Kibworth Market Harboro
Jany 17 1814
Sir,
	When I met you at Leicester on 1 Ultimo I much regret that I could not then make the observations I am now induced to attempt, in this letter, which I hope you will excuse my troubling you with, as I feel it my duty as a Christian to make them in the hope that they may be sometime, if not immediately beneficial towards the formation & extension, of Christianity & communicating the Light & blessings of the Gospel to the Children of Darkness, which I conceive to be the chief design & object of your most worthy society & as I have for a long time entertained the notion, & in my own mind form’d a Plan for a Settlement at New Zealand which I cannot persuade myself to abandon without having submitted it to your consideration, yet at the same time I do not disapprove of your kind advice for emigrating to Port Jackson, but still I am for some reasons inclined to prefer my original project, & am not without hopes that the Missionary Society may entertain a favourable opinion of it, & afford me some encouragement. I presume that Mr Kendall Wife & children were sent out at the expense of the Society & I was much disappointed, when you told me, they were not gone to New Zealand as intended & stated to be in the Ipswich paper, I have read of the horrid transaction you said was the cause of their not proceeding there, & am of opinion that it was in a great measure owing to a want of proper  precaution in our people, besides it is worthy of remark, that the Massacre took place in the Bay of Islands, Inhabited by the most ferocious Tribes, & the most populous part of the country, who have [f] always shown a hostile spirit towards visitors. It is therefore my humble opinion, that the good intentions of the Society should not be retarded by that circumstance, & give me leave to refer you to several situations described by Capt. Cook who particularly observes of one in Mercury bay, which I shall to prevent troubles, point out in his own words “If necessary for a ship to winter here, or to stay any length of time, tents might be built in this place, which is sufficiently spacious, with great convenience & might be made impregnable to the whole country, the best engineer in Europe could not have chosen a situation better adapted to enable a small number to defend themselves against a greater.” In this situation I conceive it to be very practicable to form such an establishment as would answer our desired end, & it is also a favourable circumstance for conversion, that the Natives appear to be thereabouts less numerous, & only occasional residents, & have according to Capt Cook been more friendly than at most other places & at any rate such a situation would enable a small number of Christians to dwell in security, & defend themselves & native friends from the attacks of the hostile, if occasion should require, & from such a place might be had all proper intercourse with those who were inclined to be friendly & by Example & gentle means gain over to our opinions those few first, & through them, extend in time our holy Faith much better if not more rapid, than we can otherwise hope to do, for ages to come. I can not help stating my opinion that much mischief may have been the resuly of Impropern& Incautious intercourse with these people in latter visits. I therefore suggest, in order to conciliate them the better, & to give them at least, the less reason to molest, if not desire to disturb Settlers. The example of my renowned Relative when forming his Colony in Pennsylvaia, of giving the utmost satisfaction [f] for the Land & every thing wanted by the Settlers— I am Sir well aware that this would be a very great & arduous undertaking (not to add dangerous) for one single Individual, & might to many even appear chimerical, but to you I trust it will not do so, as with encouragement, & proper support the greatest difficulties may be surmounted, & when I offer myself for this great service I hope my having been a Captain in the Militia will not make me the worse Christian, or be thought the less fit for becoming one under the banner of Christ. I can (if requisite) produce testimony of my good conduct as an officer, for nearly 10 years & it is nearly the same length of time since I retired honourably from it. But in offering my services to the Missionary Society I also purpose to offer them a part of the annual rents of my estates to be received by them during my absence as some kind of recompence for the assistance they may afford me in this undertaking  likewise towards the support of their benevolent designs. It may not be improper to observe that in consequence of Marriage [arrange]ments I am disabled from disposing of my property in the way you suggested when I saw you, & it being Land it would become useless [you] in the event of my Emigrating either to New Zealand or Port Jackson. Nothing therefore would give me so much pleasure as to be [informed] that my offers were accepted next to that and my project being well received by the Socety. I regret that I can not offer at present much more than 100£ pr ann[um] but in the course of a little time it may be nearly if not more than double that sum. I am very desirous of knowing what might be the expence of such a Voyage & though accustomed to genteel habits I would undergo many & great deprivations in order to accomplish this desirable & good object & I will esteem it a particular favour if you would give me information so as to enable me to begin the preparayion for such an undertaking, & whether it would not be advisable to acquire if possible something of the Language of those parts. It is needless for me to add that if you wish it I am ready to come to town to receive your instructions & beg pardon for occupying so much of your time hoping to be favor’d with an early answer
I am Sir
our most obedient
very Humble Servant
Thos Blick