The Earl of Orford reported from the Lords Committees appointed to confider of the Books and Papers delivered into this House from the Commiffioners of the Admiralty, as followeth ; (videlicet,) "The Committee appointed, by Order of the House "It appears to them, by the Ac-1 compts of the Navy, that the "Charge of the Navy, for the Three "laft Years, amounts to the Sum of "By the Books deli vered into the "Houfe by the Lord Treasurer (and which were alfo referred to the "Committee), it appears that the S. d. 6,559,127 12 2 178 "Provifion made by Parliament for 6,194,149 17 "the Service of the Navy, for the "faid Three Years, amounted to "the Sum of "The Committee do alfo obferve to your Lordships, "that there are Ten Flags in Sea Pay; videlicet, "Three Admirals, Three Vice Admirals, and Four "Rear Admirals; and that Three of these are not in "their Pofts. "Mr. Churchill, Admiral of the Blue, has not been at "Sea in any Year of this War. "Mr. Grayden, Vice Admiral of the Red, has been a"fhore this last Year. " And Sir Wishart (though a Rear Admiral) " has been this Year Captain to the Admiral of the Fleet. "There are Two Rear Admirals of the Red, and Two "Rear Admirals of the Blue, but no Vice Admiral of "the White; which feems to be very irregular, and to "be done in Favour of Mr. Grayden, to continue him in "the Service; although this House had voted, "That his Behaviour, in letting the Four French Ships escape, "was a Prejudice to the Queen's Service, and a great "Difhonour to the Nation; and that his Proceedings in "Jamaica had been a great Difcouragement to the Inha "bitants of that Ifland, and prejudicial to the Queen's "Service;" and thereupon this Houfe, on the 29th of "March laft, made an humble Addrefs to Her Majefty, ""That the faid Greydon might not be employed any "more in Her Majefty's Service." "The Committee think, that this Method, by which the "inferior Flags are not fuffered to rife, is a great Hardship "to them, and a Prejudice to the Service. "They also take Leave to obferve to your Lordships, "that it appears by the Navy Books in the Year 1697, (the laft Year of the last War) the Penfions amounted "only to .7077; and that the Penfions in the Year 1704, as alfo the Eftimate of the Penfions for the Year "1705, amount to £. 18,011. "The ancient Fee to the Counsel "of the Navy was, per Annum, f. s. d. fel} for} 20 00 0 80 00 a "To which is added more, for "his Yearly Fee, "Mr. Ettrick, Affiftant to the "Counsel of the Navy, (which Em ployment is wholly new, and though "only Affiftant) the Annual Sum of 6 400 00 0 "Sir 86 upon a Calculation, all of them together have not done "the Duty of Three Cruizing Ships kept conftantly on "the Service Fourteen Months. "Befides, feveral of these Cruizers feem to be ill-cho"fen, and to be improper Ships for that Purpose, some "of them being the worft Sailers in the Fleet. "The Committee take Notice, that the Numberof "Ships that have been at any Time employed for the "Ten Months as Cruizers do not exceed Twenty-two, "and for Home Convoys Seven. "Whereas, in the late War, the Parliament judged it "neceffary that there fhould be employed, for Protection "of Trade, befides the main Fleet and Foreign Convoys, "Rate. Number. "The Committee beg Leave to take Notice, that if "the 1566 Seamer, wanting to complete the Number of 40,000 given by Parliament, had been employed, there "might have been more at Sea, for the Protection of the "Trade and annoying the Enemy, Ten Ships, of the "4th, 5th, and 6th Rates. "Upon the whole Matter, they humbly obferve, that "the Number of Men defigned for the Sea Service have not been employed; and, notwithstanding, the Debt of "the Navy is confiderably increased. 66 |