Arthur Phillip and John Hunter were both captains aboard HMS Sirius, but they were not co-captains of the ship. Phillip's broad pennant placed him over the entire expedition, including merchant masters, convicts, Marines, medical staff, chaplains, and dependants. Hunter remained the posted captain responsible for Sirius while Phillip spent his time coordinating between vessels. Phillip's transfer to the faster HMS Supply at Cape Town required no change-of-command ceremony and allowed him to reach Australia ahead of the main body. Sirius retained Major Robert Ross, senior medical personnel, and the valuable Larcum Kendall K1 chronometer used on James Cook's voyages. Carrying the same instrument supported navigation from Cook's records while reducing the risk that a different chronometer would introduce a new pattern of error.
Notable Point · 25:01-28:18
Arthur Phillip, John Hunter, and fleet command at sea
Arthur Phillip's broad-pennant authority, John Hunter's command of Sirius, and Cook's chronometer clarify how the fleet divided command and controlled navigational error.