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[Page 2]
May 2 1801
Sir
in answer to your letter of yesterdays date I beg leave to bring to the Recollection of the Board that the Investigator was fitted under the orders of the Late First Lord of the Admiralty whose opinion was against asking a passport from the naval nations & that in consequence she was armed more than is necessary for a peacable cruize.
on Lord St.Vincents succeeding Ld Spencer his Lordship declard himself ready willing to ask for a Passport & in about a week, the other members of the administration having been Consultd, application was made for that purpose, in consequence of which a Passport is daily expectd.
Capt Flinders at first intended to have waited for the actual arrival of the Passport before he applied for the removal of his unnecessary guns, but as the Season of Sailing is now arrivd he thought it better to ask for their Removal at present in order that he may be actualy ready to sail the moment the Passport may arrive.
for my own part I have my doubt of the Policy of actualy disarming the Ship untill a sufficent assurance of a Passport being granted has been made, & I shall this day wait upon Mr Otto on the subject & have the honor to