voyage, as a convenient place for a settlement, was fixed upon by
government for the intended design.

On the 25th of October, 1786, his Majesty's ship Sirius, lying
in the dock at Deptford, was commissioned, and the command given
to Arthur Phillip, Esq; the Supply armed tender was also put in
commission, and Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball was appointed to
command her.

The Sirius was a ship of about 540 tons burthen, exceedingly
well calculated for such a service; she mounted 20 guns, and had
a spar deck over them, was of a round full built, and was all
together a very capacious and convenient vessel. The Supply armed
tender was a brig, and was one of the vessels which were employed
in carrying naval stores from one of his Majesty's dock-yards to
another; she was a very firm strong little vessel, very flat
floored, and roomy, mounted eight guns, and had a deep waist,
which I feared would be found a very great, if not a dangerous
inconvenience in so low a vessel on so long a voyage. The
Sirius's compliment was 160 men; that of the Supply, 55 men.
These two ships were intended, after having performed the service
of escorting the convicts to the place of their destination, to
remain in the country to be employed as the governor might find
necessary for the public service, until they should be relieved
by other ships from England.

I had some reason, during the equipment of those ships, to
think I might be employed upon this service, in some way or
other; and as Captain Phillip was appointed governor of the new
settlement, and of course had much business to transact in