As soon as an expedition inland was mooted, Sturt volunteered for the leadership, and was recommended by Oxley, who was then on his deathbed.

[Footnote 1: Literally, "warlike expedition."

Purely land expeditions, or expeditions but slightly supported from the sea, had ended in failure.

Similarly our oversea military expeditions, with the consequent large number of merchant ships in use as transports or supply ships, required a considerable force of destroyers and other small craft.