vote of thanks was unanimously presented to the singers who had so kindly volunteered their services, and to Mr. Storey, who had undertaken the management of them.
We cannot conclude without once more thanking all in authority on board the Queen of the Colonies for the great kindness they exhibited throughout the voyage, and we only hope that every success and happiness may attend them; and at the same time we feel that as long as the Black Ball Line has such officers, it cannot but continue to prosper.

Signed on behalf of the Committee,
Edmund Storey, Secretary. (15)

ALL AT SEA.

The Brisbane Courier took a slightly different tack in its reportage and ran in its columns a series of encomiums:

This fine ship has again made and excellent passage from London...
The names of the saloon passengers are:-
Mr. and Mrs. Harding and three children, Mr. and Mrs. King, Mrs. Scott and child, Messrs. C. Miers, Challinor, Storey, Cotton, Morgan, Wheatman, Bishop, Bowman, and Nicolay.
There were 39 in the second cabin, and 273 in the intermediate and steerage. Among the latter there are 68 single girls under the charge of Miss Barker the matron.
The passengers are, we believe, of a very superior class, and their conduct on board has called forth the highest encomiums of Captain Owens and Dr. Scott, the Surgeon-Superintendent.

{ADVERTISEMENT} TO CAPTAIN OWEN. Master of the Queen of the Colonies.
Sir.- We the undersigned, being the Committee appointed by general consent, at a meeting held on Saturday, October 6, 1866, beg to present you, on behalf of the passengers belonging to the Queen of the Colonies, our most heartfelt thanks and congratulations on the prosperous issue of the voyage now drawing to a close (and which we have reason to believe has been one of the shortest on record) under your care and guidance.
Your uniform kindness and courtesy, combined with your masterly handling of the ship, have succeeded in changing our feelings of respect into those warmer ones of esteem and friendship.
We have no doubt that all your undertakings hereafter will be as successful as this has been, and we most sincerely wish you and yours long life and every happiness, at the same time begging your acceptance of this purse of money as a token of esteem from your friends on board.
(Signed). George R. Harding, chairman; E. J. King, Edmund P. Storey, John Perry, Orlando Say, W. H. Loosemore, V. H. Rowe, Robert Brier, Samuel Ewing, Benjamin Beatty.

{ADVERTISEMENT} TO MR. JONES. Chief Officer of the Queen of the Colonies.
Sir.- We, the undersigned, on behalf of the passengers of the Queen of the Colonies, being desirous of showing you some slight token of esteem and respect, for the gentlemanly conduct and courtesy you have throughout exhibited to all; beg to present you with this purse as a memento of the voyage we have taken together.
We fee the incredibly short passage we have had is partly owing to your watchfulness and exertions, and we most sincerely thank you for the perfect order and discipline you have helped to preserve during the voyage. We wish you most heartily every success and happiness through life; at the same time hoping, that when you next leave the shores of Old England, it will be as captain of your own vessel.
(Signed). Capel H. Miers, chairman; E. J. King, Edmund A. Storey, O. R. Say, J. Perry, Samuel Ewing, Benjamin Beatty, W. H. Loosemore, V. H. Rowe, Robert Brier.

{ADVERTISEMENT} TO DR. SCOTT. Surgeon-Superintendent of the Queen of the Colonies.
Sir.- We, the undersigned, being a Committee chosen by general consent, beg to offer you - on behalf of the passengers on board the Queen of the Colonies - our sincere and heartfelt thanks, for the uniform kindness and careful interest you have, throughout the voyage bestowed upon all of us.
The voyage commenced under very painful auspices, and we feel that the highest praise is due to you for your constant and unremitting attention during the period when the cholera threatened our lives, and which, we believe, under Providence, stayed the course of that malady.
The cleanliness and ventilation of the vessel has been from the outset unexampled, and the comforts of all have been most carefully considered and provided for.
We also feel it a more special subject for congratulation that the good feeling and fellowship among all classes on board, have been throughout, most conspicuous - a fact, greatly owing to your tact and conciliatory measures.
We cannot end without complimenting you on the general healthiness of the ship and the very few deaths which have occurred; and we most sincerely hope that all your future undertakings will be as prosperous as this has been.
We, one and all, wish you and yours, every happiness through life, at the same time begging your acceptance of this purse of money from your friends on board.
(Signed). George R. Handing, chairman; E. J. King, Edmund A. Storey, J. Perry, O. R. Say, W. H. Loosemore, V. H. Rowe, Robert Brier, Samuel Ewing, Benjamin Beatty.

{ADVERTISEMENT} TO MR. GIBSON, Purser, Queen of the Colonies.
Sir.- We, the undersigned members of Committee, beg leave to express our highest estimation of the thorough uprightness shown by you in the discharge of the onerous duties devolving on you as Purser.
It must be very gratifying to you to know, as we hereby assure you, that, not withstanding the many tastes you had to study, the various minds you had to deal with, and the multifarious duties required of you, you had the good fortune to be supplied from your stores.
As a small token of our regard, we beg your acceptance of a small gift (to be purchased and given to you on arrival in Brisbane), as a memento of us, even when the wide ocean, emblem of eternity, separates us from you. We cannot conclude without wishing you long life and prosperity in all your future undertakings.
Signed in the name of our fellow-passengers: Capel H. Miers, Chairman; Edmund A. Storey, E. J. King, Simon Munro, Benjamin Beatty, V. H. Rowe, Samuel Ewing, Robert Brier, Henry Cook. October, 1866. (16)

The meeting referred to only rated this mention in the Queensland Daily Guardian on November 19, 1866:

A meeting of the saloon and second cabin passengers of the ship Queen of the Colonies, was held at the Union Hotel last Friday week, [October 19] when a testimonial was presented to Mr. Gibson, the purser, for his kindness and attention to their wants during the voyage.

THE JOURNEY.

The Press coverage continued:  

We have much pleasure is subjoining a copy of Dr. Scott's report of the voyage, to the Colonial Secretary:
I have the honour to report to you that we have accomplished our voyage in 76 days.
'We left the Channel on the 28th of July, and arrived in Moreton Bay the 12th of October, 1866. This, I believe, is the quickest passage which has hitherto been accomplished.
In every other respect it has been equally successful, although commenced under auspices certainly unfavourable.
At the time of leaving London cholera was raging in the neighbourhood of the East India Docks, where the ship was lying, and several cases presenting severe choleric symptoms occurred on board; therefore we determined not to put to sea without feeling assured that we might do so safely, yet the advisability of our removing the vessel from the neighbourhood of the contagion was so apparent that we decided to coast along the English shore as far as Spithead, and then, if necessary, we could remain at Portsmouth. On arriving there, however, we judged that the voyage might safely be commenced.
For a few days, cases of cholera and severe diarrhoea presented themselves, one of which terminated in death; but I am happy to state that they yielded to the treatment employed in about ten days, and since that period no symptoms of its presence have been observed.
Three cases of measles have occurred, all of which terminated favourably; and here I must state my belief that it was entirely in consequence of the hospital having been placed on deck, thus giving an opportunity for isolating cases of contagion, that we were enabled to prevent the spread of the disease which afflicted us.
With these exceptions, and that of some trifling maladies which must of necessity arise when a number of people are congregated together, I am happy to state that we have been altogether free from illness. Of the general arrangements of the ship I cannot speak too highly.
The provisions were excellent, and liberally supplied. The passengers were singularly respectable, well-behaved, and cleanly; indeed, the decks, the tables, the berths, and even the utensils, were all scrubbed and polished to the very utmost; so that the ship presented an air of comfort which added considerably to the agreeableness of the voyage, and which in no small way contributed to its healthiness.
During the trying period when cholera was present, the conduct, the patience, the cheerfulness of every one is deserving of praise. So far from having to resort to punishment, I do not remember that it has ever been necessary to offer the slightest rebuke for misconduct during the passage.
On Sundays the ship presented the quiet and orderly appearance befitting the Christian Sabbath.
The people were well dressed, and regularly attended the divine services, five of which were held every Sunday during the voyage. Amusements during the favoured weather were amply supplied by concerts, readings, &c.
The school was exceedingly well conducted by the schoolmaster, Mr. [Benjamin] Beatty. I have very great pleasure in testifying to the zeal and kind interest with which he endeavoured to instruct all who were willing to receive his benefit. He also superintended the Sunday school.
I am happy to report the birth of three children. One circumstance must not be omitted, as it will illustrate the care taken in the selection of our passengers. At the moment of starting, eight of the single girls were taken from the ship.
They had all been provided with the usual certificates of good conduct, signed by magistrates and ministers of religion, but some circumstances of a suspicious nature having been communicated to Mr. Jordan, the Agent-General, he at once caused them to be removed from the ship and conveyed to their previous place of residence [the Isle of Jersey].
I cannot conclude without testifying in the warmest terms that the kind interest and aid I have at all times received from Captain Owen have, in no small degree, contributed to the success of our voyage.
Many thanks are also due to Mr. Jones.'

SHIP SHAPE.

Officially, the Queen of the Colonies' arrival was quite routine, but remarks by the government officials responsible for gauging such things as health and cleanliness, tend to underline the correctness - or good fortune - of Richard Maudsley picking this vessel to emigrate in.
The standard inspections by relevant authorities, such as the government health officer at Lytton, Dr. A. Purdie, revealed that, unlike some other immigrant ships, the Queen was relatively clean, well-run and free of infectious diseases which might have warranted quarantine procedures.
It was Dr. Purdie's job to board each ship as it waited in Moreton Bay and check them for outbreaks of contagion. Paraphrased below are some of the answers he jotted down in a shaky hand on an official government questionnaire about the health of the passengers and crew. (17)
His inspection was carried out while the vessel lay at anchor in the Brisbane Roads at 4pm, Sunday, October 14, 1866.
Dr. Purdie recorded that the Queen of the Colonies was of 1,346 tons and captained by D. Owen. It "carried no bill of health" and had sailed directly from London and Spithead on Tuesday, July 24 and arrived on September 14, 1866 at noon.
The ship had brought out a general cargo with a crew numbering "51 all told" and a consignment of "335 souls = 320 S. A. [Statute Adults]".
The doctor noted that there had been an epidemic of cholera at the London embarkation point, which affected 27 on the ship's passengers.
The last diagnosed case of the fatal disease was noted by the ship's Surgeon-Superintendent, Dr. Henry Scott, on July 27. Three passengers contracted measles, but survived the journey.
The last case of measles was diagnosed on August 4. One child succumbed to a fever on September 4. Three other infants suffered from illnesses including "melancholia".
Those who died while on board were: Alex Douglass, aged 34 years, of cholera, on July 27; Maggie Ewing, aged 1 year, "of Tubes" [tuberculosis], August 19; and Robert Gilpin, aged 1 year, "of Tubes".
Dr. Purdie considered there was no medical reason why the vessel and its complement should be placed in quarantine.
He also observed that a boy and two girls had been born on the passage out.
Dr. Purdie's final report, with its comprehensive attention to detail, provides a good picture of the layout of the ship and the way it operated during the three-month voyage:

Sir.-
I have the honour to inform you that I yesterday visited and inspected the ship Queen of the Colonies, which left London and Spithead on the 24th July last with three hundred and thirty five passengers, equal to three hundred and thirty adults. You will see by the Health Officer's report that little sickness occurred excepting at the commencement of the voyage, viz., 27 cases of cholera, only one of which proved fatal, and three cases of measles, none of which were fatal. The last case of the former occurred on the 27th July last, of [the] latter, August 4th.
During the voyage three births and three deaths took place. The ship generally I found very clean, more especially the compartments for young females (about 70 in number) which was the stern part between decks, which is extended to the mizen mast.
Opposite to this on each side was placed the female hospital, very fairly arranged, but rather close. On the other side corresponding to this was a laboratory, bathroom, with two baths, and water closets, all in good order. Between this compartment was a large space for purser's store and issuing room, next to this were the married and intermediate compartments. This part was fitted up with separate cabins, three deep.
I thought them certainly close and dark, but this was not felt, as a great number of berths were unoccupied, the ship having taken some 100 to 130 less than its last voyage.
The single men's compartment [was] in the fore part of the ship and fitted with open bunks; the first were placed parallel with the ship's side and six deep with a small passage at the foot. This I do not consider to be a good arrangement.
The rest were fixed athwartship with upper and lower bunks, a much better plan. The water closets were three on each side, they were not in very good condition and certainly, when I saw them, not very clean, but I was given to understand that they had been very well kept during the voyage.
The deck houses were used for the second class passengers, one however was reserved for the mawe hospital and surgery, both very good. The bake house was too small, however, the baker managed to make excellent bread.
The galley seemed fairly well arranged. The condenser, 'Normandy's Patent No. 244', was used during the first two weeks for twelve hours with an average of 200 gallons [909.2l], after this to the end of the voyage, 24 hours with an average of 400 gallons [1,818.4l], this last average was pretty regular to within the last fortnight, when a daily decrease of about 30 gallons [136l] was manifested. It broke down only once, and was repaired in three hours.
It was cleaned weekly. Consumption of coal on average [was] 5cwt [five hundredweight - 203.2kg] during the 24 hours.
The passengers generally appeared to one remarkably healthy and well conducted. I may say that I have never inspected a ship conveying four classes of passengers evincing such perfect unanimity and general satisfaction, and yet the good order did not seem to arise from martinet discipline, but rather from mutual forbearance and kindly feeling.
The Surgeon-Superintendent, Dr. Scott, late Surgeon-Superintendent of the Great Victoria, reports very favourably of the Captain and officers of the ship, also of the matron. This matron [Miss Barker], I may mention, is one of the London Ladies' Society matrons, who are trained especially for this service.
The girls, I understand, conducted themselves remarkably well during the voyage and as there were a large number of cabin passengers, mostly young men, the office of matron must have been no sinecure, and the result shows that she discharged her duties in a highly creditable manner. (18)

SCHOOL'S IN.

Even the ship's schoolmaster, Benjamin Beatty, was required to compile a report of his activities on board:

I beg leave to report that I opened the School on board the above ship on the 25th July and continued to give instruction, with little interruption, till the end of August, when the weather became cold, and in consequence, the children could not sit on the poop.
I carried out the instructions as regards opening and closing the school, reading Scripture daily, &c, &c. The children were taught Spelling, Reading, Writing from dictation, Arithmetic, and Geography:-
I think I am justified in saying that many of the children improved very much, although there were many things going on about them to divert their attention, and it was often difficult to get them together. The young men, I am happy to say, were attentive and well conducted, many of them gave up their amusements when they saw me coming to their departments of the ship, and although they had disadvantages to contend with, the improvement was visible.
There is only one other feature of interest connected with the School to which I wish to refer, namely the desire evinced by a Frenchman to get a 'knowledge' of English. He was regular in his attendance and made a rapid progress in Reading and Writing. The School was divided into two classes, those who could read and those who could not. There were 25 readers and 13 learning to read.
The average attendance of children was 25, and of young men, 27. At the end of the voyage, premiums were given to the most deserving. The young men were under my care to the last few days of the voyage.
As regards the Sunday school, it was well attended and I have to express my grateful thanks to Mr. Munroe, Mr. Drew, Mr. Ellis, and Mrs. Wilkie for the assistance they gave me in conducting it; each of them had a class and took a lively interest in instructing the children. (19)

On October 18, 1866, the Queensland Immigration Agent, John McDonnell, compiled his report to the Colonial Secretary on the living conditions for the passengers aboard the Queen of the Colonies:

I have the honour to report that, on Tuesday last, the 16th Inst., I inspected the ship and mustered the Immigrants on board the Queen of the Colonies, which arrived here on the 14th Instant.
She is commanded by Captain Owens, formerly of the Commodore Perry, and the Immigrants were under the medical superintendence of Dr. H. T. Scott, who came out in the same in the same capacity on board the Great Victoria in December last and previously in the Landsborough.
Permanent Matron-In-Charge of the single girls, Miss Barker, [was on] her 9th voyage. The Immigrants numbered 415 souls, equal to 355 Statute Adults; divided into 61½ Married Couples; 120 Single Men; 72 Single Women; and 100 children; of these, 112 Statute Adults were full-paying passengers. The passengers, as a body, have been well conducted and appear to be of a superior description to those who have arrived during the last twelve months.
Mr. Simpson, who is reported to have sent many undesirable immigrants on board recent arrivals at the last moment as a Selecting Agent for Mr. Jordan, was a passenger by this ship, but I am unable to say whether it is owing to this fact that the Queen of the Colonies is free from the complaint that loafers and others were put on board at the last moment.
The Single Females' compartment was very commodious, well ventilated and clean, but the Female Hospital was situated in the place which is considered very undesirable from various reasons. Water Closets and baths were good.
The Married people's compartment was badly ventilated, the lower berths were so confined that the Surgeon-Superintendent compelled many of the passengers to remove to other quarters, this of course could not have been done if the ship were quite full. This compartment was not over clean.
The Single Men's compartment was well ventilated and roomy, but was not over clean, probably on account of the packing of luggage. The Male Hospital was well situated in the deck house adjoining the Second Cabin.
The Dispensary was attached thereto, both were well ventilated and accessible. The Cooking apparatus was ample for all requirements.
The Condenser, 'Normanby's No. 244', worked capitally day and night, except during the operation of cleaning and on one occasion for three hours for the repair of a pipe which had burst.
The Captain stated that the ship was passed by the Health Officer on Sunday and consequently nearly three days elapsed before the immigrants were taken from the ship.
I have no doubt a claim will be made for the extra day amounting to - say £35. In the Commissioners' Ships the lay days now amount to 14, thereby affording the Government ample time to make arrangements without additional expense.
Two of the passengers were confined a short time before the muster and I was obliged, under the advice of the Surgeon-Superintendent, to leave them on board for a few days.
The Surgeon-Superintendent has returned to the ship to look after his patients and I propose going down in the Kate on Sunday next for the purpose of seeing them safely landed.
Many of the Immigrants have complained that they were detained for a long time waiting for the ship [to leave the East India dockside in London] and that the detention money was not paid in full.
I am, however, waiting until they have made written statements of the facts before taking further steps. There were a few complaints respecting flour and water, but the Surgeon-Superintendent assured me that they were groundless, and arose in consequence of the omission on the part of the Captain to send fresh provisions down to the ship on Monday and also on account of the yeast, which was not very good. (20)

AFTER THE BALL IS OVER.

A few weeks after the ship's arrival, the Ipswich correspondent for the Queensland Daily Guardian reported that at least one passenger had become abnormally homesick:

A warrant has been issued for the apprehension of a man named John Rose, who arrived in Brisbane by the Queen of the Colonies a short time ago. Circumstances have transpired which induce the authorities to suppose that he intended to sail for England by the Young Australia, leaving his wife and family in a destitute condition, with a considerable sum of money. (21)

The Colonial Secretary's office received at least one written complaint from a passenger about his trip aboard the Queen.
A certain James Robert White, who was then lodging at the Temperance Hotel in the city, wrote on October 24:

Sir.- I shipped at Queen's Home, London, on the 12th July 1866 on board the Queen of the Colonies at £2.10.0 per month to leave at Brisbane and all of the passengers, with the exception of 3 or 4, where well pleased with the food has prepaired [sic], but not having a Good Cook and he not having proper things to cook with, many things were spoiled, they then blamed me, and I was sent out and one of the Passengers who paid £15.0.0 for his passage was put in my place & I was sent to assist the Cook for the Soolon [sic] instead of one of the Sailors, who shipped for the same wages has myself. The Captain wanted to pay me off with 6/4 [six shillings fourpence - about 64 cents] insted [sic] of £5.6.4 & not having money to summons the Captain, I ask your advice and sistance [sic] which I hope will not be in vain.

I am,
Sir,
Your obedt Servant,
James Robert White,
Temperance Hotel. (22)

Evidently, the authorities chose to ignore the complaint. The notation on this letter written by a departmental underling reads:

The Col. Sec. cannot interfere in this matter [re:] J. R. White, 24 Oct, 66. (23)

In the holds of the Queen of the Colonies was a considerable cargo from England. The following items were relayed to Brisbane and Ipswich by lighter as the ship lay at anchor:

1 case, [for] W. H. Palmer and Co.; 1 cask feathers, C. C. Martindale; 1 case, wearing apparel, Dr. J. N. Waugh; 40 bundles fencing wire, Phillips and Hill; 2 hogsheads, 18 quarter-casks wine, 30 casks cement, Bright Bros. and Co.; 6 packages, J. Montefiore and Co.; 1 case brushware, H. Brooks; 6 packages (steam hammer), 2 boilers, 2 tanks, 2 ash pans, 298 bundle boards, 126 coils wire, 241 pipes, 3,638 nails, 76 tyres, 146 plates, 110 packages fishes, 10 pairs wheels, 13 girders, 78 pieces, 812 packages, Minister of Lands and Works; 500 casks bottled beer, 9 packages, 50 casks soda crystals, 100 cases galvanised iron, 12 cases bats, 5 cases wearing apparel, 1 case hosiery, 35 cases bath-bricks, 31 packages weighing machines, 4 cases woollen shirts, 152 cases oil stores, 3 cases wine, J. & G. Harris; 7 cases, Raff & Co.; 10 cases, R. A., and J. Kingsford; 1 case, George Stupart; 1 case, Circulating Bowen Library; 1 box, J. Aitchison; 1 case, Bennett; 1 case, Rev. R. Morton; 2 cases, Miss E. Stritchbury; 1 case, F. D. Vignoles; 1 case, Rev. Jas. Love; 1 case, E. Gregory; 2 cases, 4 drums, J. Scoroa; 100 casks bottled beer, 77 barrels cement, 4 packages, C. Newton, Bros and Co; 3 cases, Cribb and Foote; 22 cases groceries, M. Hughes; 13 packages printing materials, 1,472 coils wire, Officer administering the Government; 22 packages, Benjamin Myers and Co.; 1 case, Grimes and Petty; 36 packages, drapery, Stewart and Hemmant; 14 packages, Houghton and Co.; 1 case, A. D. Jewell; 50 cases sardine, 3 case woollens, 1 case guns, 5 hogsheads, 10 quarter-casks wine, 1 bale blankets, 15 trunks boots, 200 casks bottled beer, 2 cases clothing, S. Davis and Co.; 83 cases drapery, D. L. Brown and Co.; 1 case, R. Lewen; 1 case, A. B. Finlay; 1 box, A. A. McCausland; 1 case Mrs. Trotman; 3 cases, Orr, and Honeyman; 8 cases, Joseph Kohn and Co.; 8 packages, Hon. J. C. Ellis; 1 case E. Cregg; 1 case printing cards, 2 cases types, 1 case drugs, 10 hogsheads, 10 quarter-casks, 200 casks brandy, 50 hogsheads beer, 150 casks, 100 cases bottle beer, 80 cases, Order. (24)

For the trip, the Black Ball Line's Brisbane agents, J. & G. Harris Pty. Ltd., presented the following bill to the office of the Colonial Secretary:

Sir.- We have the honour to hand you herewith [a] certificate issued by the Agent General for (119) one hundred and nineteen adult passengers per Queen of the Colonies, representing Land Orders to the value of (£2,142) two thousand, one hundred and forty-two pounds or cash (£1,785) Seventeen hundred and eighty-five pounds, and we shall feel obliged by your effecting arrangements for the same so soon as convenient. J. Harris. (25)

Within a few days of obtaining their luggage from the lighters and regaining their land legs, the Maudsleys were making arrangements for a voyage in a smaller vessel.
Their cutter would take the family on an uncomfortable, two-day trip south to the mouth of the Pimpama River then up the junction with Hotham Creek, north of what has become international tourist destination, the Gold Coast.
At the end of this journey lay the family's temporary home on Malungmavel Estate - the cotton and sugar growing plantation owned by merchants George and Richard Board - and the promise of a new life in Queensland.

1 Warwick Foote, Queensland Immigration And The Black Ball Line, 'Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland', Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, March, 1978, p22.
2 London newspaper advertisement, circa July 1866; Courtesy of John Oxley Library, Brisbane.
3 Based on an original Queen of the Colonies passenger ticket, No. 3431, issued to William Henry Loosemoore, on July 10, 1866. Loosemoore was a member of the committee of passengers who publicly thanked the captain, surgeon-superintendent, chief officer and purser for their efforts aboard ship during this voyage. Loosemoore, William Henry, OM74-2; John Oxley Library Manuscripts and Records Collection.
4 Application Form for Free Emigration to Queensland, part of Report on Cotton Cultivation in Queensland, Agent-General for Queensland, Henry Jordan, to Queensland Colonial Secretary, included with a Prospectus for the Queensland Cotton Company Pty. Ltd., May 22, 1861, 1694/61, COL/A17; Queensland State Archives (QSA), Brisbane.
5 Carl C. Cutler, Greyhounds of the Sea: The Story Of The American Clipper Ship, United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland, 1930, Appendix I.
6 Rev. T. P. Boland, The Queensland Immigration Society, 'Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland', vol. 7, No. 2, 1914, p310.
7 The Boston Daily Atlas, April 27, 1853. Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius at his wonderful website, The Maritime History Virtual Archives.
8 Op cit., Cutler, Appendix II.
9 Ibid.
10 The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, December 16, 1933, p20.
11 Op cit., Boland, p311.
12 A. G. Davies, Immigration and the Immigrant Ships (Moreton Bay), 'Journal of The Royal Historical Society of Queensland', vol. 11, No. 6, November 5, 1935, p322.
13 The Queenslander, Brisbane, July 21, 1932, p9.
14 The Brisbane Courier, Brisbane, October 15, 16 & 17, 1866, p2.
15 Queensland Daily Guardian, Brisbane, October 16 & 17, 1866, p2.
16 Op cit., Courier.
17 Based on Dr. A. Purdie's 'Health Officer's Report', October 15, 1866, Colonial Secretary's Correspondence, 66/2875, COL/A; and Purdie's 'Report of Inspection [of the] Queen of the Colonies', October 16, 1866, 66/2914, COL/A; QSA.
18 Ibid. The Times (of London), in its report on July 24, 1866 (pg12), stated, 'The emigrant ship, Queen of the Colonies, flying the house flag of James Baines and Co., put into Spithead this morning from the Channel for 'orders', and remains at present, with with sails loose. Cholera broke out among the emigrants on board after leaving London, but it is stated, that no fresh case has occurred on board since the 19th inst.'
19 Beatty to Colonial Secretary, October 8, 1866, COL/A; QSA.
20 McDonnell to Colonial Secretary, October 19, 1866, 66/2942, COL/A; QSA.
21 Queensland Daily Guardian, Brisbane, November 20, 1866, p3.
22 White to Colonial Secretary. October 19, 1866, 66/2939, COL/A; QSA.
23 Ibid.
24 Queensland Daily Guardian, Brisbane, October 17, 1866, p2.
25 Harris to Colonial Secretary, October 18, 1866, 66/2929, COL/A; QSA.

POSTSCRIPT:

The Queen of the Colonies ended its career in January 1875 while near Ushant (Ouessant) island, off Brittany, in the Atlantic, about 10 miles (16km) from the French mainland. A hazard to navigation and subject to intense fall and winter storms, Ushant has several lighthouses and marks the south-western entrance to the English Channel. The Times (of London), in its report on February 23, 1875 (pg10), stated:

Board of Trade Inquiry.- The inquiry into the loss of the Queen of the Colonies, a full-rigged ship of 1,346 register tonnage, which was lost off Concuet, near Brest, on the 26th of last month, was concluded yesterday, the third day of the investigation, at Greenwich Police-court, before Mr Patteson, assisted by Captain Harris and Captain White, nautical assessors. Mr Hargrave Hamel appeared for the Board of Trade, and Mr G. Wood-Hill for the owners. The Queen of the Colonies was proceeding on her voyage from Batavia for Falmouth for orders, with a cargo of sugar, under the command of Captain Richard Jones. On the 23rd she met with a severe gale from the W.S.W., and next morning a heavy sea shipped over the lee side, stove in the front of the deck-house, damaging the stores and chronometers, and washing a man overboard. She ran before the gale till, on the water moderating at noon on the 25th, she was found to be about 12 miles south-west of Ushant, and 30 or 40 miles out of her reckoning. The wind had by this time changed to N.N.W., and the master being unable, after several attempts, to weather Ushant in consequence of a strong tide and current setting eastward, was at  11 p.m. embayed between the Ile de Sein and Ushant. The provisions having been spoilt, and the crew being worn out, it was decided to make for Brest. Signals were made for a pilot, and the master steered for a red light, which he supposed from his chart to be the St Mathieu light, intending to bring up the east of it in deep water unless a pilot came off. After leaving the light about three-quarters of a mile on the port side, he discovered, however, that it was not upon St Mathieu's Point, but upon some rocks, and he then anchored in nine fathoms. He hoisted signals of distress, and a pilot took charge and weighed the port anchor, whereupon the vessel swung to her starboard anchor and struck the ground. Sail being made, she was got off, but struck again after going 400 yards and became a total wreck. It came out in the inquiry that the red light which the master supposed to be the St Mathieu's light had been changed from red to white. Mr Wood-Hill drew attention to the fact that the Sailing Directions of 1874 do not mention this light in describing the port of Brest, although it is referred to in the general list of lights. Mr Patteson announced that the Court were agreed that no blame attached to the master; he done the best he could and they were pleased to return his certificate.

Author's postscript: It is a privilege and a delight to present one's research findings - shortcomings and all. For any errors of omission or poor transcription, I most certainly apologise. Should you be inclined to re-use or lift excerpts of any of the above text, your e-mail acknowledgement of the provenance of same would be considered a courtesy. Happy hunting! - Peter Collins (great, great grandson of Richard Maudsley senior).