Annotation: 8 Sept 1800

Dear Flinders

            I have this moment received with
great pleasure your kind and friendly Letter of the 4^th Ins^t
and I have read with much delight that part which alludes
to your various employments since our separation in 1793. –
it is a happy thing for the Country, for knowledge in general;
and I hope and trust will to yourself prove fortunate, – that
you should have been selected to perform a Service
which required more than common abilities to execute,
but poƒseƒsing a knowledge of your worth & merits I
without the smallest hesitation pronounce that it
could not have been committed to a more able hands.
I have I aƒsure you my good friend often made
enquiries after you, and have received very
satisfactory answers from our worthy friend Sir Tho^s
Pasley – but like yourself since our separation

from the Providence I have been a long time out
of England – Government employed me to proceed
through the Kingdoms of Mexico, and New [illegible]
and the Californias to the North West Coast of America,
in order finally to terminate, in conjunction with
a Spanish Officer, (Gen^l Alava) the long disputes
which had existed between the British & Spanish
Courts, touching the Nootka Sound territory
I was fortunate enough in my Miƒsion to give per-
-fect satisfaction to the Ministers who employed
me, – but my health has suffered so much by
a Coup de Soleil which I received in those
regions alluded to, that I am rendered totally
unfit for any active service – when we meet
we will communicate more minutely our
various adventures. –
      I shall not fail to write to my

Brother by this Post, who I am sure will have
great pleasure to render you every service in his
power. I shall therefore only enclose a note which
you will have the goodneƒs to give him on your
arrival at the Admiralty. – If you should be
soon in London pray leave your addreƒs for me
at Wood's Hotel in Panton Square, as I hope
shortly to be in Town, and nothing will make
me more happy than to shake you by the hand
I beg you will believe me to be
                                    Dear Flinders
                                    Yours Most Sincerely
Colchester 7^th September       Tho^s Pearce
                    1800