House of Lords Journal Volume 17: 18 January 1705

DIE Jovis, 18 Januarii.

Domini tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

L. Poulett's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to enable the Right Honourable John Lord Poulett and Bridget Lady Poulett his Wife, with the Consent of their Trustees, to sell their Shares and Interest of and in certain Manors and Lands in the County of Kent; and to purchase other Lands or Hereditaments, of the like Value, to be settled to the same Uses."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of the said Bill be committed to the Lords following; (videlicet,)

Their Lordships, or any Five of them; to meet on Thursday the First Day of February next, at Ten a Clock in the Forenoon, in the Prince's Lodgings near the House of Peers; and to adjourn as they please.

Lister's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for the vesting certain Lands and Tenements, in or near the Parish of Heston, in the County of Middl'x, being formerly the Estate of Mathew Lister Gentleman and Frances his Wife, and Timothy Whitfeild Gentleman and Mary his Wife, in Trustees, to be sold, for the Purposes in the Bill mentioned."

ORDERED, That the Consideration of the said Bill be referred to the Lords Committees above-named: Their Lordships, or any Five of them, to meet at the same Time and Place.

Baines's Bill.

Hodie 1^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for Sale of Part of the Estate of Edward Baines Gentleman, for Discharge of a Mortgage thereupon, and making Provision for his Daughters."

Gugelman, Nat.

Upon reading the Petition of John Gugelman; praying to be naturalized:

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the Petitioner may be added to a Bill of Naturalization depending in this House, as desired.

Hinxman's Bill.

Hodie 3^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to enable Joseph Hinxman, of North-Hinton, in the County of Southampton, Esquire, to sell some Estates in Andover in the said County; and for the settling other Estates in Christ-church Twyneham, in the said County, of a better Value, to the same Uses."

The Question was put, "Whether this Bill shall pass?"

It was Resolved in the Affirmative.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Sir Richard Holford and Mr. Pitt:

To carry down the said Bill, and desire their Concurrence thereunto.

The Earl of Orford reported from the Lords Committees appointed to consider of the Books and Papers delivered into this House from the Commissioners of the Admiralty, as followeth; (videlicet,)

"The Committee appointed, by Order of the House of the 14th of November last, to consider of the Books and Papers delivered into the House from the Admiralty-office, and to report from Time to Time their Opinions thereupon; in Pursuance of the said Order, have met several Times; and have perused and considered the Books and Papers to them referred; and have agreed to report to your Lordships some Observations, which they have made thereupon:

"The Committee observe, that the Sum of £.651,963. is the Wages of only 33,434 Seamen; so that 1566 Seamen were wanting, to make up the Number of 35,000, who ought to have been employed at Sea, besides the 5000 Marines that were to make up the 40,000 Men.

"The Committee do also observe 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 Posts.

"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 ashore 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 seems 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 Dishonour to the Nation; and that his Proceedings in Jamaica had been a great Discouragement to the Inhabitants of that Island, and prejudicial to the Queen's Service;" and thereupon this House, on the 29th of March last, made an humble Address to Her Majesty, "That the said Greydon might not be employed any more in Her Majesty's Service."

"The Committee think, that this Method, by which the inferior Flags are not suffered to rise, is a great Hardship to them, and a Prejudice to the Service.

"They also take Leave to observe to your Lordships, that it appears by the Navy Books in the Year 1697, (the last Year of the last War) the Pensions amounted only to £.7077; and that the Pensions in the Year 1704, as also the Estimate of the Pensions for the Year 1705, amount to £.18,011.

"The Committee do observe to your Lordships, that in the Navy Books is put down, as paid to the Prince's Council, £.7000; whereas, in the Year 1702, it appears, they were only Four in Number; in the Year 1703, Five; in the Year 1704, Six; and it does not appear that more than £.1000. apiece was paid to them, nor what is become of the rest of the £.7000. a Year.

"The Committee do also observe, that Mr. Churchill's Appointments from the Navy are, as Prince's Council, £.1000; for Pension, £.500; as Admiral of the Blue, £.1277. 10 s.; and for Table-money (though not at Sea), £.365.; in the Whole, £.3442. 10 s.

"The Committee have also carefully inspected the Cruizing Book; and (though the same be kept confusedly) they have drawn out a Scheme of the Number of Ships, and the Time for which the same have been employed in Cruizing, or as Convoys for the Protection of Trade; which Scheme they have annexed to this Report, and desire your Lordships will be pleased to be referred to it.

"In that Scheme, all the Days are set down that can be found when any of these Ships were cruising; and, upon a Calculation, all of them together have not done the Duty of Three Cruizing Ships kept constantly on the Service Fourteen Months.

"Besides, several of these Cruizers seem to be ill-chosen, and to be improper Ships for that Purpose, some of them being the worst Sailers in the Fleet.

"The Committee take Notice, that the Number of 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 necessary that there should be employed, for Protection of Trade, besides the main Fleet and Foreign Convoys,

"The Committee beg Leave to take Notice, that if the 1566 Seamen, 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 observe, that the Number of Men designed for the Sea Service have not been employed; and, notwithstanding, the Debt of the Navy is considerably increased.

"That the Number of Flag Officers is more than usual; some of them in Sea Pay though remaining ashore from their Duty, and some kept in Pay who have notoriously misbehaved themselves.

"That the Pensions are considerably increased, some of which seem irregular and altogether unnecessary; and upon this Head, the Committee think it their Duty to inform the House, that they have had Information, that the Pension of Admiral Nevil's Widow, which is set down in the Navy Books as continuing, has not been paid for Two Years past.

"And lastly, it does seem to the Committee, that the Coast and Channel have been very ill and weakly guarded, and the Trade not sufficiently protected."

The Report being read:

It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Report shall be taken into Consideration on Saturday next, at Twelve a Clock; and that all the Lords be summoned.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque ad et in diem Veneris, decimum nonum diem instantis Januarii, hora undecima Auroræ, Dominis sic decernentibus.