OBSERVATIONS ON A PAMPHLET, Touching the Navy& Victualling, &c.   

OBSERVATIONS ON A PAMPHLET, Touching the PRESENT CONDITION OF THE Navy and Victualling.  
WITH SOME Particular Remarks on the AUTHOR; And on what he Writes touching Q's and R's.  
By a Well-wisher to the Royal Navy of England.  
London Printed, and Sold by J. nut, near Stationers-Hall, 1700.   

OBSERVATIONS ON A PAMPHLET, Touching the Navy and Victualling, and Q 's and R' s.  
IT might have reasonably been believed, That the Author of a late Pamphlet, relating to Mismanagements in the Navy, would have left off scribbling, since the Answer to his last Year's politics on that Subject, left him so little Reputation: But finding him an Annual Stumbling-Block, it is necessary to describe him, lest those who converse with him in the Dark fall into Errors, for want of proper helps to shun them.  
It is generally allowed,( and with good reason too) That all Men whose Principles violently push them on to scandalise others, stick not at venting the Fragments they gather up, from all Parts of the Town, where they greedily Mump for them: And this Busy Nothing, having( as far as Ale and Brandy would admit) crowded more Scraps into his Budget, than it could well hold, has, to ease himself, set them at Liberty again.  
I should not be much out of the way, did I affirm, That the Zeal this Champion shows for Retrieving the Discipline of the Navy, proceeds not from any real Concern, either for the Prosperity of That, or his Country; for had he not some Years since turned his Back on an Employ in an Office that relates to the Sea, and thereby forfeited his Pretensions to any other there, I believe he would not have appeared in this Dress. This, accompanied with a deserved Poverty, sowrs his Blood, and prevails with him to scribble a few Sheets, in hopes thereby to restore himself to the Bread and Cheese he is fallen from; and were his Mouth but stopped this way, I dare answer for it, he would never open it again on the like Subject. But I must confess, common Charity permits me not to wish him such a trial, for since the Loss of one mean Employ has made him almost mad, the being expelled another( which 'tis more than probable his uneasy Temper would occasion) may( instead of the Gate-house and Newgate, which one part of his Book bespeaks him afraid of) introduce him to the Palace in Moor-fields.  
But as he has, ever since his Employ slipped through his Fingers, made it his chief Business to Asperse others in public Offices; so has he been very much wanting to himself, in not well considering how his Allegations might be proved: An Instance whereof( if I mistake not) happened some Years since, before a Committee of the Honourable House of Commons, at which time he appeared at the Head of numerous Complaints, even against the Masters he deserted.  
I shall not rak into the past or present Life and Conversation of this Worthy Person; but this I must observe, That had he behaved himself as all Good Men ought, it is more than probable he might have had at this time a much better Employment than that of Poet-Laureat to an Annual Society, 
Calves-Head Club.  who have dished up to them the same Species he carries on his Shoulders, though probably much better stocked with Brains.  
Let therefore this Taste of his Conversation suffice, and I shall proceed by demanding of him, What are the Footsteps by which he has arrived to that profound Knowledge, of foretelling what will be the Event of Things? By what Means he has rendered himself so great a Proficient in Maritim-Affairs, 
Clerk in the Cutting- House, at 40 l. per Ann.  since the time he Inspected the Quartering of Beasts? And how he can( with as much Ignorance as Confidence) pretend not only to Judge of the Actions of those Gentlemen who have been Employed in the Admiralty, but also of what lamentable Effects will attend the Administration of the present Commission, with the Person who now has the Honour to Serve as Secretary thereunto? What Satisfaction he can give in these Particulars, I cannot foresee; and therefore shall conclude, that he has, over a Pot and a Jill, took them on trust; and that being inspired with the Potent liquour, he has dished them out so as to agree but with his own squeamish Stomach.  
Did I not own my having Served more than Two Apprenticeships in the Naval School of England, I should follow the Principles of this Pattern of Truth: And I should equally expose myself, did I not contradict his Scandalous Reflections. Having therefore some little Experience in Naval Affairs, and the Good Fortune to be known to all those Honourable Gentlemen by whom the Office of Lord High Admiral is Executed, and to be, in a great measure, privy to their Transactions, I may venture to say, That it is their chiefest Endeavours to discharge themselves of so Weighty a Trust, with the greatest Integrity to their King and Country; and that their Own great Experience, will sufficiently secure them from being imposed on by a Ministerial Officer, had he any Inclination so to do: And as for that Gentleman, their Secretary, to whom, in particular Good Nature, he is pleased to attribute so much Knowledge and Dexterity, and therefore to bespeak his Exit, my long Acquaintance with him has procured me his Consent to say, That as he holds his Accuser in the greatest Contempt, so does he challenge all Mankind to prove, that during his more than Seventeen Years Service( or rather Slavery) in the Navy, he has not constantly Acted with the Integrity that becomes an Honest Man. But if it is a Crime not to have Enriched himself in so many Years Service; if he has committed a Fault, when in Employments at Sea, in rather giving to, than taking what others have demanded, and received, from many Officers in the Fleet; and if for the Pains he takes in his Laborious Office, he enjoys not the Fourth Part of what came into the Pockets of his Predecessors: If, I say, these things can be justly laid to his Charge as Crimes, then does he, indeed, deserve to be handled with the greatest Severity.  
But that it may appear how brimful this Worthy Gentleman is of Complaints, and how little Inclination he has shown to prove the Truth of them, I may positively assert( having had it from good hands) That when he did, sometimes since, by Letter acquaint the Lords of the Admiralty with several Abuses in the Navy, but more especially in the. Managing of the Victualling, their Lordships did thereupon signify their Desire to speak with him upon those Matters, and at his attending them, did earnestly press him to bring Proofs of hs Allegations, and promised all fitting Encouragement, if he could make any thing material appear to them; but he excused himself, by saying' That he had formerly laid those Matters before other Persons without success, and had little Hopes of faring better from them. Upon which, a Person of Quality of the Board, who he is pleased to be very familiar with, not only in the Preface, but other Parts of his Pamphlet, admonished him to be very cautious of Reflections, unless he could produce substantial Proofs; and earnestly desired him( as did the whole Board) to make a through Discovery to them of what he knew. But this not prevailing, he took the Informer away, and left the Riddle behind him.  
Some time after( as I am credibly informed) he came to the Admiralty-Office, and delivered to Mr. Burchett a Letter directed to the Board; and that being asked by him whether he would attend till their their Lordships had perused it, he answered( in a way natural to himself) No. However, the Letter was immediately communicated to the Board; and it containing several Reflections upon the Officers in the Navy and Victualling, and Mr. Burchett finding that the Malice of this Person was in a great measure leveled at him, he instantly moved their Lordships, That the Author might be a second time invited to their Office, in order to the making good his Complaints; and requested them, That whatever he had to allege against him in particular, might be strictly inquired into: The which they were pleased to grant; and thereupon the following Letter was writ to him the 11th of September last.  
SIR,  
I Am commanded by the Lords of the Admiralty to acquaint you, That they have received you Letter of the 8th Instant, relating to some Abuses in the Victualling, and particularly in the Out-Ports. Their Lordships would gladly be informed from you herein, in as particular a manner as may be, that some Measures may be speedily taken for redressing those Evils; and therefore I am by their Command to invite you to the making known to them the said Ill Practices, which they will always be willing and ready to receive from you. I am  
Your Humble Servant, J. Burchett.  
This may sufficiently testify he had an Opportunity offered him of bringing to light what he knew: But it had no Effect. Nor would he, when the Board called before them the Commissioners for Victualling, upon a Complaint of Mr. Kelly( which he was no Stranger to) and solemnly examined into the Management of that Office, so far show his Zeal to the public( however he may be now inspired) as to appear Face to Face with those Gentlemen, and charge them with any one Particular contained in his Letters.  
Although it is not worth my while, yet I cannot omit taking notice of his Folly; in the Eighth page. of his Book, wherein he appears very much concerned, That the Lords of the Admiralty, upon receiving a Letter Signed A. B. offering to make Discoveries, do cause to be inserted in the Gazette the Subject matter of A. B.'s Letter. Now I would gladly know of this Skilful Person, If Two Letters should come at the same time Signed A. B. to the very same purpose, and with the same Date( as hath happened) how he, with all his profound Philosophy, could satisfy either the one or the other A. B. their respective Letters were received, without hinting something of the Contents of them; and as I do not find upon perusing the Gazettes, but care has been taken to express as little as possible, lest otherwise it might prevent the Discovery; so may it be proved, That very few of those hidden Gentlemen have brought to light any thing of great Moment to the public Good, although they have receievd all Encouragement therein, and that some of them, by their Letters, seemed to be as well stuffed with Materials as himself: And 'tis not unlikely that he is the Fountain from whence some of these Informers spring; and the rather, for that the Government reaps no greater Advantage from them than from himself.  
Another thing he is angry at, That the Fleet was not sent from the downs before the 15th of July last, in order to prevent a supposed Invasion. Indeed I cannot wonder at his having so deep a Sense of an Invasion, since( if I am not very much misinformed) his showing an early Good-will to an Attempt of that kind in the late Reign, 
Duke of M.  procured him such Treatment as will always stick in his Stomach; and perhaps his Meaning is, That he then ventured his Life for the Preservation of his Country. But as for the Fleet's lying in the downs till July, I cannot foresee that they might not have been as ready from thence as any other Place, to prevent an Invasion: For, supposing a Neighbour of ours had put to Sea with any such Design, and with a greater Strength, and that our Ships, by beingfar Westward, had been cut off from Succour, I would gladly know whether we had not then been in a hopeful Condition to defend our Country? For as in such case, it would have been next to an Impossibility to have sent an additional Strength to their Relief, a greater Force being between them and such Succour; so might they, upon any Alarm, when in the downs, either have gone from thence, and attacked the Enemy with the Strength they had, or have continued there some little time, till more Ships could have joined them from the River.  
In one thing I do agree with him, That the Chiefest Defence of our Country is a Good Fleet at Sea; but I believe this Fresh-water Sailor has totally mis-spent his Time in collecting the Naval Force of our Neighbours, since he is so very Indiscreet as to affirm, That ours is sufficient to beat the rest of the World twice over, with the reserve of a Good Fleet into the Bargain.  
In fine, If this Patriot for his Country, would, instead of turning a-drift into the World such a Crowd of Complaints and Reflections, descend to particular Crimes, and the Persons who have Committed them, whereby they may be brought to Punishment, his Zeal for his Country's good would then the better appear: And although he has taken the Freedom boldly to reflect on all, without respect, yet has he little reason to apprehended he shall fail of Encouragement, if he confirms his present Naked Complaints, by Just and Substantial Proofs.  
Having said thus much, I shall now require this over-wise Person to make it appear, in what manner our Naval Strength is( as he says) fallen to Decay, by the maladministration of those to whose care it has been Entrusted, since it may be positively affirmed, That instead of such a Misfortune, our Royal Navy is at this time in a much better Condition than it was at the Entrance into the late War: And that as to the economy and Discipline,( the Loss whereof he so much bewails) there is no Man who is a proper Judge thereof, but will readily own very many embellishments have been added thereunto, by the Care and Pains of those Worthy Persons who Commanded both at Home and at Sea, since the time the aforesaid War commenced.  
Having now made bold with more time than I could well spare, I will draw to a Conclusion, with some Observations upon what this Person writes concerning Q's and R's.  
As to the Q's; I believe such a Method of obliging Seamen to keep to their Duty, was not practised in the Navy, before the Beginning of the late War: For when the Nation in the Reign of King Charles the Second, enjoyed a long Peace, very few Ships were kept in Pay, nor were there many more to be depended on in the beginning of the Reign of the late King James; an Instance whereof plainly appeared, when the Duke of Monmouth made an Attempt on this Kingdom, at which time the Government was constrained, for want of Ships of War on our Coasts, to Hire and Fit out two Merchant Ships, the one at Bristol and the other at plymouth, to join One Fourth, Two Fifth, and Three Sixth Rates,( Two of which had but Twenty Men each) which were all the Ships then in the way, and ready to sand to Lime for suppressing the said Duke, though even at that time, there were actually in pay very near Five thousand Men, who were dispersed in Ships employed in the Plantations off of sally, on Convoys, and other necessary Services.  
Since then it was in those Times thought, there was little occasion to secure our Country by Shipping,( though the Event might have shown the Contrary) when any Man was set Sick on shore, he was immediately Discharged, a Ticket made out for his Wages, and he left at liberty to dispose of himself as he thought fit. But when the Nation, for the Security of its Religion and Liberties, entred into such a War as called for all, or the greatest Part of its Naval Forces; and that above a Year's Experience therein, sufficiently shewed, more than an ordinary Care was necessary to prevent Seamens d●serting the Service, it was maturely considered 〈…〉 then Admiral of the Fleet, the Flag-Officers and Commanders, whose Representation to the Lords of the Admiralty procured the following Order, which still continues in force.  

By the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England, Ireland, &c.  
RULES and DIRECTIONS, Appointed to be Observed, in order to the Returning to Their Majesties Service, such Men as shall be put on Shore, Sick or Hurt, from Their Majesties Ships.  
I. THAT when any Men shall be put on Shore Sick or Wounded from any of Their Majesties Ships, their clothes and Bedding be sent along with them, for their Relief in their Sickness, and preventing their being wholly lost to the Men, which oftentimes happens when they are left behind them on board the Ships.  
II. That the Commissioners for Sick and Wounded Seamen, do carefully observe their Instructions, which directs them to take care, as soon as any Men sent Sick or Hurt from the Fleet shall be recovered of their Sickness or Wounds, they do forthwith return to their respective Ships, or on board some other Man of War then in the Road or Harbour, until they meet with the Ship unto which they belong; or if none of Their Majesties Ships or Vessels be there, that then they give such recovered Men, capable of returning into the Service, Conduct-Money to the next Port, where their own, or any other of Their Majesties Ships or Vessels are.  
III. That in regard it sometimes happens there are none of Their Majesties Ships or Vessels at the Ports where the Sick and Hurt Men are, to receive them as they recover, and instead of going to some other Port to find Conveyance to their Ships, they do desert the Service, and that at other times the Commanders of Their Majesties Ships and Vessels do refuse to receive them, all Commanders of Their Majesties Ships and Vessels are directed as they come to any Port, to take in such Men as shall be sent on board them by the Agent for the Sick and Wounded in that Port, and to put them on board the Ships they belong to, as they shall meet with them; and that when the Fleet shall be abroad, some frigates or Tenders be frequently sent to the Ports of most Note, to fetch off the Sick and Hurt Men as they recover.  
IV. That the Commanders of Their Majesties Ships do put a Quaere on the Ship's Books, against each Man's Name that shall be set on shore Sick or Hurt, for the stoping of their Wages, until they shall return to their own, or bring Certificates of their Entry on board some other of their Majesties Ships, of which they are to acquaint the Seamen, by setting up a Notification thereof in some public Place in each Ship. And to the end each Commander may know how his Sick and Hurt-Men are disposed of, and be thereby enabled to do right both to Their Majesties and them, that a Correspondence be held between all the Commanders of Their Majesties Ships, and the Commissioners for Sick and Wounded Seamen concerning the same, which Commissioners having Monthly Accounts from their Agents at every Port, of the Men put on shore, are to cause a Column to be added thereto of the Circumstances of every Man, and from thence to Collect, and from time to time give an Account to the Commander of each Ship, which of his Men are Dead or Run, which are continued in Quarters, which are Discharged, and how they are disposed of, for his Information therein.  
V. And for making this Method more easy to the Commanders of Their Majesties Ships; when any Man is put on Shore Sick or Hurt, the Number on the Ship's Book on which he stands is to be Noted on his Ticket sent with him to the Officer on Shore, who takes care of the Sick and Wounded; and the said Officer is to do the like in the Lists he shall return to the Commissioners for the Sick and Wounded, and they to insert the same in the Lists which they are to transmit to the respective Commanders.  
Dated at the Admiralty-Office this Twenty Third Day of March, 1690/ 91. 

Pembroke.  
J. Lowther.  
Ric. Onflow.  
Falkland.  
Rob. Austin.   By Command of the Commissioners, J. southern.   
By this it does appear, not only what Care was taken to prevent the Seamens deserting the Service, but also to let them know the Penalties they would incur by doing it; and had not such a Method been wisely found out, 'tis to be doubted the Walls of our Country would have been but slenderly manned; for as they formerly had too great a Latitude to leave the Service, so did this Method in a great Measure tie them to their Duty. But notwithstanding this pretended Bug-bear, Care has been always taken to do justice to the Sailors; for when any one produced reasonable Testimonials, that he did not designedly Desert the Service, but that after Recovery he endeavoured to return to his proper Ship, if in the way, or entered himself in any other Ship or Vessel within reach, or that he was Imprest'd when endeavouring so to do, the Q. has been taken off, and he restored to his Pay. A plain Instance whereof follows; for when the Lords of the Admiralty did sometime since take upon them the Inspection of the Q's and R's, they did in less than Six Month's time, relieve at least Seven Hundred and Fifty of the Seventeen Hundred Persons who made Application: And the Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy, do now( as formerly) constantly examine into these Matters, and determine them in favour of the Sailor, when he produces to them such Proofs as may justify them in doing the same.  
But it is to be observed, That when Seamen have been so much wanting to themselves and their Families, as to forfeit their Pay, by turning their Backs on their Duty, they have nevertheless been prevailed with, to make over the same to the Ticket-Buyers, solicitors, and such Persons, for little or nothing; and 'tis these People who are so clamorous in the behalf of the Seamen, in hopes of reaping the Benefit of their cheap Purchase. 'tis these Blood-suckers, I say, and others, who trust the poor Sailor at more than 50 per Cent. Profit, that industriously spread abroad the Injuries done by these Q's and R's; whereas the Sailors themselves could not be otherwise than conscious( and perhaps hearty repent too) that by their wilful leaving the Service, they had forfeited what should have supported their poor hungry Wives and Children.  
As to the R's, if I mistake not, this has been practised in the Navy long before myself, or even my Antagonist was thought of: And should this way of restraining Seamen be laid aside( especially in time of War) but little Service can be expected from our Ships, when the Safety of the Nation calls for them. But that the poor Sailor may not unjustly suffer in this case, care has and will be taken to relieve them, upon their making it appear they did not designedly leave the Ships in which they Served.  
I must confess it much surprises me, that our Sailors, knowing the Penalties they incur by deserting the Service, and the great Inconveniencies they thereby bring upon themselves and Families, they will nevertheless, be so unnatural and indiscreet, as to throw away what they have so hardly laboured for; and I do for their sakes most hearty wish, That they themselves would take it better into Consideration, and by keeping to their Duty, prevent those Misfortunes which Discipline must otherwise expose them to. One would not imagine that they should want any great Invitation thus to seek their own Good; for many of them who left their Ships in the late War, must undoubtedly have laboured under very great Want and Hardships, when had they kept to their Duty, they might plentifully have enjoyed all things necessary for Life.  
I have often seen their Bravery and Generosity in other Matters, wherein it may without Vanity be said, They far exceed those of other Nations; and why they should so far degenerate from Themselves, by deserting those Bulwarks which they well know the chief Defence of their Country, their Wives, Children, and Relations, I cannot imagine; though I could wish they were less prompted to it by Persons not the best affencted to the present Government. And as I shall be very far from believing( whatever the Thoughts of their pretended Patron may be) that an English Sailor thinks himself forced out of, and detained from his Native Country, when at the same time he is in his own proper Calling employed in its Defence, even in what may properly be called a Part thereof; so will I not undertake to prescribe the Reward due to any Person, who by his Insinuations would debauch them from their wonted voluntary Disposition to Serve their Prince and Country against a Foreign Enemy. This, methinks, is a Duty that no good Man ought to be spurred to; and as I cannot believe our Sons of Neptune will ever this way forfeit the Reputation they have gained, which makes them emulated by all others; so do I hope( and not without good Grounds too) that some effectual Means may be found, to set them more at ease for the future; towards which, if my weak Capacities may any way contribute, they shall be most hearty and readily employed.  
FINIS.   

Remarks upon the NAVY. The Second Part. CONTAINING A REPLY to the Observations on the First Part.  
WITH A Discourse on the DISCIPLINE of the Navy, showing that the Abuses of the Seamen are the highest Violation of Magna Charta, and the Rights and Liberties of English Men.  
In a Letter from a Sailor to a Member of the Honourable House of Commons.  Haec nisi ind aberunt, centuplex murus rebus servandis parum est. Plaut. in Persa. 
London, Printed in the Year 1700.   

The Second Part OF THE REMARKS on the NAVY.  
SIR,  
I Thank you for sending me the Observations upon the first part of my Remarks on the Navy, because it came while I was writing something upon the Discipline of the Navy; so that at the same time I have an opportunity to correct the Insolence of that insignificant scribbler. I can assure you, Sir, I am as well acquainted with the Gentleman he scandalises, as the Author himself is with the Secretary of the Admiralty; and tho I much prefer Argument before Reviling, I must spare a few Paragraphs in vindication of one that bears a better Character in the world than this trifling Observator can pretend to. This Author says, that what he has sent into the World, is the Effect of Ale and Brandy: Now I know that Gentleman never drinks one of those liquours, and very seldom of the other; so that beginning his Book with a lie, you have little reason to believe him afterwards. There was, Sir, in our Time, one Captain Fudge Commander of a Merchant-man, who upon his Return from a Voyage, how ill fraught soever his Ship was, always brought home his Owners a good Cargo of Lies, insomuch that now aboard Ship the Sailors, when they hear a great lie  told, cry out, you fudge it. Now, Sir, I must give you to understand that this memorable Captain Fudge got divers and sundry Sons, some for the Admiralty, some for the Navy, and some for Merchants Service; and this Author's Talent of Lying coming up to the Standard of the Sire, we can believe him to be no other than young Fudge of the Admiralty, and by his Multiplication of lies, may be admitted to Seniority, and take place as elder Brother.  
Young Fudge tells you, page. 4. that the Party he scandalises turned his back upon an Office wherein he was employed; but if he were restored to the Bread and Cheese he is fallen from, he dares answer for it that his Mouth would be stopped, and never opened again on the like Subject: and this place, he says, pag. 6. was Clerk of the Cutting-house at 40 l. per Ann. Do but mark the reason of the empty Creature; A Place of 40 l. per Ann. did not stop his Mouth, and therefore the same place of 40 l. per Ann. will stop his Mouth. Such consequences as these, are the natural Product of the Brains employed in the Navy, where a wonderful Stupidity, joined with a good stock of Impudence, never fails of Preferment. But I can assure him that Gentleman is so far from desiring such an Employ, or scandalising himself by serving the Navy under such an Administration, that he would not tell those men his name for such an Office.  
He tells us in the same page., that he has a deserved Poverty. Now it is no Crime nor Sin to be poor. But it is very hard for a man to be cheated of his Right, and then reflected upon for his Poverty. His Poverty indeed is deserved on the account of his Services to this Government and his Country: Young Fudge is in the right on't here; for great care has been taken to keep those down, that rose most early in the Service of their Country. These Reflections are but so many Arrows shot at themselves; for there was never a man in that Office to which this Gentleman belonged besides himself, that ever ventured a hair of his Head in the Service of his Country; yet at the same time, a parcel of poor insignificant Mortals, as foolish as fortunate, enjoyed places of 400 l. per Ann. in that Office. Now the reason why this Gentleman took this mean Employ in that Office, was upon the account of an Uncle of his, then a Commissioner there, who brought him into that, in prospect of another much better, likely then to be vacant; for which he had the promise of a certain Person, who deals so much in Religion, that he cannot afford us any of his Morals, or so much as once be true to his word.  
This Observator fudges on, and tells you p. 5. That this Gentleman some years ago could not prove his Allegations before a Committee of the House of Commons. How he came to have more sense than the whole House of Commons, I can't tell: for upon the report of that Affair to the House, they were not of such an Opinion. He tells you in the same page., that he is Poet laureate to the Calves-head Club: but if young Fudge were to be hanged, or make good this Assertion, he would be in a fine Condition. In p. 6. he magnifies his knowledge, by acquainting the world he has served two Apprenticeships in the Naval School of England. I have known one that served two Apprenticeships in a University, and yet as great a Fool as if he had never been there. He tells you abundance of Stories of his good Services, of his Honesty, &c. p. 7. which we may believe to be even as true as what went before; for if it be true, he is a weigh. He would make us believe, that he has not enriched himself by his Employment, and that he gets not one 4th part of what his Predecessors got before him. One Reason of this may be an Order put up in their Office, that no Officers thereunto belonging should take any Bribes or Rewards; and I could wish another Article had been tacked to that Order, viz. That the Commissioners should receive no Presents of prise Wines from the Commanders.  
page. 7th he says that he holds his Accuser in the greatest Contempt. Not so fast good Fudge: the Accuser you pretend, is a Gentleman born and bread; but you have skip'd to a high pitch of Insolence, since you were Pip's Footboy, and your good Lady Mother kept an Apple-stall in Westminster, with a little Net over it, lest some unlucky Boy should rob her of a Pennyworth of apple and a halfpenny worth of Gingerbread, and so break her at once. Tho you are skip'd up to Preferment, you must not undervalue men of Birth and Education, especially one that has forgot more Learning than ever you were capable of remembering.  
page. 8. he tells you that this Person did sometime since by Letter acquaint the Lords of the Admiralty with several Abuses in the Navy, but especially in the managing of the Victualling: their Lordships did thereupon signify their desire to speak with him; but when he attended them, he excused himself by saying, That he had formerly laid those Matters before other Persons without Success, and had little hopes of faring better from them. Now here is young Fudg again. For the Gentleman tells me that he never writ a Line to the Lords, before their Lordships sent a Letter to him, requiring him to attend them. He came to the Office according to their Lordships Order, and inquiring of the Doorkeeper whether their Lordships were fitting, the Door-keeper gave him a surly answer, and slap'd to the Door; however he knocked again, when Mr. Door-keeper looking out, saluted him with a what does the Fellow want? At which the Gentleman gave him some hard Language, and  told him their Lordships had sent for him; but if they had nothing to say to him, he had nothing to say to them. Soon after this he was admitted to their Lordships, who indeed received him with a Civility answerable to their Characters, and gave him all the Reason in the World to imagine they were real in their Intentions to redress those Grievances they were willing to be acquainted with. But the Secretary acquainted their Lordships, that this Gentleman had printed a scandalous Libel, reflecting upon the late Commissioners, which was confirmed to their Lordships by another Scribe there, tho, I believe, neither of them saw that Gentleman's face before that time; which, together with some other scurvy Reflections, without any Reprimand from the Board, was discouragement enough for him not to lay any thing before them.  
He says, pag. 11. That this Gentleman, when the Board called before them the Commissioners for Victualling, upon a Complaint of Mr. Kelly, did not so far show his Zeal to the public, as to appear face to face with those Gentlemen. Truly 'tis no wonder he did not appear, when he knew nothing of the Business: Did their Lordships give him any notice? or did they order him to attend at that time? He prints a Letter from Mr. Burchett, pag. 10. to the Author of the Remarks, which he says may sufficiently testify he had an Opportunity offered him to bring to light what he knew upon Mr. Kelly's hearing. Well said young Fudge. The Letter to the Author is dated September 11. and Mr. Kelly's hearing was the 6th of the same Month, five days before. This is Admiralty Reason all over. He says, at that time the Management of the Victualling was solemnly examined into, when Mr. Kelly summoned about 50 Witnesses, and but about a fifth part of them were called in and examined; this was a solemn Hearing indeed. 'tis true, he was no stranger to Mr. Kelly's Complaint, but encouraged him to lay it before that Board, in order to judge by their Management of a piece, what they would do with the whole.  
Upon this Hearing Captain bolt, the Purveyor for Corn, a Gentleman that knows more of the business of the Victualling than all the rest concerned therein, was discharged from his Employment by their Lordships. I know not the Merits of Captain Boult's Discharge, but am fully assured that Mismanagement lay at the door of another Person. However this Gentleman hearing it buzzed about the Victualling Office, that Capt. bolt was discharged for accusing one of the Commissioners, and knowing it to be the constant practise of the Victuallers to discharge all such as made Complaints, thought it would be in vain to bring any more Persons before their Lordships to testify any thing against the Commissioners, they being assured of a discharge by one Board or the other. But this Gentleman being unwilling to believe a thing upon a bare Report or Surmise, went up to the Lords to know of them whether Captain bolt was discharged upon the said Account or no: But there being not a full Board, their Lordships declined giving him any answer to his Question. And this is the true Account of the matter, however Fudg with his Billingsgate rhetoric has been pleased to misrepresent it.  
Our empty-brain'd Author in the same page., reflects on my Folly, in being concerned that the Lords of the Admiralty, upon receiving a Letter signed A. B. offering to make Discoveries, do cause to be inserted in the gazette the subject Matter of A. B's Letter; and would be gladly informed, if two Letters should come at the same time, signed A. B. to the very same purpose, and with the same Date, how he could satisfy either the one or the other A. B. their respective Letters were received, without hinting something of the Contents of them. Certainly this cannot puzzle the boasted Wisdom of the Admiralty. If both Letters are signed A. B. and both of them contain the same matter; if one of the A. B's appear, it may be sufficient. And if after one A. B. has appeared, if they are desirous to hear what the other A. B. can say, 'tis but Gazetting again, and they'l be acquainted with both: or otherwise, suppose their Lordships in one Advertisement should require both the A. B's to appear, mayn't this be done without telling the subject matter of their Letters, which are both to the same purport?  
It is observable this Admiralty Officer, always in his Scribble, loads Complainers with the infamous name of Informers. Is this Character the mighty Encouragement they give to Complainers? 'tis well they han't all their Throats cut, as one lately had at Portsmouth upon such an Account; for those who have served their Country after this manner, have for the generality met with such Treatment, or the recompense of starving or losing their Employments. It's a hard Case that such as complain of Grievances, should undergo the scandal of Informers, when such as informed against Conventicles in the late Reigns, meet with such Encouragement in this, as a Journeyman Apothecary, a common Informer and Persecutor, was made Commissioner of the Victualling. I could mention many more such that have got good Employments, when such as complain of Grievances get only the abusive title of Informers from our Admiralty folk.  
Young Fudge says, page. 12. of his raillery, That I am angry that the Fleet was not sent from the Downs before the 15th of July last, in order to prevent a supposed Invasion. And indeed, says he, I cannot wonder at his having so deep a sense of an Invasion, since( if I am not very much misinformed) his showing an early good will to an Attempt of that kind in the late Reign, procured him such Treatment as will always stick in his Stomach; and perhaps his meaning is, That then he ventured his Life for the preservation of his Country: and that you may know what Invasion he means, he tells you in the Margin 'twas the Duke of Monmouths. I could tell you a pretty Story, were it convenient, concerning the Methods of destroying that unfortunate Duke; but as for the Invasion I know nothing of it: when a People are robbed of their Liberty, and are brought into perfect Slavery, they may come to the recovery of their Rights either by Land or by Water. And it is justifiable in any Person, tho never so obscure, to head an armed Company in defence of their Rights, much more a Person of that Duke's Quality, however unfortunate. That our Rights were then Invaded is beyond dispute, when at that very time the late King was collecting the Customs and Excise without Act of Parliament. I make no question but this Admiralty Tool, who in this Reign calls the Duke of Monmouth's Disembarkment an Invasion, will in the next say as much of the Prince of Orange's Descent; for I dare engage, like the Vicar of Bray, he'l hold in under all Governments, if fawning, sneaking, and lying will effect it. But prithee Fudg, according to the Doctrines of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance, the avowed Principles of thy Party; how canst thou hold an Office under a Government built upon the Ruins of those Doctrines? but thy Conscience is a State Weather-cock, turned about by the wind of any Revolution. The treatment I met with in the late Reigns was indeed severe enough, and none but an ill-bred Skipkennel would reflect upon a Man for his Misfortunes, which he has undergone with so much Reputation and Credit; nor are my Hardships under this Government much less, only with this difference, that I was as early to bring this King in as I was to drive the other out: nor am I alone in these Misfortunes, there are many beside myself that are discouraged by this Government, when many are enabled to buy themselves into Offices with the Money they got for Pardons of the D. of Monmouth's followers: and if the Recovery of our Rights be not justifiable, I shall with this Author conclude, that I did not then venture my Life for the preservation of my Country.  
page. 13. concerning the Fleet's lying in the Downs till July, he says, He cannot foresee that they might not have been as ready from thence as any other place to prevent an Invasion: For, supposing a Neighbour of ours had put to Sea with any such Design, and with a greater Strength, and that our Ships by being far Westward had been cut off from Succour, I would gladly know whether we had not then been in a hopeful Condition to defend our Country? For in such a Case it would have been next to an impossibility to have sent an additional Strength to their Relief, a greater Force being between them and such Succour; so might they upon any Alarm, when in the Downs, either have gone from thence, and attacked the Enemy with the Strength they had, or have continued there some time till more Ships could have joined them from the River.  
I can see no Reason why our Ships should be too far Westward, or so far Eastward as the Downs, unless we pursue the old Methods of sending them farthest out of the way, when they should do us most Service. If a Neighbour of ours had a design to invade us, I think it a very improper Station to prevent it, to ride with our Ships at one end of his Country; when I stand in the middle of a Thing, I can see more of that Thing than if I stood at either end. Now in submission to the Admiralty politics, I suppose the Downs the worst Station for our Shipping to obstruct an Invasion; in the first place it is a great way off any of the Enemies Ports, where their Ships of War are laid up; and then the Winds hanging Westerly for at least two thirds of the Year, the Enemy have an Opportunity of invading us when our Ships are Windbound; and they have all the cost of England clear from the Downs to the Lands-end. I should rather imagine St. Helens, Spithead, and Stokes-Bay, a proper Station for our Ships at such a juncture. If we are not strong enough in shipping, they are more readily supplied with an additional force from Portsmouth, from whence they may be joined in a few Hours. When our Author says, in the Downs they may be joined from the River in a little time, he says he knows not what; suppose the Winds are contrary, it blows a Storm, or our great Ships are beneapt. It's true, there are not so many Ships laid up at Portsmouth, as in Chatham River; but I hope they may be fitting out on such an Occasion, both at Chatham and Plymouth at the same time. We are in no danger from the Eastward, the Enemy has but few Ports that way, and all that cost is a Lee-shoar above half the Year; and all the other Ports of our Enemy being to the Westward of St. Helens, if the Wind should spring up to the Eastward, and bring any of the Enemies Ships from an Eastern Port, they cannot join their other Ships without obstruction from our Fleet. But I shall go too far upon this Subject; for young Fudg, a little lower in this page., tells me I am but a fresh Water Sailor, and consequently can have no knowledge in Naval Affairs: perhaps I have seen as much of the Sea as young Fudg himself; I think I saw more of it in the great Storm in February last, than ever I shall desire to see again: yet suppose I am no Sailor, but a mere Landman, why mayn't one Landman talk of Ships Stations, as well as another Landman appoint them?  
Now we must allow our Fudg to say something in defence of an Office, in which he possesses so eminent a Post: he that will lie, will without doubt swear for his Masters; he says the Royal Navy of England is not fallen to decay, but on the contrary, That instead of such a Misfortune, our Royal Navy is at this time in a much better Condition than it was at the entrance into the War. Thank you for nothing, good Sir, after so many Millions spent. I hope the Navy Officers han't embezeled all the Money appointed for that Service; 'tis a hard case if we have not more Ships built, and our Dock-Yards fuller of Stores: but this is not the Question, Are our Ships as well Officer'd? are they as well man'd, are they as well paid? have they as good a Discipline? Yes, he says, As to the economy and Discipline, there is no Man who is a proper judge thereof, but will readily own very many embellishments have been added thereunto by the Care and Pains of those worthy Persons who commanded both at Home and at Sea, since the aforesaid War commenced. The embellishments added to the Discipline of the Navy, he inserts in five Rules or Directions, p. 17. appointed to be observed in order to the returning to their Majesties Service, such Men as shall be put on shore sick or hurt, from their Majesties Ships. He tells you nothing how these Rules and Directions were observed, how the Complaints upon breach of these Directions have been redressed, not one word of this matter. Now to these five Rules and Directions of Navy Discipline, I shall at the end of this Paper add twelve more, which Mr. Dennis in his Paper presents the World, under the name of Grievances; and in the mean time, Sir, shall discourse something concerning the Discipline of the Navy.  
The Sailors are the only People of the English Nation, that are left to the discretionary Power of their Commanders, a Power indeed which belongs only to a Being which is always Wise, and ever Just. When Men execute such a Power, it can be called no otherwise than Arbitrary, for all Men are born to some Laws. Now to take away from them those Rights in defiance of those Laws, is an action in itself Arbitrary. No Court of Justice in England can give a Sentence so definitive, that the Defendant shall have no Appeal to any other Court. If I am cast at Common Law, I can appeal to Chancery; if in Chancery I have a Decree against me, which I esteem extrajudicial, I can appeal to the highest Court of Parliament: but the poor Sailors Case comes not under the Cognisance of any of our Courts, they are oppressed by the Discretionary Power of their Commanders, without any equitable Relief, according to the Constitution of their Country. I shall here therefore endeavour to show that the Discipline of our Navy has been directly contrary to our Constitution, and then leave any one to judge of that Discipline, whether it has not been matter of just Complaint, and an abominable Abuse upon the Sailors.  
The 29th Chapter of Magna Charta says, No Freeman shall be taken or Imprisoned, or be dizseized of his Freehold, or Liberties, or Free Customs, or be outlawed or Exiled, or any otherwise destroyed; nor We will not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful Iudgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land. These words per Legem Terrae, in the end of this Chapter, do refer to all the precedent matter contained in it. Now I give any one leave to judge whether the Impressing Seamen for the Service, be not a violation of Magna Charta, when Men are taken and imprisoned a Shipboard six or seven Years together. To say we are a free People when any of us are in effectual Slavery, is mere Nonsense; for the same Power that deprives one part of the People of their Liberty, may enslave the whole People. And yet how many Press-Warrants have we had granted from the Admiralty to Men that are no Officers? For none are such, but those that are under the Cognizance of the Laws of the Land: Where do our Laws make mention of a Press-master? Whom do our Laws commissionate to constitute such Officers? Now when a Freeman is taken and imprisoned by an Officer not known to our Laws, such an Act is a downright Piracy upon the Liberty of the People.  
If they object, That without this Discipline the Ships of War cannot be manned for the security of the Realm: if it be Necessary, make it Legal; we had as good lose our Country, as lose our Rights. But how have Navys been supplied with Men in former Ages? When the Nation's Service was accounted the best at Sea, and Men made Interest to get before the Mast; this proceeded from the good Discipline of those times, the good Usage of the Seamen by their Commanders; they were not then poisoned with bad Provisions, Pease-Bread, and stinking Beef and Pork; they were not then kept out of their Pay by Q's and R's: Such Men as General black, the Earl of Sandwich, Dean, Lawson, Bourn, Minns, &c. were familiar with their Sailors, and instead of calling them damned Dogs, or Sons of Whores, called 'em Brethren. The Abuses of Seamen in this point, during this War, have been very considerable, but without Redress, as their other Grievances have; and some have been commissionated in this Affair, too big for me to mention, and have received Salaries for this piece of Service, tho I could never hear of any Service they did, save only a Customer's impressing a great many Masters of Ships at Brighthelmstone. They were not only Seamen they pressed, but many times Landmen, when the press Smacks coming into small Creeks took such Men away, and carrying them 40 or 50 Miles from their own homes, have left them to beg their way to their own Country; many thus have had their Limbs starved by lying upon the Ballast, being unaccustomed to such hardships; and when any of the Landmen thus pressed have been discharged, they have paid 12d. per day to the Master of the Smack for Diet, and no doubt but the King paid near as much. Now I perceive the main Reason of want of men, is our want of good Commanders. Capt. Jumper, nor any of those Commanders during the War that used their men honestly and civilly, ever wanted their compliment of men: But our Beau Commanders, the Sir Courtlys of the Sea, if they were forced to man their Ships upon their own Credit and Reputation amongst the Sailors, would not be able to bring them from the River to the Downs in a twelve Month. And to keep these Creatures in Commission, we must it seems make a rent in our Constitution.  
No man shall be disseised, i.e. put out of Seisin, or dispossessed of his Freehold, i.e. Lands or livelihood, Liberties or Free Customs, which belong to him as his free Birth-right. Now to say that a Seaman has not as good a Right as any to the Free Customs, Franchises, and Liberties of the Country he is born in, is very absurd. If a Landman has a liberty to go on Foot, or Horseback, or by Coach, to follow that Employ whereby he gets his livelihood; has not a Seaman the same Right, to sail in what Ship and to what Port he pleases?  
No man shall be outlawed, made an Exlex, i.e. debarred of the Benefit of the Law of the Land, unless it be done according to Law. Now according to the Discipline of the Navy, are not all our Sailors Outlaws, and deprived of the Benefit of the Law, when they are not their own men, but liable to be taken into Custody, and deprived of their Liberty by every rapacious Press-master?  
No man shall be exiled, banished from the Place of his Nativity. Nemo perdet Patriam. By the Laws of our Land, no man can be banished from his Native Country, but upon two Accounts. 1st. Either by the Power or Authority of Parliament; or 2dly. In case of Abjuration for Felony by the Common Law. The King himself cannot sand any Subject of England against his Will to serve him out of this Realm, so that he should be an Exile, and that he should perdere Patriam. But it seems the Officers of the Navy have a greater Power than the King, who can force Freemen from their Country, and sand them to serve in the most remote Regions of the World.  
No man shall be destroyed( Destruere id est quod prius structum& factum fuit, penitus Evertere& Destruere) unless by a Legal Verdict. By destroying is meant forejudging of Life and Limb, or putting to Torture or Death; every oppression against Law by colour of any usurped Authority, being a kind of Destruction. Now to apply this to the Discipline of the Navy. What d'ye' think of whipping our Seamen at the Gears, and then basting their flayed Backs with as many Canns of Pickle as the Commander by his discretionary Power pleases to order? Are not our Ships thus become mere Bridewells, and our Sailors as bad or worse than galley Slaves? nay, I have known a Boy of 2 or 3 and twenty years of age lashed to a Gun and whipped, a punishment given to the youngest Boys on board Ship. Had our Commanders any Religion, our Seamen might stand in fear of the Inquisition. If a stop be not put to their Barbarous and inhuman Cruelties, they'l in time borrow the Rack from the French, and the Boot and Thumb Screws from the Scots. Can you blame the Sailors for running from such Tortures, and shall they be punished for complaining of their Miferies. 'tis this, Sir, that dastardizes and effeminares the noble Spirits of your Seamen: 'tis this makes them desert the Service of their Country: 'tis this peoples Colonys of Pirates abroad: And 'tis this will in time be the Ruin of the most Glorious Navy of the Universe. Nor are Pecuniary Mulcts a less Crime. How this came to be a part of the Discipline of the Navy, I can't tell; but when men govern by their Will, and not by Law, we must every day expect new punishments. But if it's reasonable that the Sailors should be punished after this manner, is it not as reasonable that the Mulct should be answerable to the Crime? If a Sailor be absent from his Ship a Week, is not that Week's pay sufficient to be stopped for that Week's Crime? The Fines in our Courts of Justice are laid according to the Worth of the Criminal, exorbitant Fines having in all Ages been esteemed extrajudicial: no man can be fined more than he is capable of paying; and to fine a Person to the full Value of his Estate, is giving away all a man has been gathering for many Years for one Piccadillo.  
By lawful judgement of his Peers, and by the Law of the Land. Peers, that is his Equals, men of the same Rank and Quality with himself. But the Sailors are not tried after this manner, the same Person is Accuser, judge and Jury: they have no Indictment, no Jury empannel'd, no Counsel to pled for them; strip they must, and to the Gears; the Cat of nine-Tails, and the Pickle can must be exercised upon the Back, as long as the Whipping-Tom upon the Quarter Deck is pleased with the sport. 'tis pity young Fudge's dearly beloved Friend Jefferies is dead; he exercised his Talent so well in the late Reign in the West, that he would have made an excellent Navy Officer now. They are to be tried too by the Law of the Land, i.e. by due Process of Law, for so the words are expressly expounded by the Stat. of 37 Ed. 3. Chap. 8. But instead of this Trial, they are punished by the Law of the Admiralty without any Trial at all. So that the poor Tarrs are a sort of People that have no Right at all to any thing but ill Usage and barbarous unmanly Punishments; Punishments that are superior to Death itself, because ignominious and shameful; malim mori quam vapulari. But our Navy Officers, like the Sicilian Tyrants, employ their Brains more in contriving new sorts of Punishments, than in finding out good and wholesome Laws to maintain a Discipline in the Navy.  
Thus, Sir, I have given you a short view of the Inconsistence of the Navy Discipline with the fundamental Laws of our Realm; a Discipline not only contrary to the Laws of our Country, but even to the Laws of Nature, and the practise of the most uncivilized part of the world. And upon the whole I must conclude, that they being warranted by no Law in the Execution of these Severities, have assumed to, and vested themselves with a Legislative Power, a Power I shall never own to be lodged any where but in Parliament. But if the People of England are so far willing to part with their Constitution, as to suffer the Navy Officers to make Laws penal,' een let 'em allow the Lords of the Treasury Power to raise money, and then our Business is brought into a very narrow Compass; 'twill be a great ease to you Members of Parliament, you may retire into the Country, walk over your pleasant Fields, and sit under your own Vines; but I can tell you in a short time who'l eat your Grapes. Pray, Sir, do but call to mind the days of old, the years of your Forefathers; look into the Chronicles of former Ages: did any of your worthy Progenitors suffer their Rights thus to be invaded by men that are their Servants, and receive their Pay? Have they not left you Copies of your Freedom, sealed with their own blood? What Hazards have they run? what Dangers have they attempted? what Battels have they fought to secure to Posterity those Liberties they valued before their Lives? Are not our Liberties the same? Has envious Time devoured any part of them? Are they less amiable because they are old? Did they bring Kings to distress, shatter Crowns, and humble Tyrannical Princes, who invaded their birthrights? And will you suffer your Freedoms, your ancient Constitution thus to be rent and torn by men of inferior Quality? Whom your Forefathers would have impeached in the name of the good People of England, and made them answer for assuming to themselves a Legislative Power. If you red an excellent Book lately published, entitled, A Vindication of Magna Charta, you'l there see how valuable those Rights were, and what Toil and Labour our Forefathers underwent to keep them entire, and transmit them to Posterity.  
I shall in the next place prove, that the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England during the War, have assumed to themselves a Dispensing Power.  
By an Act, Anno Gulielmi& Mariae 4to,& 5to. entitled, An Act for continuing the Acts for prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France, and for the Encouragement of Privateers, p. 505. it is enacted, That if any Captain or Officer, or any other Person by his Command or Direction, or any Seaman, or soldier, or other Person serving in their Majestys Navy, or in any Privateer, shall take to him or themselves, or imbezle any money, Plate, Goods, Lading or Tackle, or any things upon, or above the Gun Deck, or any other part or place whatsoever, in any Ship taken or seized on for prise, or retaken from the Enemy, the party offending shall lose and forfeit the Shares, Proportions and Rewards to him allowed by this Act. And also in case such Person be an Officer, he shall forfeit the Sum of five hundred Pounds; and such Officer shall be uncapable of any Office or Employment under their Majestys during the space of seven Years.  
Many Commanders of Ships, guilty of embezzling prise Goods, and of running of Wines, &c. contrary to Law, have notwithstanding this been either continued or restored to their Commands. If your Honourable House pleases to sand for a List of such Commanders as have been discharged, and afterwards restored to their Commands, and examine into the merits of the Cause for which they were discharged, you will find this a manifest Truth. To have the Kings ships become Owlers, is far worse: as lately a parcel of Wool was seized on board the Isabella Yacht, that has the station betwixt Southampton and Jersey. I know not how her Pilot Mr. Peter de St. Croix( whom I have known much averse to things of that nature) was prevailed on to take the Matter upon himself; But this I know very well, that if your Honourable House would inquire into this single thing, it would be of great Advantage. I am sure the Judges took the Case right enough, whatever the Opinion of the Admiralty might be concerning it. If a Merchant makes a mistake in entering of Goods, the King's Officers are sharp enough upon him; but when Officers themselves, or Commanders of the Navy are guilty of these Crimes, they have Friends to bring them off, tho contrary to the Laws of the Land.  
Now, Sir, for these very Practices, for the Dispensing with Laws, did we depose the late King James: Upon this Account had this very Government its Being. And shall we suffer Men in Commission under the Government, not only to make new Laws, but dispense with old ones? Their Power is indeed very great, who can make Laws, inflicting Punishments upon others, when no Laws are binding upon themselves. They are self-holders of the Admiralty, supported by an uncontrollable Power, and sovereign Will. What a miserable Condition are those Men in, that are under the Command of such whose unlimited Rage always roars, and where Laws are always silent? This is the economy of the savage Beasts of the Earth, and thus our Offices become mere Deserts.  
I shall next show you how these makers of new Laws are Repealers of the old, good, and wholesome Practices and Customs of the Navy. Their Fudge tells you of the embellishments they have added, but not of the Ornaments they have taken away. It has been the constant practise of the Admiralty in the days of yore, to prefer Men according to their Merit and Demeanour on Shipboard: the Navy of England was in those times a School, wherein the young Gentlemen of the Nation were educated and instructed in the Military Arts of the Sea, and became greatly serviceable to their Country. These Men being descended from generous Stocks, valued their Reputation, and scorned to do any thing that might blot or slain their Pedigree. The Sailors of the Navy had then better Treatment, abuses being beneath the Character of Gentlemen: Cruelties and Barbarities are inconsistent with the nature of generous and noble Spirits; Whipping and Pickling was then a Punishment unknown. Cruelty and Cowardice are things inseparable, and practised only by Men of a servil Education. If a Foot-boy or page. be made a Commander, he remembers the Flaps of the Cookmaids Dishclout, the Basting and Caning of his Master's Steward; and now it comes to his turn to domineer, he tyrannizes with a resistless Fury. Those Gentlemen that were Reformades, or King's Letter-men, were sure of being Lieutenants in former times, and as sure of being Captains in their turn; no Foot-boys or Pages then skip'd over their Heads. But now you may find Lieutenants of many Years standing in the Navy, while Masters of Merchant-men, &c. are made Commanders of 3d Rates, a Post in former Ages not beneath the Dignity of Noblemen; as for instance, the Earl of Ossory in the Resolution, and the Lord Mulgrave in the Royal Katherine. Our Ships were then thronged with Noblemen, their Sons, and the Sons of our Gentry. But how many of Quality have served in the Fleet during this War? And is not the loss of Discipline the apparent Cause thereof? For 'tis contrary to the very being of generous Spirits to serve under the Command of the Riffraff of their Country, and to do Homage to Men of more inferior Qualities than their Servants. And what encouragement is thus given to those Gentlemen that have served a long time in the Navy as Lieutenants or otherwise, when those that never served the King one hour are preferred over their Heads? It is farther observable, that the Masters of such Merchant-ships as have been hired into the Service during the War, by the Interest of the Owners, have been made Commanders of them, to the Discouragement of such as have served in the Navy: such Commanders in an Engagement were more likely to save the Merchantships from blows than hazard them in the King's Service. But for all this they boast of the Discipline of the Navy, as a thing excelling that of former Ages, in defiance to public Opinion, and the Results of the mature Debates of the Wisdom of the Nation. Yet upon this Account have the Enemies of the Government no occasion to reflect upon it, no more than the Husbandman is to be blamed for the numerous quantities of Weeds that spring up among his Wheat. The King never gave his Commission to the Officers of the Navy to oppress his Subjects, to silence old Laws, and enact new Ones. And 'tis much to be feared, methods are taken to prevent the Complaints and Cries of the Subject from reaching his Majesties Ears; otherwise we cannot imagine a Prince that has experienced so much of their tender Affection, of their Bravery in War, and the generous Supplies they have given him to preserve his Person and Government, would suffer them to languish under such intolerable and illegal Evils. If they had Commissions granted upon such an Account, we should know whereabouts we are. Yet tho such Commissions, being out of the Verge of the Executive Power, are to be accounted for, the Persons executing them are not excusable, however it fared with the Ministers of the late King James. But we have no room for Imaginations of this kind under this Government. And I may farther add, that were his Majesty truly sensible of the Condition of his Sailors, he would not suffer such Abuses upon them; he would not withhold from them their Wages, upon the Account of pretended and illegal Forfeitures: his wonted and manifest Clemency must create in us better Thoughts, than that he who has pardoned Assassins, such as have conspired to take away his Life, that has eased Nougate so often of its burden of Criminals of all sorts, by Acts of Grace and Free Pardons, will suffer his Sailors to lose their Pay, and starve for innocent Crimes, without extending his Mercy towards them.  
Now, Sir, having given you a true account of the nature of our Naval Discipline, I shall spend a little more time in considering what young Fudge, the Admiralty Author, has to say for his Masters. P. 21. he says. Care has been always taken to do Justice to the Sailors; for when any one produced reasonable Testimonials that he did not designedly desert the Service, but after Recovery endeavoured to return to his proper Ship, if in the way, or entred himself in any other Ship or Vessel within reach, or that he was Imprested when endeavouring so to do, the Q has been taken off, and he restored to his Pay. Now the question is, what those reasonable Testimonials are; a few Guineas to young Fudge, I believe as good a Testimonial as can be. But what do Testimonials, Certificates, or things of that nature signify, if they won't receive them?  
He tells you, p. 21. That the Lords of the Admiralty did in less than six months time, relieve at least 750 of the seventeen hundred Persons that made Application. How long was it before their Cause was heard? How long had their Petitions lain at the Board? It was near six months before the seven hundred and fifty were relieved; and before the seventeen hundred can be relieved, it will make it up eighteen months, or thereabouts. Now suppose before they were heard, their Petitions lay but 6 Months, this added to the 18 Months makes two Years; and suppose some of these Men have but six or twelve Months pay due to them, is it worth while to attend two Years to solicit for six Months Wages, which they are not certain of getting at the two Years end?  
He tells us, pag. 22. That the Seamen have been much wanting to themselves and Families, as to forfeit their Pay by turning their Back upon their Duty. When Men have been five or six Years in the Service without one penny of Wages, can you blame them? Who would not turn their Backs upon such a Service? Are a Servant's Wages forfeited, because he deserts his Master's Service? Are not his Wages as recoverable by Law, as they were before he deserted? 'tis much to be feared that Men are thus kept out of their Pay, on purpose to make them desert the Service; for the Money for their Service is without doubt brought into the Pay Office, and the longer it lies there, the better it is for the Cashiers: The very Interest thereof comes to something; they may lend it the Government at 8 per Cent. I rather think the Sailors are more wanting to themselves and Familys, by entering into the Service, than by leaving it: For in a Merchant-man they might meet with good Usage and good Pay. And suppose the mayor part of the Sailors of the English Navy are impressed into the Service, must they be made Prisoners, and loaf their due for giving themselves that Liberty, wherein the Laws of their Country, of God and Nature have set them free? I believe if young Fudg were to be whipped and pickled for 22 s. 6 d. per mensem, he would near hand desert the Service. These Men do not run away from their Pay, but they run away because they are not paid; but young Fudg is like the Fellow that beat his Dog till he stank, and then beat him for stinking.  
Now our Naval politics are quiter spent, the whole Store of Admiralty sense and raillery is at an end: for Fudg repeats in pag. 23. the very same dull stuff that preceded in page. 22. And upon the whole, Sir, have you not here a very fine Account of the Management of your Navy? This is an entire System of our Naval politics, written no doubt permissu& emendationibus Superiorum. If we are to be invaded, you see our Ships Stations at that time must be in the Downs; this is but a sample of their wonderful Sagacity, and what we must expect from their Conduct. And as for their Naval Discipline, I hope I have set you right in that Point; for tho I must needs acknowledge a Discipline in the Navy to be very necessary, yet there's difference betwixt staring and stark mad. Men ought to be kept to their Duty, but not by such severe and inhuman Methods as shall frighten them from the Service. By such a Discipline we shall have no Men to exercise our Discipline upon, but shall act like the wise Commander, who sunk his Ship to drown the Rats. By such a Discipline we shall not only bring upon us the Curses of the Sailors, but the Curses of God Almighty, who hears the Cries of the Oppressed, and punishes Kingdoms for such acts of Violence. These Men that impose such strict Discipline on others, have none among themselves. If their Attendance at their respective Offices were inquired into, you will find as much reason to prick them Run, as the poor Sailors. Some of them can be absent three or four Months together, and yet receive their Pay without any Q or R. We are not, you know, Sir, in Debt, and therefore can allow one of the Victuallers to look after his Oxen in the Country at Summer, to sell them a good pennyworth to the King at Winter. Bring but our Sailors upon the same foot with the Commissioners of the Navy, and Victualling; let their Ships be double manned, as those Offices are double Commissioner'd, that one half may do Duty while the t'other half is absent, and we'll no more complain of Q's and R's.  
I am sure, Sir, I have not misspent my Time, if these few Pages prove any ways serviceable to the common good of my Country: Tho indeed I should have taken no notice of my trifling railing Observator, had I not before resolved to publish my Thoughts on the Discipline of the Navy. How considerable soever he may think himself, because he occupies an immerited Office under the Government, he thinks himself unanswerable, as you may see in the very first Paragraph of his Book, with which I shall conclude; says he, It might have been reasonably believed, that the Author of a late Pamphlet, relating to Mismanagements in the Navy, would have left of scribbling, since the Answer to his last Year's politics left him so little Reputation. Now you must know, Sir, that young Fudg last Year printed an Answer to my State of the Navy: It contained about as much stuff as a halfpenny Ballad, tho not half so much sense. But because no body took any notice of him, he thought every Body acquiesced with his Opinion, and that his Nonsense passed as current with Mankind, as a Seaman's Ticket does for 7 s. and 6 d. in the Pound. It is impossible for a Man that has no Reputation to blast the Credit of another in the Opinion of good and just Men, the only Persons whose Favour Iesteem; and I can assure young Fudg, if he adds a dung Cart full of Lies to the Wheelbarrow he has filled already, I should not slain my Reputation to rak in his Dirt. The reproaches of Fools, the scandals of the Rabble, are no cause of Resentment to Men that know better how to employ their Thoughts; nor am I any more concerned at things of this nature, than the Moon, who keeps on her steady and constant Course, while all the little Dogs in the Parish are barking at her.  
FINIS.   


The First Grievance is Queries.  
THE Nature and Effect of those Queries are, That every Man set on shore sick, and not returning to his proper Ship or some other in one Month, or immediately after discharged from sick Quarters; thereby forfeits his Wages.   

The Second Grievance is R's.  
And those R's have of late been strenuously observed, if not improved to the Seaman's Prejudice. The Nature or Effect of those R's as now practised, is, That the Persons who by accident or otherwise, do leave or are left by their proper Ships, are by those R's noted to be Run, and forfeit all the Wages due to them, not only in the Ships they leave, but in all former Ships as far as the same is unpaid, notwithstanding Tickets long before delivered them for their former service; by what new Rules or Orders this is practised I cannot say, but am well assured 'tis contrary to the former practise and Rules of the Navy.   

The Third Grievance is,  
The deferring or non-payment of the Wages of such as are dead or absent, notwithstanding others have attended with sufficient Power to receive the same, and no colour of Objection, and those to whom it's due ready to perish for want: to such there are several 100000 l. now due and in Arrears, which should have been long since paid.   

The Fourth Grievance is, the unusual and irregular manner of Payment lately practised, viz.  
Some Ships that have three or four Years Pay due, have been paid only ten or twelve Months, the latter time, and the former left unpaid upon account of their Companies being turned over into other Ships.  
2dly. Some Ships paid for the whole time, yet many People left unpaid.   

The Fifth Grievance is,  
Turning Men over from Ship to Ship, lending them, and bearing them by List, that they know not in what Ship, nor by what means they may obtain their Wages.   

The Sixth Grievance is the Alteration of Officers Qualities.  
By this their Wages have been retrenched, some from 3 l. to 36 s. others from 36 to 23 s. &c.   

The Seventh Grievance is,  
Non-payment of Powers( or Letters of Attorney) made to Officers; that is, if any Officer's Father, Brother, Relation, or any other Friend hath served in the Navy, and hath made a Letter of Attorney to such Officer to receive the Wages, he is denied Payment of the same.   

The Eighth( tho not a positive) Grievance;  
Yet as Matter worthy Consideration, I shall hint something touching the smallness of the able Scaman's Pay, and would not omit the Gunners, Boatswains, and Carpenters herein.  
As for the able Seamans Pay, it is 24 s. per Month, the Deduction from the registered Seamen 1 s. and from those that are not registered 1 s. 6 d. per Month, so that their Pay is but 22 s. and 6 d. The Warrant-Officers before-mentioned, have Pay according to the respective Rates they are in.   

The Ninth Grievance is,  
The Difficulty of obtaining His Majesty's gracious Bounty allowed the Widows and Children of such as are slain in His Majesty's Service, and the moneys due for the Clothes of such as die; which Clothes are generally sold at the Mast; such Seamens Families and Relations being at a distance, and not knowing where to find the proper Officers to sign such Certificates as required for the Payment of such Bounty and Clothe-Money, it hath been long delayed, and often-times entirely lost.   

The Tenth Grievance is,  
The Non-payment of the registered Seamen,( not to insist on 40 s. per Annum hitherto unpaid) I shall only mention the Case of the Widows, Friends, and Relations of such as have died in the Service, with respect to their Wages.  
1. Such as die on Voyages to Holland, France, the Narrow-Seas, &c. their Wages are refused to be paid according to the Act, it being alleged that such are not Foreign Voyages.  
2. Such as have been bound out on Foreign Voyages, and died before the Ships departure from England, their Wages are also refused.  
3. Such as have been on Foreign Voyages so accounted, and in such Voyages have contracted Sickness, whereof they have died immediately after the Ships Return to England; their Wages are also refused, as not intended by the said Act to be paid.  
4. Such as have gone out in one Ship, and served a considerable time in her, and afterwards turned over into another, and there in a few Months died; the Widows of such are paid for the Ships only wherein they died, and not for the former.  
5. Such Commission and Warrant, Officers as are registered who die on Foreign Voyages, their Wages are refused, as not intended to be paid by the said Act.   

The Eleventh Grievance is,  
The Government and Discipline used in the Navy; but there being already good and wholesont Laws provided, both for suppressing 'vice, and encouraging Virtue, I have little to say, only that the Epidemical abounding of 'vice and Debauchery through the whole Fleet, too evidently demonstrates the Neglect, if not the Contempt of the said Laws: And it would be well if the practise and Example of superior Officers did not so much contribute to the same; and whether this( with a sordid and slavish Punishment, viz. Whipping and Pickling, much used of late, and that on frivolous Occasions) do not tend to the dastardizing of the Spirits of our English Seamen, and the animating and emboldening our Enemies, and consequently to the Nations Prejudice, 'twill do well to consider; and if found to be so, to redress the same.   

The Twelfth Grievance is,  
The fraudulent Dealing of many that pretend to solicit Business, and receive Wages in the Navy, by which the Seamen are also prejudiced; but the Particulars hereof being too long to insert herein, shall at present omit the same.    

Errat. page. 16. line 15. for destruere red obruere.