Feb. 19, 1705, to a certain Member of Parliament, and printed the fame Year. First then, fays he, their Lordships obferve, That in three Years Time the Navy has exceeded its Charge, allowed by Parliament, the Sum of } 7. s. d, 366032 17 2 This, at first View, he fays, was a very heavy Charge on the Government; but with humble Submiffion, it is prefumed their Lps are not all bred Accomptants, and therefore not fo much blameable as fome are. I confefs it ftartled me at this Time of Day, to fee fo Good, fo Gracious, fo Mild, and fo Gentle a Government, charged with fuch an inconfiderable Sum, not worth mentioning, confidering the Length of Time, viz three Years. We cannot forget the Mifcarriages of a late Reign fo foon, when some of the L-ds of a C- were impeached for the Imbezzlement of the Kingdoms Treasure. Let them but look back, and they will find twice as much exceeded in the Service for the fame Time. When ER-ll, Efq; (now L-O-d) was Treasurer and Paymafter of the Navy, there was then actu ally received out of the Exchequer for that Service, from 6170359 10 3 Michaelmas 1691, to Michaelmas 1694, viz, three Years Time, the Sum of The Eftimate allowed by Parliament for the Navy, amounts for the fame Time but to So that the Charge of the Navy did exceed what was defigned by Parliament, the Sum of 5400000 } 770359 13 01 404325 13 1 And then no Complaint was made of it; yet our three Years inconfiderable Sum, viz. 366033 l. 17 s. 2 d. is a monftrous Charge now: Yet theirs exceeds this by What would not the Saints have faid, if fuch a Sum as this had fell upon the Party the L-s are now accufing? Secondly, That the Admiralty have iffued short of the 1142361 Sum allotted by Parliament for that Service, the Sum of to amount to the Sum of Which, if substracted from the Provisions intended by Parliament, which I have placed above the last Sum, and then it will come to but 24 15 0 II I } 772394 3 11 So that their L―ps have overcharged the Admiralty } 369966 18 5 in this Article, by the Sum of Proof Now, Sir, if the Sum of Be added with the Sum of Provisions, 1138428 I I Which is all their Lps can pretend to charge the Treafurer of the Navy with; and we hope their Honours think it in fafe Hands, fo long as Sir TL is of Ability to make it good; if not, pray let them fpeak. But their Lps not speaking, fhewed they thought him to be of Ability; but now it feems he is dead, and indebted to the Navy, the Nation will find whether he was of Ability or not. Thirdly, It appears at Michaelmas 1704, the Debt of the Navy to be And the Navy Debt at Michaelmas 1702, came but to 2266864 17 10 1016767 3 9 1250097 14 I And well it may; for it appears by the Treafury-Books, that the Sums given by Parliament have fallen fhort; and by the extraordinary Expences of the War, viz. the taking of Gibraltar, and beating of the French Fleet, muft needs increase the Debt confiderably, as the Treatury-Books obferve, to the Sum of 1194249 16 5 And if any Complaint ought to be made, it was on the Government's Side, and not on their Lps, as if a Mifmanagement; but those Lof the C, I prefume, knew which Way they crept into fair Eftates, by fingering the publick Treasure of the Nation; and now would make all Perfons as guilty, &c. that they might come off the eafier. To the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 Articles, if there be any Mifmanagement or Imbezzlement in them, they are fo inconfiderable, not worth taking notice of, and especially by the H of P Allow the three Flag-Officers Pay and Table, comes to per Ann. 4927 l. 10 s. for three Years, comes to We'll allow a Mifapplication of the Navy's Penfions to amount for three Years (though in Truth it is not fo) to And the P-'s Council for three Years have imbezzled the Sum of } 14781 °} 14781 10 0 3000 } 6000 10 23681 Now what a mighty Sum is this, viz. for three Years Time to complain of? Says he, Sir, this is but a Flea-bite to what I fhall demonftrate to you. You cannot forget, Sir, that a Lord C-was impeached, not long fince, for a confiderable Sum of Money he had; yet he was not contented with his Place that brought him 4000 l. per Ann. but the late K. William allowed him befides, a Penfion of 4000l. per Ann. more: And yet he procured to himself the Grants of feveral Manors, Free-Farm-Rents, Quit-Rents, &c. to the Value of 33600 So 1. s. d. So that this Person has exceeded all their Imbezzle-} 23681 10 ments, viz. By the Sum of 9918 ΙΟ But give me Leave to fum up their L-ps whole Charge, as well as the Imbezzlements, &c. against thofe Perfons, and you will find they appear not fo great a Charge as made. First then, as for the Debt of the Navy of I will leave it as I found it, to be made good by Parlia ment. 2266864 17 2 Secandly, As for what the Navy has exceeded its Charge 366032 17 by Act of Parliament, viz. I will make it a Charge as Money over-paid for the Ufe of the Navy above the Sum allowed by Parliament. Thirdly, As for what the Navy has iffued fhort of the Sum allotted by Parliament, I have fufficient Warrant to charge it. Fourthly, The unneceffary Pay of three Flag-Officers } I'll charge; which comes to Fifthly, A fuppofed Mifapplication of the Penfions for three Years, which come to And lastly, An Imbezzlement of three Years Money for the Prince's Council comes to So that the whole Cafh in Hands, the Mifapplications and Imbezzlements for three Years Time, comes to but 672394 17 2 3 11 To which may be answered; first, as their Lps do find by the Navy Accounts, the Money exceeded did amount in three Years Time to a confiderable Sum, yet they don't fay it was not applied to that Ufe; therefore I prefume, I have good Warrant to discharge the Navy of that Sum as paid; which is Secondly, The three Flag-Officers are paid the Sum of 366032 17 2 14701 10 O 3000 O O Tot. 383814 7 2 } 678397 Therefore all as can be pretended to be in Hands, mifapplied or imbezzled, for three Years Time, is but 3 LI And whether this mighty Sum be not iffued to the Yards and Victuallers, is the Question; and those Ministers best know whether it be fo or no, for I shan't justify them in it: But what I have to offer may mollify this great Offence. Sir, I can't but remind you; and give me leave to fhew what confiderable Charges and Imbezzlements there was brought on the Nation in so smal a Time as five Years. The The Lord R- hath actually received out of the Ex-7 chequer, for the Army from Michaelmas 1691, to Mi chaelmas 1696, (not computing the Pay for the Army 9256911 13 41 in Ireland) the Sum of The Eftimate allowed by Parliament for the Army, 6500000 came at the fame Time but to So that the Army has been over-paid by 2756911 13 41 out of the Exchequer, for the Pay of the Navy for the 9108833 10 2 The Treasurer of the Ordinance for Sea and Land Service, hath received for the faid Time the Sum of } 1543826 5 91 Tot. of both 10652659 15 111 Now the Eftimate of the Navy, Yards, Ordinance, and Victuallers, for the fame Time, come to but There has been actually received out of the Exchequer, So that the Civil Lift has been over-paid by } 3000000 о 455302 8 Upon these Heads there has been over-paid, as follows. To they Army Navy and Ordinance, &c. To the Civil Lift 2756911 13 41 1652659 15 11 455302 8 Tot. 4864873 174 And yet the Debt of the Army, Navy, Ordinances, &c. and the Civil Lift, amounted to that Time to the Sum of } 6000000 So that in five Years, there was actually embezzled, 108648773 17 43 or misapplied Now, Sir, how much was paid to the Army, Navy, &c. fhort of thefe Proportions allowed by Parliament, will alfo be worth the Enquiry of your honourable Houfe. But to their Lps laft Obfervation: They fay that 43 Cruifers and Convoys are allowed by Parliament to protect our Merchants from the Enemy (do do they mean Abroad, or at Home?) and that not 22 have been employed at any Time; nor have they done the Duty of three cruifing Ships, which they think is a great Hardship on the Subject; and endangers their Trade; and befeeches her Majefty, that all poffible Methods may be taken for the Encouragement of Seamen, the guarding of the Coaft, and the Protection of Trade. Certainly their L-ps think this Nation has a very treacherous Memory, to forget fo foon the Complaint your HH of C-made to their L-ps upon this very Subject. Let them remember, that one Article of their Impeachment against ARwas this: That when feveral Complaints were made by the old EaftIndia Company to the Lords of the Admiralty (his Lordship being chief C) of divers Pyracies in the South-Seas, to the Deftruction of their Trade, that he rejected their Requeft, and procured a C for Captain K—d, who went a P——; and that the faid C commanded Capt. S― to deliver several able Seamen out of the D-(when the Nation was threatned with an Invasion from France) to Capt. K-d, and they went a P-ing. Secondly, That the Lds S and B-nt, &c. got a Grant under the GS in 97, to have all the Ships, &c. Goods, Treasures, &c. taken fince April 30, 1696, by P-cy, without Account. And that faid LS- put the Great Sunto a Treaty with F, whereby great Dominions were given that King, to the Prejudice of the Merchants Trade in general. But I am very glad their L-ps begin to be fo vigilant in national Mifcarriages; for, with humble Submiffion, I think it is high Time they were all redreffed. I am fure, your honourable House has been many Years labouring hard to bring it to pafs, and have been as often prevented therein. by their Lps not being at leifure, or, at least, not in a Humour to do it; which Refufal your honourable Houfe not long fince voted to be a Denial of J (in their Lordships) to the common Cause, and an Hindrance to the publick Benefit of this Kingdom in general. And fince they have publickly begun to addrefs her Majefty, that this publick Grievance may be redreffed, though very inconfiderable, yet if not nipped in the Bloffom, who knows what an Height it may at laft come to? I think now Time offers to redress them all; and once your H-H-- defired fuch an Opportunity; and you can't do lefs for your Country's Service, than vigorously, and with all Diligence, to profecute this Affair, and to go Hand in Hand with their L-ps, to accomplish it. For, as I am an High-Church Man, Sir, I am not for having the Government impofed on, nor the Nation's Treafure embezzled, or profufely spent, in needlefs Penfions, &c. by any Manner of Perfons, either High-Church, Low, or No-Church. And whoever is catch'd in the Tranfgreffion, and fpared by one Side or t'other, can be no good Subject, nor an hearty Lover of her Majesty's Government. It mightily rejoices me to fee their L-ps Eyes begin to be opened, and that they can fpy Faults and Mifmanagements in Government, as well as other Perfons; though I must confefs there is no Government fo infallible, VOL. III. Dd but |