The papers cover almost all Austen's active service from his entrance into the Royal Naval Academy, 1786, until the end of his commission as Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies, 1848, and include official log books, 1795 to 1814; letter books, 1801 to 1814, 1845 to 1848; order books, 1807 to 1813, 1829 to 1848, and loose papers, which are mainly general remarks and notes.

Administrative / biographical background
Austen, brother of Charles John Austen (q.v.) and of Jane Austen, the novelist, entered the Royal Naval Academy in 1786 and in 1788 joined the Perseverance in the East Indies He was made lieutenant in 1792, commander in 1799 and captain in 1800, while in the PETEREL. In 1805 he was Flag-Captain to Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis (q.v.) in the CANOPUS and was at the battle of San Domingo in 1806. Whilst on convoy to the East Indies in 1809 he successfully settled a dispute with the Chinese, which earned the approval of the Admiralty and the award of a thousand pounds by the East India Company. He was Flag-Captain to Admiral Lord Gambier (1756-1833), then commanding the Home Fleet, in 1810 and, from 1811 to 1814, was in the ELEPHANT in the North Sea and the Baltic. In 1830 Austen was promoted to rear-admiral and to vice-admiral in 1838. He was Commander-in-Chief, West Indies, 1844 to 1848, and was made Admiral of the Fleet in 1863.