502 THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



of New South Wales in 1788, and by March 1797 the 

 enthusiasm of age had so grown in him that he was wishing 

 that he could himself go to settle on the Hawkesbury, and 

 was asking the question whether England might not revive 

 in New South Wales when it had sunk in Europe. 1 It 

 was to Banks, then, that British secretaries turned when 

 they needed instruction about what seemed to them the 

 indispensable nuisance of a convict colony, and Banks 

 gave instructions that were vehement and minute. He 

 recommended officials from Governors to Gardeners, 

 and both Governors and Gardeners were his obedient 

 servants and correspondents. It was certain that what 

 things he thought should be done in New South Wales 

 would at least be attempted. Wherefore it was to Sir 

 Joseph Banks that Flinders dedicated his " Observations," 

 and explained the need of a voyage that should make 

 a full and exact exploration of all the coasts of Australia, 

 " as well those which were imperfectly known as those 

 ' entirely unknown." 



The Investi- Sir Joseph thought well of Flinders and of his proposals, 

 & aor ' and he easily persuaded his friend Earl Spencer, the 



First Lord of the Admiralty, to give Flinders command 

 of the best of the bad ships that could be spared from the 

 present war. The Investigator was a sloop of three hundred 

 and thirty-four tons, and " nearly resembled the description 

 of the vessel recommended by Captain Cook." She was 

 in a very weak and leaky condition she began " to leak 

 as soon as the channel was cleared" but Flinders was 

 told that " no better ship could be spared from the service," 

 and " my anxiety," he explains, " to complete the inves- 

 tigation of the coasts of Terra Australis did not admit 

 of refusing the one offered." In all matters of equipment 

 the generosity of the Government was boundless. The 

 Secretary told Banks that any proposal he made would 

 be approved, and that the whole was left entirely to his 

 decision. Banks told Flinders to fit out the ship as he 



1 Smith, p. 219. " I see the future prospect of empires and dominions 

 which cannot be disappointed. Who knows but that England may 

 revive in New South Wales when it has sunk in Europe ? " 



