By the Commiƒsioners for Executing the Office of
                              Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom
                            of Great Britain and Ireland &C

                To     Matthew Flinders Esq           hereby appointed
                Commanderof His Majesty's Sloop the     Investigator

By Virtue of the Power and Authority to Us given, We do hereby constitute and appoint you Commanderof His Majesty's Sloopthe Investigator.Willing and requiring you forthwith to go on board and take upon you the Charge and Command of Commanderin her accordingly. Strictly Charging and Commanding all the Officers and Company of the said Sloopto behave themselves jointly and severally, in their respective Employments, with all due Respect and Obedience unto you their said Commanderand you likewise to observe and execute the General Printed Instructions, and such Orders and Directions as you shall from time to time receive from Us, or any other your superior Officers, for His Majesty's Service. Hereof nor you nor any of you may fail as you will answer the Contrary at your peril. And for so doing this shall be your Warrant. Given under our hands and the Seal of the Office of Admiralty this Sixteenth day of February 1801In the Forty first Year of His Majesty's Reign.

By Command of their Lordships

        Nepean, Spencer, Young