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

                To M^r Mathew [sic] Flinders           hereby appointed
                Lieutenant of His Majesty's Ship the Reliance.

By Virtue of the Power and Authority to us given, We do hereby constitute and
appoint you Lieutenant of His Majesty's Ship the Reliance.
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     Ship
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 Thirty first day of January 1790.
in the Thirty eighth Year of His Majesty's Reign.

By Command of their Lordships

        Evan Nepean [Other signatures have been cut away]

Seniority
31^st Jan.1790