Dependent colonies: the importation of material culture into the Australian colonies (1788-1850)

"Great Britain established colonies in Australia during the late 18th and early 19th centuries by importing capital, goods and people. During the early settlement, colonists were almost totally dependent upon shipping for their goods. Indeed it can be argued that the capacity of countries like Great Britain to successfully invade and colonize was largely dependent on international trade, which provided familiar, appropriate food, drink and material culture for the population transported to the colonies. This paper uses data obtained from two colonial-period shipwrecks excavated in Australia during the last 20 years. In 1797 the merchantman Sydney Cove wrecked on a voyage from Calcutta to the newly established British penal colony at Port Jackson (Australia) with a speculative cargo. William Salthouse wrecked in 1841 at the end of a voyage from Montreal to the recently established colony at Melbourne."