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Soho Square
June 5. 1801
Sir
I yesterday went to the Admiralty to enquire about the Investigator & was indeed much mortified to learn there that you had been on shore in Itythe Bay & I was still more mortified to hear that several of your Men had deserted & that you had lost a Prisoner entrusted to your charge who got away at a time when the Quarter Deck was in charge of a Midshipman.
I heard with pain many very severe remarks on these matters & in Defence I could only say that as Capt Flinders is a sensible man & a good Seaman such matters could only be attributed to the laxity of discipline which always takes place when the Captains wife is on board & that such lax discipline could never again take place because you had wisely resolved to leave Mrs. Finders with your her Relations.
I realy wish you had given me a detail of these circumstances in your letter of the 3d & I also wish you had answered my letter respecting the distribution of the Mess Money on both these subjects however I shall leave you to your own decisions I think however that your character would have been Better supported yesterday had I known from you what had happened & I think unless much caution on your part is taken the distribution of the Mess Money may hereafter produce consequences not very agreeable.
Pray let me hear from you without delay particularly whether it is finaly resolved that the ship much go into Dock which I conclude will be the case.
I am Sir
Your friend & Servt.
Jos. Banks