Proposed Agreement Between S. Lord, Esq., And R. Williams.

I The said Robert Williams having discovered a ready and simple method of claneing the hemp plant, of New Zealand, by harts means methods and mathineney, of my hone construction, peculiar to my self the same having been put in actual practis, by me and never performed or made youce of, by aney other person, the same aarts meanes methods and mathinery, haveing been put in practice in presence of several respectiable persons, and, His Excelency the Governor, and aproved of, and found to answer the purpose of bring(ing) the above hemp, into the service of the British Navy, and to be procured in large quantities and moderate expence and I the said, Robert Williams, do bind and engage myself with the said Sim Lord Esqr. to proceed to such parts of New Zealand, and procure 100 tons of hemp on the following condishons:—

I R. W. will dilict the construction of such mathinary, and other apparatus needfull to perform the above services at verey moderate expence and the same to be lasting and duriable the same to be at the expenco of S. Lord, who shall further provide the brigg Trial or anney other vessel of that discription properly equipt and in a condishon to perform such services, and the said S. Lord shall further provide R. W. with fifteen able men page 471 exclusife of the vessel crew, to be under his R. W. diriction, in procureing this above hemp, and the S. Lord shall provide R. W. with fifteen serviceable muskets, and 2,000 runds of ammunishon, one or more small cannon, or swivel, or such other aarms or meanes of defence to shall place the said R. W. in a state of defence, should the natives of New Zeland attempt anney hostile deperadations against the person or property under the charge of R. W. who shall make choice of such bay, port, or place he may think best calculated for fixing his machinerey, and buildings and cullecting the gratest quantity of hemp and for the gratest length of time to best and grate advantage, of S. Lord, and to the real interest of the said S. Lord inlargeing the establishing, and the R. W. binds himself to act in concerting and adviceing with the master of the said vessel or vessels or anney other person the said S. Lord shall apoint, in fixing on the intended place of work, provided the said persons shall be not less intrested in the hemp, then R. W. woho will pay no attention to anney other concern, he is not interested in, and after fixing and erecting such buildings needfull for the safety of the persons and property, under the direction of the said R. W. and for the futher storeing such hemp as may hereafter collect, and should the said S. Lord direct, the said vessel to anney other persuett, the master or anney other person apointed shall deliver to R. W. nine months provishons for himself and fifteen men of the same equality and proportion specified in the articles sined by the men with the above men-shioned aarms and ammunition and such other stores, and articals of trade entered and put on board the said vessel, for the said R. W., and R. W. binds himself to teach instruct such person or persons the said S. Lord shall apoint, to superceed the R. W. in the management of the above work to the best of his judgemet during the time, he the said R. W. be collecting the 100 tons of hemp and packing and stoweing the said hemp in a safe and sound condishon for delivering on bord such ship or vessel S. Lord shall apoint and the said S. Lord binds himself at the time the 100 tons of hemp shall be stored has above to cause a proper vessel at the S. Lord’s expence to receive the said R. W. on board to gether with his lawfull goods, and allso six tons of the above 100 tons of hemp so collected by him to be put on a sund safe and trustworthey ship or other proper vessel bound direct for Port Jackson and on the arival of the said vessel in Port Jackson R. W. shall be at liberty to disembark with his lawful goods and the above six tons of hemp free of all charge and expence on condishons of R. W. first secureing the sum or sums advanced by the said S. Lord on account of R. W. entering in to this ingagement and the said R. W. shall page 472 be at libert to pay the above advancement in hemp at fifty pounds sterling per ton and it is to be understood that the above six tons of hemp is considered has a remuneration for the above services of the said R. W. in this engagement. But should it be the case the said R. W. is not removed to Sydney at the expence of S. Lord wen the first 100 tons of hemp shall be readey for imbarking the said R. W. will continy in his charge of the work and make youce of his exportations to the best advantage of has above and continue to do so for nine months if suplyd with provishons by the said S. Lord for the time. But should it so happen is not to according to intent of this engagement removed from the said place of work at the expieration of nine months the said R. W. receive the proportion of ten tons out of evrey 100 tons so procuered after the first 100 tons and at the expierations of nine months the S. Lord shall not cause the said R. W. be brought to Port Jackson to gather with his lawfull goods and his just proportion of hemp has above steted and provided and that in a ship or vessel proper adapted for such services and the said R. W. on the arival of such in Port Jackson to be at liberty to disembark with his goods and hemp free of all charge and encumberance as above said in this clause at the time to be accountable to the said S. Lord for his conduct in fulfing this ingagement, and R. W. further binds himself in case anney vessel acttuly employed in the fulling this engagement shall meet with anney accident and shall stand in need of the assistance of R. W. and such persons under his charge in substituteing cordage or anney other assistance in repairing anney damage the said may sustain in her services to the intrest of this ingagement to render evrey asistance in power free of anney charge unless it should tend to defate the proscicuting of this engàgement and in such case to youse evryto relive the said vessel in a reasonablebeing made in this engagement with all partys on a proper investagation and in case anney vessel not implan to the intrest of this ingagement the said R. W. shall be at liberty to make the best barter or bargain he can to the interest of S. Lord and himself for such cordage he may have it in his power to suply or if nessiary to hevens the benefits of such barter to assistance of the said undertaking and in case of the nine moths provishons shall be expended and no suplys forwarded or arived the said R. W. binds himself to yose his exhotaions to encourage the men under his charge in makeing youce of evrey meanes of suport and to protect such hemp and stores then on the spot and if possable to continue the above imployment on condishons of being empowered to give them the half of what the other hemp and provishions shall be collect at their expense the same to be considerd a reward for page 473 thiar endavours without anney clame to wages untill provishons shall arive and in case the said R. W. shall be releved at the expiration of twelve months and brought