By the Commiƒsioners for Executing the Office of
                            Lord High Admiral ^ of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
                            &C and of all His Majesty's Plantations &C

                To     Lieu^t . Matthew Flinders           hereby appointed
                Lieutenant of His Majesty's Sloop the Investigator.

By Virtue of the Power and Authority to us given, We do hereby constitute and
appoint you Lieutenant of His Majesty's Sloop the Investigator.
Willing and requiring you forthwith to go on board and take upon you the Charge
and Command of     Lieutenant in her accordingly. Strictly Charging and
Commanding all the Officers and Company belonging to the said     Sloop
subordinate to you to behave themselves jointly and severally, in their respective
Employments, with all due Respect and Obedience unto you their said Lieutenant
And you likewise to observe and execute as well the General printed Instructions
as what Orders and Directions as you shall from time to time receive from your
Captain 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 Nineteenth day of January     1801.
in the Forty first Year of His Majesty's Reign.

By Command of their Lordships

        Nepean, Spencer, Young [signature has been cut away]

Seniority
31st Jany.1798