m

x' i5^£

f— iwa

SML By95 1 1804P

• =="^.3.\sa

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

A REPLY

TO

A P A M P H L E T

INTITULED

« A BRIEF ENQUIRY INTO THE PiRESENT CONDITION
" OF THE NAVY OF GREAT BRITAIN:"
WHEBEIN IS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED
THE FORCE OF THBt ENEMY,
AND WHAT WAS OPPOSED TO IT BY THE LATE
BOARD OF ADMIRALTY;
AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL STRENGTH POSSESSED BY THE
KING'S DOCK-YARDS, AND TIJETR ABILITY TO KEEP
UP AND ENCREASE THE NAVY WITHOUT THE
AID OF MERCHANT BUILDERS.

" Qnis enim toto mari locus per hos aiinos aut tam firmum liabuit
" praefidium, ut tutus eflet ?"
" Cic. pro Lege Manilia."

LONDON:

Printed for J. Ginger, Piccadilly; fold alfo by S. Mottliy,
Portfmouth; and B. Haydonj Plymouth,

1804.

Missing Page

cafe poffible ought to have been fully fubdau-
tiated, before this attempt was made to traduce
perfons confeffedly pofTeffing fuch good intentions,
and who had already rendered fuch fignal fer-
viceS to their country. Had an enquiry of this
nature Anted the purpofe of this pamphleteer,
he would not only have learnt the fuperior ability
of the late firft Lord for the high office he fo ably
filled, and the wifdom of all his meafures; but he
would alfo have difcovered, that nothing Jhort oj
thoje meajures can place and prefcrve the marine
of this country on the eftablifliment fo much de-
fired by every one anxiou.s for thc public good ;
and that the beft proof the new Miniftry have
given of their poffefTing ihsx fuperlative energ\
attributed to them by their partizans, is the hope;
which has been encouraged, that thofe meafures
will be perfevered in.
But let us attend to the Lr'ief Enquirer: " Thc
« fyflem of terror, (fays he,) eftablifhed by the late
" Board of Admiralty, conjoined with the ty-
" ranny and oppreflion exercifed over all thofe
« who were within its reach, its own creatures
« and minions excepted, has had the effeft of im-
« pofing a profound filence, where the beft fources
" of information could be obtained. It is now
" time that Patriotifm fhould fpeak out; that the
" grofs and dangerous errors of the fyftem pur-
" fued

'^ fued by the individuals entruflcd with the ma-
" nageraent of naval affairs fliould be clearly
" demonftratcd ; and that the fallacies to Which
" they have rcforted, to covcf the infufficiency of
" their tneans, fhould receive a full cxpoful-e." If,
indeed, thi.3 had befcn the fole objeft. of the Brjef
Enquirer, there need not have been adduced a
more convincing proof of the merits of the Ad
miralty than the bare circumltance of his not
daring fully to in^effigate their condufl, but con-
tenting himfelf with a brief enquiry, moft probably
from interefted or difappointcd perfons, which
could only tend to miflead and deceive. As to thc
former part of his affertion, I defy any man to pro
duce -jiie folitary inftance of either tyranny or
opprefiion having been exercifed. When, indeed,
fubordinate Boards haVe reprefented the grofs
delinquencies detected in their departments, the
Admiralty have taken fuch notice of the repre-
fcntations as their bounden duty to the public
demanded : they knew too well the nature of
mankind, and particularly that of the defcriptii'.i
of perfons whom they had to deal with, to per-
fevere in the futile attempts which had been made
to reclaim incorrigibles by foft perfuafion : they
knew, " that to reform and not to chaflife was
" impoflible; and that the beft precepts, as v.'cU
" as the beft laws, would prove of fmall ufe, if
" there were no examples to enforce them." As
A 2 to

to their conduft having impofed filence where
the beft fources of information could be obtained,
I appeal to every one who has read the diurnal
papers for two years paft, if men were ever be
fore fo regularly, fo fyftematically mifreprefented
and calumniated, as the late Board of Admiralty
has been ; and if it is not notorious, that every
circumftance which the difappointed " tnfurrec-
tion of jobbers" has, from time to time, fo induftri-
oufly trumpeted about this town to their prejudice,
has not, on full enquiry., proved to be totally void
of all foundation.
Had the conduQ: of the late Board of Admi
ralty undergone the difcuffions talked of in Par-?
liament, it would have occafioned to them proud
exultation indeed, and convinced the " great
" and enlightened Statefman" who urged the dif-
cuflions, that he had lent his ear to men who
knew as little refpefling the other eflentials of the
Civil Department of the Navy, as they did of the
number of men employed in it; on which fubjea,
as well as the force oppofcd to the enemy, it was
evi^.M that Mr. Pitt had been moft grofsly de-
ceived. The circumftances touched on by the Brief
Enquirer I have fully and minutely ii.veltigatcd
and will eiideavour to exp.ain and jui.iiy in
the

the order in which he ha,? given thf-rh. . I ftiall
make no apology for ftating/j^/j, whom. : verthcy
may apply to, becaufe fa£ls alon" guided the late
Board of Admiralty in their proceedings ;- and to
fafts alone, therefore, do they truft for the vindi
cation of their conduft, and the decifion of their
country. The whole of the fpeech of Lord St. Vincent on
tbe 12th May, 1783, which has been quoted, was
worthy of his profound wifdom and energe,tic mind,
and in no inftance has he deviated from the fenti-
ments he then exprefled, — in no inftanre has he
" yielded to idle and unfubftantial reafonings about
" parfimony, or fliewnthat he did- not believe pro-
" per and wife expences were the beft and bappieft
" OBConomy."— It has been the prfligate^nA wan^
ton expenditure of the pubiic treafure, without
even the fentblance of good confequences^ that he
has refifted. His Lordfliip aBed upon the full evi
dence of ftjibbcu-n incontrovertible fafts, proving
that the Civil Department of the Navy only re
quired fyftematic arrangement to roufe the ftrength
it polfefled from the wretched ikipor under which
it had languifhed, and which ,<:ould only be ef-
fefted by giving full encouragement to tbe able
and indufirioHi artificers, and by making a juft
diftmaion between them and tbe idle or ineffic't-
snt.
A 3 From

6
From the hue and cry which has lately bceci
raifed againft thp fyftem of blockading the ene
my's ports, it would appear as if it had neyer be
fore been adopted, when in faft it has been nomi
nally purfucd fince the year 1791- I admit that
Breft was not effeftually blockaded previous to
1800, when the difpofition of thc fliips which was
jnade by Lord St. Vincent completely feaied
that pdrt. His Lordfhip was at Tea 180 days of
that year after he took the command of the fleet
in April, during which period not one (hip either
got into or out of Breft; and we then heard
nothing of the clamour that has recently been
raifed agamft the fyftem, although our commerce
has derived fo much fecurity from it. Are we
then to attribute the filence which at that time
prevailed, /o/^/y to the implicit confidence which
all ranks and defcriptions in the country fo juftjy
placed in h.s zeal and fuperior ability ^ Admiral
Cornwallis has precifely the fame difcretionary
orders now, that both himfelf and his predeceflbr-i
had during the late war, to come into port when
ever the weather fhould render it advileable.- but
if the gallant Admiral has thought it his duty, from
exifting circumftances, or the information which
he might have received refpeaing the enemy, to
perfevere more than ufual, during the rnoft te'm-
peftuous winter ever known, are the Admiralty
cenfurableon that account? or are they fo, becaufe during

during fuch wead)cr, when our fliips have been
obliged to preferve a good offing, fome privateers
have flipped out and picked up a few ftraggling
inerchant-ftiips, which, in fpite of every effort
of the Admiralty to prevent, attempted their
voyage without convoy ?
It is really diverting to hear thefe pol/tiralNEP-
Tu NFS talk: on one hand, the Admiralty is con
demned for having now purfued the blockading
fyftem, notwithftanding it bad been approved of
for ID years paft; and on the other, Lord St. Vin--
cent has been equally cenfured for not having
prevented Bonaparte's failing from Toulon, by
blockading that port, when it is notorious that his
Lordfhip at that period had but 17 fail of the
line before Cadiz, in the face of 28 Spanifti fhips
of the line ready, for fea. That perfcverance in
keeping the ka during bad weather will ftrain and
wear out the ftiips more than if they were laying
at Spithead, cannot be denied; that the officers
manifeft a defire to be in port may be true;
and not lefs fo, that the feamen would be glad to
be relieved from watching, and from thofe exer
tions which are infeparable from adive fea life.
But here let that matter reft; let not the anxiety,
impatience and irritation of our feamen be again
worked on : fliould the monfter which was once
engendered therefrom again ihew its head, to
A 4 whom,

s

whom, let me afk, would every eye in tiii.'; coun
try be direQed? On whom would our hopes depend i'
Is there no perfon now at the Admiralty who can
rccolleft the uplifted eyes and tremours which
were once obfervable,even in the Ncptunesof that
Board themfelves, at the miferies with which the
Empire was threatened from relaxation and want
of difcipline, a due fupport of which is now
branded with the opprobrious epithet of « the
reign of terror.?" Is there not indeed one man to
he found who can recoUeft the bitter, humiliating,
difgraceful draught which they were compelled
to fwallow, from their not daring to meet difcon-
tent and fatlion in the fame undaunted manner
which thofe men did., whom intrigue has removed
from the helm 'i
I cannot but confider the title " Brief Enquiry"
as given to this pamphlet with tlxe fame view that
" Errors excepted" is placed at the bottom of an
Account Current, /. e. as a hole to creep out of
^¥he^ miilatements are deteaed : and, in truth, it
has fome need, of this fet-off; for notwithftanding
1 have made every poflible enquiry, I cannot find
that the Admiralty treated any.- of the fugaeftions
of the confummate Statefman he alludes to with
fcorn and derifion firft, and afterwards adopted
them. When it is known that 48,402 feamen
were aaually. raifed between, thc commencement of

of this war and the day on which the late Mem
bers of the Admiralty retired from office; and
that, nevertbelefs, our numerous convoys have
not been detained for want of men; I think it is
clear that no emigration of feamen from this coun
try has taken place : although from their reftlefs
difpofition, and from their having endured thc
privations attending lo years war, it might natu
rally be expeBed that fome of them would feek
for employment on board the American fliips
trading to this country, in the hope of being proteft-
od from military fervice.
The Brief Enquirer ftates, that one fail of the
line and two frigates have joined the Breft fleet
from Rochfort. If that be a fad, it was unknown
to Admiral Cornwallis on the 2 2d of May; and the
lateft account received from Sir Robert Calder
reports them to be then in his view, within
Ijle D'Aix, where they had anchored, after having
made a ftiew of chafing one of our frigates : he
then adds, that we fhall find from 200 to 300 gun-
brigs of the firft clafs at Boulogne. For a Brief
Enquirer, it may perhaps be indifpenfable to take
one-third of a ftatement to veer and haul on; but
the faa is, that the greateft number of gun-brigs of
that defcription in the ports of Boulogne, Vime-
reaux, and Ambleteufe, never exceeded 80. That
prifoners report an immcnfe affemblage of boats and

10

and craft of various defcriptions at tlie above-
named, as well as other ports in the Channel, i.--
true; and, as the higheft panegyric that can be
beftowed on the exertions of the late Admiralty,
I fubjoin a full account of every fliip, veffel or
boat of the enemy faidto be in a flat e cf preparation
for fervice., and of the force a£fually oppofed\.o them,
by which it will be proved how little the late
Board has merited the infinuations that have been
made ofa want of energy iri the Naval Department.
One thoufand one hundred and five men above
the vote of tbe Houfe of Commons for the year, were
raifed previous to their retiring from office, inde
pendent of an efficient body of Sea Fencibles,
amounting to 31,945 men.
Thc tnofl exaggerated Viccounis, which have been
received of the enemy's preparations, ftate them
10 confift of 48 fail of the line, 37 frit^atcs, 22
corvettes, 4 praames (or floopsof war), 120 gun-
brigs of the firft clafs, carrying each 6 guns, and
»ii5 gun boats, fchuyls, and boats and veffels of
every fort or defcription; to oppofe which there
were, on the day the late Admiralty retired 88
fail of the line, 1^ fifties, 125 frigates, 92 ftoops,.
18 bombs, 40 gun brigs of 12 guns each, 6 gun
boats, 82 cutters and fchooners, 41 armed fhips,
and 997 boats armed wi^h guns, on the Coaft, be-
fidc?

11
iides 5 fall of the line, i fifty, 4 frigates, and 3
floop.s, which willbe ready to commiffion in thc
month of June. This ftatement includes, as well
the enemy's as our own force in every part of the
world ; but as the general attention of the coun
try has been direaed to the threatened invafion, I
I'hall ftate the force which the enemy is faid to
have prepared for that purpofe, and alfo that
which the late Board of Admiralty had allotted M
oppofe it. From the Texcl to Havre-de-Grace the
enemy's preparations are faid to confift of 5 fail
of the line, 6 frigates, 6 corvettes, 4 praames, 120
gun-brigs of 6 gun.s, and 2115 gun boats, fchuyts,
and other boats and veffels; to oppofe which there
were, under the command of Lord Keith and Sir
James Saumarez, 21 fail of the line, 7 fifties, 36
frigates, 30 floops, 12 bombs, 29 gun brigs of 12
guns each, 41 cutters and fchooners, and ig arm
ed fhips, independent of 925 boats and craft arm
ed with guns, on the Coaft, in the Channel, and
in ibr rivers Thames and Medway.
That there was an error in the firft account
prefented to the Houfe of Commons of the fliips,
&c. in commifllon, is very true ; but it is not lef*
fo, that it was merely an error of the clerk, who
added together the totals of the account without
the fmalleft intention to deceive. Indeed, the ac-
count was in itfclf /o minute, that a flight inveftiga- tion

12

tion could not fail to detca it; and it wa . '.npofil-
ble to enter into the mind of any man, that it could
efcape the eager eyes of thofe by whom it was to
be fcrutinized.
In ftating the number of men, I have followed
the fame plan as was adopted for making out the
return to the Houfe of Commons, becaufe it is
the only one from which a fair reprefentation can
be made: the data on which it is grounded biiiig
the number of men muftercd at the lateft period
to which correa returns have been icc Lived at the
Navy Office, and tbe number of iiicn raifed fince
that day at the feveral rendezvous; any other data,
to have fhewn the number of men aaually raifed
and employed, would have been fallacious, and par
ticularly fo, " the ftate and condition" of the fliips at
the ports of Portfmouth, Plymouth and Chatham,
becaufe thefe returns would have fliewn only thc
number of men borne on the books of the fliips
which happened to be in port.- no account could
have appeared either of the men at thc hofpitals, be
longing even to thofe flrps, who had been Dfq^'/'/.r.
difcharged to Sick Quaiters) or of the men at the
feveral rendezvous, or on their paffage round to the
pons in tenders. It is admitted that no deduaion
was made from the return for either the death de-
feriion or difcharge of men fince the 30th Novem
ber, 1803 ; but, on the other hand, no credit was
taken

13
taken for all the men impreffed from convoys, or
otherwife raifed afloat, fince that period, which
more than doubled the cafualties above-named.
I am forry to fay, that only a brief enquiry is necef-
fary,t,) (hew the langour and fupinenefs which have
peivaded our Dock-yards for many years paft. I
believe the number of ffiips faid to have been
launched therefrom is correaiy ftated by the Brief
Enquirer; all aftonifhmcnt, however, ceafes, when
the mode of workini] the men in the King's yards is
developed. Each Ouarter-man has under his di-
reaion a gang of twenty men and apprentices,
compofed of his proportion of the very left work
men, the w/ij'^///?^ workmen, and the wo^y? workmen
in the yard, who all work together and receive
wages alike; confequently thne is no ftimulus
whatever to exertion or induftry : for to what
purpofe fliould the beft artificers exert themfelves,
when they know that they will not receive die
fruit of their labour, and that the mofi fdle and
mefficieni man in the gang will receive an equd
proportion of wages? And as it is notorious and
felf-evident, that iii performing their woik, the
beft men cannot proceed after they have com-
pleated their meafuxed proportion, or ftint,* before the
" More fai licalarly when working on frame timbers, beams,
IpJank, the 1*) ing ot decks, &c.

14

the worft man in thc gang fliall have finiihed hi.«
part alfo, the whole labour of thc yards is brought
down to the level of the very xvor/i men in them.
This abfurd and deftruaive (yftcm Lord St. Vin
cent has ftrenuoufly endeavoured to fubvert, and to
fubftitute one which will admit of every man's ex
erting himfelf, and receiving the aSlual produce
of his increafed labour, as is the cafe in the Mer
chants' yards. In this, however, he bas been com
pletely frujlrated., to the prejudice of the fervice.
the difgrace of the King's yards, and the difcou
ragement of every induftrious good man in them.
When Mr. Pitt talked of the neceffity wc arc
fuppofed to be under of having recourfe to the
Merchants' yards for preferving the fuperiority of
our Navy, he was little aware of the actual jlrength
in the King's yards. That the fubjea is worthy of
and demands the moft ferious attention of the
newly-appointed Adminiftration, I ftiall endea
vour to prove by the following ftatement, which
they may perhaps take thc trouble to compare
with what has been advanced to them by others
on the fame fubjea. In making this ftatement,
dreary as it is, I conceive that I difcharge a duty
which I owe both to them and the country.
I am able to affert, from the moft accurate in
formation, that the number of Shipwrights and
Caulkers, exclufive of Apprentices, employed in
all the Merchants' yards in England and Scotland, doe.";

does not exceed 5329; and by tbe return laid be
fore the Houfe of Commons, refpeaing the trade
and navigation of the country for the year 1803,
it appears that in the preceding year 967 fhips, of
104,789 tons, had been built in the Merchants*
yards, (exclufive of two ffiips of the line of 3436
tons for the Navy;) and that 15,750 fhips of
1,801,458 tons, had been kept in repair. Of
thefe Shipwrights and Caulkers no more than
11 16 are employed in the River Thames, who,
befides the almoft exclufive trade of the India
Company, amounting to 89,076 tons, and the
building and keeping in repair a full proportion
of the above tonnage of Merchant-ffiips, are, it is
contended, capable of launching five or fix fail of
rhe line per year for the Navy.
Bv the return now before the Houfe, it appears
there are 3732 Shipwrights and Caulkers at this
time employed in the King's yards, of whom 862
are apprentices, which leaves 2870 efficient Ship
wrights and Caulkers, admitted, generally fptak
in*, by all parties, to be far better workmen than
thofe in the Merchants' yards.
The whole Navy, that is, every ffiip or vefTel
(exclufive of fuch as have been recently purchafed)
appertaining to the Crown, including Hui.ks,
Prison-ships, Scq. coniifts of 160 fail of the line, 22

16

¦za fifties, 2i8rfrigates, and 430 floops and fmallcr
vefTels, making in all 830 f^ ps and veffels of
about 523,33 1 tons, of which about 1 1 4,000 tons
have been taken from the enemy, and, I bluffi to
'fay,about 246,O0Otons have been built Ly contra5f ;
leaving,to the eternal difgraceof the King's yards,
as their produce, notwithftanding they contain
more than half the number of efficient Shipwrights
to be found in all the Merchants' yards of this
kingdom, «r> more than about 163,331 tons ! And
will it be credited, that the Shipwrights in the
King's yards were aaually paid, during feven years
of thc late war, no lefs a fum than 1 ,962,636/. 1 Zs.^d.
which is 80,775/. 6j. ^d. more than the whole
amount of building and making the mafis and yards
of the WHOLE Navy, (as above ftated,) even
INCLUDING ALL THE SHIPS TAKEN FROM THK
ENEMY AMD BUILT BY CONTRACT ! ! Let it nOt,
however, be fuppofed that the new ffiips built in the
King's yards are the only fruit which the country
has received for the immcnfe fums of money
paid to the Shipwrights therein : the cafe is very
different : for much of their labour, fettered and
crippled as it is by the mode of working them,
which 1 have before pointed out, has been applied
to the repairs of fhips, and I may add, moflly
to thofe built by conlraa. Of Twenty-six fail
of the line, which were in the aaion of the ifl
June, 1794, Ten bad been built by contraa, and
coft

17
coft 324,318/. on which had been expended in
repairs, (previous to the aaion) in the King's
yards, no lefs than 171,124/. The repairs of the
contraa-built ffiips which were in the aaions of
the 14th February, 1797, and ift Auguft, 1798,
bore a ftill greater proportion to their original
cofts,* and the EIGHT contraft-built ffiips which
were in the aaion of the 11th Oaober, 1797,
(exclufive of the four India ffiips which had never
before been at fea) coft 231,258/. and their re
pairs in. the King's yards amouhted to 172,400/.
B From
• The Brief Enquirer nevertbelefs boafts of tlie ftrength of
thefe fbipi as the necelTary proof that we ought to rely on the
Merchant-bmlders for the fupport of our Navy. The difinterefted
Gentleman feems, however, to have got out of his depth in the
application of that part which he quotes of .Lord Nelfon's letter,
which could only be taken in the fenfe to which he has perverted
it by fuppofing that the Ihips, during an aftion, are driven againft
each other like battering rams, wliich would indeed put the
iff.ie of the battle on the ftretigth ot the ftiips' bows; if he had
extended his enquiry to any man who knew the fuperlatvve order
and difiifline which prevailed in the Mediterranean Fleet, he
would have learned that what his Lordftiip meant by faying,
•' nothing could withftand the Squadron your Lordftiip did
" me the Honour to put under my Command," did not apply to
the firengtb of the fhips, but to the bra'veiy and high ftate of
difaphne of their Captains, Officers, and Men ; and never was
praife more juftly beftowed, whether as it applied to the chofen
band whom his Lordfliip fo ably commanded, or the Chief, luba
hadbnught them to that ftate ofptrfedim.

18
From the foregoing ftatement, it appears that
5329 Shipwrights and Caulkers (exclufive of ap
prentices) /« the Merchants' yards, can not only keep
in repair nearly two millions of tons of ffiip-
ping, (which are in conjlant wear, and not lying
in the harbours as one- third of the Royal Navy
has and ever will) and build upwards of 100,000
tons per year, but alfo add one half to the lift
of the Navy, whilft 2870 Shipwrights and Caulk
ers in t'ne King's yards have not kept in repair jiW
hundred and twenty three thoufand two hundred and
thirty one tons, and have built only 29 fail of the
line in 24 years. Moreover, let it be remembered,
as a well authenticated faff, that 46 Shipwrights
can, without any extraordinary exertion, build a ^4-
gunfhip in twelve months ! to which need only be
added what has been ftdted by Mr. Wells, " that
" in the year 1795 he launched from his yard
" 8000 tons of ffiipping more than any three of
« his Majefty's yards together launched in the
« fame period." I find that Mr. Wells has, at this
time, in his yard, 140 Shipwrights, (apprentices
included), which is 17 more than can be found in
the employ of any other Merchant- builder in the
kingdom. What conclufion then, let me afl<,muft
be drawn with refpea to the mode of working of
the men in the King's yards, and what they 'ought
io perform, when it i. known that three of the
King's yards averaged, during the whole of the
year

19
year 1795, Two thousand five hundred
AND THIRTY Shipwrights, apprentices includ
ed. When thefe fa£fs are known, will they not
create equal aftoniffiment and indignation at the
affertions which are fo induftrioufly circulated,
that without the aid of the Merchant-builders the
Navy cannot be kept up ? Is it not jnanifeft that
the prefent deplorable fyftem is ruinous to the coun
try, and calculated to keep us for ever dependent
on the Merchant-builders, who (meaning thofe
who have hitherto built ffiips of the line and
frigates), do not poffefs one-third of the ftrength
or ability to be found in the Kmg's yards ? And
does not that man deferve the higheft praife and
honours which a grateful country can beftow,
who, equally regardlefs of the odium attached
to reform, as the clamour of the interefted, has
devoted his time to correa this moft alarming
evil, and not hefitated to bare his breaft to the
venomed ffiafts of the moft virulent calumny, in
order to excite a fpirit of energy in our dock-yards;
and by tearing off the fetters from the good and
induftrious workmen, encourage them to exer
tions which cannot fail to place the Navy inde
pendent of the Merchant-builders.?
I ffiall take no further notice of Mr. Wefls's
letter to Lord St. Vincent than barely to remark,
that if, when he publiffied that letter, it had been
convenient to have added to it his Lordfhip's
B a reply,

20

reply, the public would have feen, that he was as
ready to do juflice to individuals of worth and
integrity, as he had been to the public ; and that
with regard to the fubjea of the letter, his Lord
fhip was prepared to meet the queftion, either as it
related to fhips built by the Merchant-builders,
or to the abundant means poffeffcd by the King's
yards to keep up and increafe the Navy without
their aid.
The queftion refpeaing the Ajax was not as to
the decay of her frame by dry rot, or otherwife,
but merely as to the improper materials which had
been put into her, and the infufficiency and deceit
of the workmanffiip ; it having appeared, when ffic
was repairing in Portfmouth yard, that the eight
inch plank round her bows had he.e.x\flemtjhed or
" cut in" four inches, in order to make it take the
requifite bend, inftead of its having been brought-
to by heat, in a proper workman-like manner.
This faS needs no comment ; and had the Admiralty
fuffered it to pafs unnoticed, they would have
merited the fevereft cenfure.
With regard to thc loffes which were expe
rienced during the late winter, it is matter of
aftoniffiment, when the unprecedented feverity of
the weather is confidered, that fo few accidents did
occur ; nor can one of them be attributed to the
Admiralty. There is much malignity in the al.
lufion

21

lufion made to the York, which is as falfe as it is
wicked. The faa is, that ffie was as competent to
perform the duties on which ffie was employed,
both with regard to her hull, ftores, and crew, as
any ffiip in his Majefty's fervice ; it was the firft
time of her going to fea, completely ftored, after
having undergone fo large a repair at Woolwich
as to induce the Navy Board to report her jit for
perman-nt fervice ; anditisequally true, that ffiehad
her full eftabliffied proportion of feamen onboard.
Notwithftanding the afferted challenge of
MeflVs. Wells, Barnard, and Brent, I am one of
thofe who do not believe that ffiips built by con
traa are, in general, by any means fo well put to
gether as thofe built in the King's yards. My
opinion is formed on the many inftances that have
appeared to the contrary; and I will mention one,
becaufe it came a-propos to Mr. Pitt's difcuffion in
their favour. A day or two after the propriety of
depending on the Merchant-builders for the fup-
ply of fliips of the line for the Navy had been ftre
nuoufly urged both within the Houfe and out of
doors, a letter was received at the Admiralty from
the Captain of a ffiipof the line, built by contraft
not eight years fince in the River Thames, accom
panied by jive fore arid aft bolts of the iron knees
(or rather POINTS OF BOLTs) which, with fcvcral
others, had worked out of the ffiip during her laft
B 3 cruize

..:  Li

cruize only, each of which fliould have been 20
inches long and clenched ; inftead of which, how
ever, two were only 4I inches long, tapeied to
the points like wedges, and the other three from
7 to 11 inches! I believe I may defy all the
Merchant-builders in the kingdom to produce
one folitary inftance of a fingle bolt of this de
fcription ever having worked out, or made its ap
pearance, on board any Jhip built in a King's
yard. In defence of thefe circumftances, it is
urged, that the ffiip, when building, is under the
infpeaion ofa refident Overfeer, whofe duty it is
to lee that all the materials are good, and the
work well executed. It is true, a perfon of that
defcription is appointed by the Navy Board, and
the Merchant-builder cannot obtain his bills,
during the progrefs of the work, until the Over
feer has certified that it has been properly per
formed, and with good materials. Without dwcl-
ling much on the praftice which, it is faid, has
prevailed of making regular prefents to the Over
feer, at the payment of the feveral bills to wbich
he has certified, and at the launching of the ffiip,
how, let me aflt the Merchant-builders, can they
in their confcience throw the refponfibiliiy of in-
fufficient or improper work on an Overfeer, who
perhaps has half a dozen ffiips to attend to at the
fame time, befides having to fend the Navy Board
a weekly ftatement of all the works performed.? It
appears

23
appears that the Overfeer at Mr. Dudman's yard (i)
has had to fuperintend and certify to no lefs than
two floops of war and five gun-brigs, at the fame
time; that the Overfeer at Finffiury (2) has a 74,
two frigates, and two gun-brigs; whilft the Overfeer
atTopffiam(3)hasnolefs than three floops of war and
three gun-brigs to infpea,intheyards oi three differ
ent perfons (4). This, it may be faid, is not the fault
of the Merchant-builder, whicb in parti admit; but
at the fame time I deny that he can, or ought, in
juftice, to be exculpated for the non-performance
of his Contraa on this account, becaufe he may
proteft againft proceeding in an irregular manner,
and contrary to the provifions in his Contraa,
which may fubjed him to future refponfibility ;
and, as Mr. Wells juftly obferves, "he has aright
" to fecure his charaaer." Whatever may be
faid of the " fyftem of terror" during the late Naval
Adminiftration, I truft thefe inftances will ffiew,
that the Merchant-builders, at leaft, can have had
no reafon to complain of being depreffed by the
prying curiofity of the Navy Board's Overfeers.
Had the .Br/^£«9«zVfr extended his inveftiga-
tions, he would have learnt that the names of thc
Artificers in the yards do not ftand on the Clerk
B4 of
(i) George Stockwell. (2) Thomas Wood. (3) John Payne.
(4.) One floop of war, one gun -brig, building by Mr. Ayles;
two floops of of war building by Mr, Owen \ and two gun-brigs
building by Mr. Davy.

24

of the Cheques Books according to their feniority
or time of entry, but according to the gangs in
which they are ffioaled ; he is, however, right in
his ftatement, that at the vifitation in 1802, the
aged, infirm, and bed-ridden, to which he might
have added the blind alfo, were difcharged ; but
he has omitted to tell us, that the trufty guardians
of the public purfe had not failed to pay them
equal to the highejl rate of earnings of thc mnj}
efficient and indufirious Artificers in thc yards.
The indignation which fuch proceedings created
in Lord St. Vincent may be cafily imagined, more
particularly when he faw, by the pay-books, that
one man at Plymouth, upwards of 70 years of
age, who was led in, almoft blind, had been paid,
as his earnings for the year iSoo, no lefs than
120/. 16 J. 1^.!! The ^//W, the bed-ridden, and
in faa every man pafl labour, were difcharged and
fuperannuated, with an addition of 4/. per annun?
to the former allowance, which was complained
of as not being fufficient for their maintenance.
With refpea to the chafm which fuch difcharges
occafioned, let it be remembered, that not one man
was difcharged at the vifitation who was not paft
his labour.
Although, perhaps, there may at this inftant be
a deficiency of labourers in the yards in the River
Thames, occafioned by the high wages given in
building the barracks, and the enormous bounties
fox the Army of Referve, Militia, «fec, yet the
following

25

following ftatement will fliew, that there is an
abundant ftock of the moft ejfential Artijicers,
Shipwrights, as well as the good effea pro
duced by the encouragement and falutary regu
lations which the late Admiralty adopted refpea
ing them : —
The number of Shipwrights employed in
all the King's yards, at the commence
ment of the laft war, Jan. i, 1793, was 3042
And on the February 1794 ----- 3239

Making an increafe in the firft year oi the
lajlwar,oi -..--.-.-. igj
There were difcharged at the vifitation in
Auguft 1802, viz. the blind, infirm, and
bed-ridden, as ftated by the Brief En
quirer, 235; and in November follow
ing, at the recommendation of the Navy
Board, 127 of the mojl inefficient men
in Plymouth yard - ----- 36a
It appears by the return made to the Houfe
of Commons, that thc greateft number
of Shipwrights employed in the King'is
yards at any one period, viz. on the ift
of March 1801, after coUeaing during
9 years of war, was  36^4 And

26

And by the fame return it appears, that
there were in thc yards, at the com
mencement of this war, on the ift of
March 1803 - - - - - - 2929
And on the ift of March 1804 - - 3336
Making an increafe in tbe firft year oj" this
war of - - - - . _ - ^oj
And if to the prefent number in the yards, viz.
3336, are added the 362 bed-ridden, blind, and
inefficient, who were difcharged in 1802, as above
ftated, thc number will ftand 3698, which is 34
more than the greateft number employed during
any period of the laft war. With thefe faas be
fore us, what becomes of all the clamour and de
clamation, that the Artificers have been forced
from his Maje/ifs yards, and are expreffing their
fatisfaaion at the reception they have met with at
Bourdeaux .? I am free to confefs, that I do not
admire either the patriotifm or feelings of that
man who is capable of giving circulation to fuch
bafe and malignant mifreprefentation.
Independent of the convidion, that the King's
yards aaually contained a fufficient number of
Shipwiigljic to provide for all the demands of thc
Navy, another very powerful confideration ope
rated

27
rated on Lord St, Vincent's mind for at leaft fuf-
pending, for a time, the building of line of batde
fliips by coatraa, unlefs they could be obtained at
fuch a price as would admit ofa reafonable hope
being entertained of procuring a fupply of timber
for the ufe of the King's yards. Notwithftanding
the pofitive orders of the Admiralty direa, that
thefe yards ffiall never be left with lefs than three
years ftock of timber on hand, that it may be pro
perly dried, or feafoned, before it is ufed, it was
with aftoniffiment and extreme regret he faw,
during the vifitation, how bare the yards were of
ihis moft effential article, and the defeaive ftate
of a great part of the fmall quantity there was :
nevertbelefs, as he was given to hope, that by
exertions an adequate fupply might be procured,
he confented to the advertifing to build fliips by
contraa, when the prices demanded by the Mer
chant-builders were fo extravagant, compared
with what had been before given, that, had they
been acceded to, it was evident they would have
been thereby enabled to purchafe the whole of thc
approaching fall of timber, to the exclufion of the
King's yards, where it was fo iiiuih needed, fome
line of battle ffiips having been lo and 12 years on
the ftocks, and notorioufly retarded for want of the
neceffary timber for their completion. This con
fideration, added to the Report of the Navy Boardy
on their vifitation of Chatham dock-yard in

28

1785? ^v'bich was laid before his Lordffiip, viz,
« We have here to obferve, that the number of
" ffiips which has been built by contraa in thc
" Merchants' yards, during the war, and the great
" demands of timber in confequence of it, was
" much felt at this yard, as well as at the yards of
" Deptford and IVoolwich, and prevented many
" offers of timber that would otherwife be made,''
occafioned the Board's determii^.ation to check, at
leaft, //&^/"«ror for building coute-qni-couteihi'ps oi
the line in the Merchants' yards, until the King's
yards ffiould be amply provided with timber;
and it ffiould be fully afcertained what the Ship
wrights therein were capable of performing, when
employed in fuch manner as would call forth their
exertion. 1 ffiall make no comment on the felf import
ance affumed by the Members of any fubordinate
Board, in calling for a Committee of the Houfe of
Commons to inveftigate, in oppofition to the
evidence of fa£Is, whether or not they had ex
ecuted the orders of their fuperiors. If fuch a
demand has been made, it is neceffary I ffiould
referve what I have to advance on the fubjea,
(and I can with truth fay it is of no trifling im
port) urtil it comes under difcuffion ; in thc mean
time, however, I will prove, that the failure in
having tlirec years ftock of timber on hand does not

29
not reft with the late Admiralty. The order for
providing and keeping up that ftock (or 70.000
loads) is dated in 1776. By the lateft return,
previous to their coming into office, i. e. on the
31ft December, 1800, the aaual quantity of tim
ber in all the yards was  28187 loads.
On 31ft December, 1801,  26337
Ditto, 1802, -  23724
Ditto, 1803, -  - - 25053
Before they came into office, a regulation had
been propofed by their predeceffors to the King
in Council, and approved, for eftabliffiing an Of
ficer in each of the Dock-yards, who ffiould have
under his immediate care, refponfibility and ma
nagement, the receipt and converfion of timber;
a meafure which, notwithftanding the clamour
that has been raifed againfl it, has been attended
with the moft beneficial confequences to the pub
lic, and is one of the many regulations in thc
Civil Department of the Navy which will ever
reflea honour and credit on Lord Spencer's Ad
miniftration. To prove that fuch a regulation was
become indifpenfable, it need only be known that
thc receiving Clerks and Meafurers in all the Dock
yards were not only in fee of the Contradors, but
were in faa their Agents. The confequences that
would naturally refult from fuch a codlition need
not be defcribcd; fome fmall ideam?y be formed
from one inftance, viz. of862 trees rrported to the
Navy

so

Navy Board to have been cut up in Deptford
yard (under the immediate infpeaion of that
Board, or more properly fpeaking, of the Comp
troller and fenior Surveyor), in the months of
oaober, November, and December, 1801; no
lefs than 336 were fo defective or rotten, as not to
be fit for any of the principal converfions for
which they had been received and paid,* although
a great part ofthem had not been fix months re
ceived from the Contraaor! The new mode (as
it is called) of receiving of timber, fo much repro
bated, does not deviate in the fmalleft degree
from zvhat had been fiipulated for in all the Con-
traasmadc for more than half a century, and the
Timber-mafter, in fa6t, has only to fee that the
conditions of the ContraSfs, whatever they may be,
which have been agreed upon between thc Navy
Board and the Contraaors, are fulfilled; the con
fequence of which is, that rotten and defeaive
timber no longer finds admittance, and that thc
25JO53 loads of timber remaining in the yards on
the 31ft December, 1 803, aaually contained more
ferviceablc timber than 40,000 loads would have
done under thc old fyftem, which is a much larger
quantity than has been contained in the yards at
any one period for 10 years paft. Notwithftand
ing in the years 1802 and 1803, advances were
made in the price of timber of more than 25 per
cent.
• At the rate of 1 1 a rotten logs per inonth for one yard only.

31
cent, in order to fatisfy the timber-merchants, to
cover all thc differences in the mode of receipt, fo
much complained of, and to induce them to exert
themfelves in providing an adequate fupply, the
Navy Board, in March laft, reprefented to thc
Admiralty the backwardnefs of the merchants in
making offers of future fupplics, and recom
mended the appointment of a Purveyor General
(fome intelligent Umber merchant) to procure all
the timber that ffiould henceforth be required for
the ufe of the Navy. This recommendation did
not, however, meet the approbation of the Ad
miralty, who thought, that if fuch an arrangement
was become abfolutely neceflaiy, it could not be
placed in better hands than the junior Surveyor of
the Navy, who was direaed to take to his aid any
perfons that he might think beft qualified to give
him affiftance, whether belonging to the King's
fervice or otherwife, and to proceed and purchafe
all the timber he poffibly could; and, in the mean
time, it was fubmitted to the confideration of the Go
vernment, whether it would not be advifeable to
fufpend the duties on foreign oak, and fir-timber,
and pipe ftaves, in order to reduce the confump_
tion of Engliffi oak, and to revife and enforce the
laws for preferving a certain number of tillers in
each acre of coppice wood, as the beft means of
infuring a future fupply for the f-rvice of thc
country. The junior Surveyor accordingly pro
ceeded

32

ceeded on this fervice (" a tree hunting*," as the
Brief Enquirer is pleafed to term it) on the ift
April; (and, in truth, had his fervices been often
times more importance to the current duties of
the Navy Office than they really are, his time
could not have been more beneficially employed
for the public than by endeavouring to render
the yards independent uf the Timber-merchants),
and returned on the 29tb, not having been able
to purchafe more than 2750 loads. The Timber-
merchants, well knowing the aaual ftate and nc-
ceffiiies of the yards, kept aloof: fome intended
to withdraw from the fervice; others Vvcre of opi
nion that timber was Jo Jcarce, it was doubtful
whether any could be procured ! At laft, how
ever, their obdurate hearts were foftened, and
they gently yielded to a fdiuLcr advance in thc
price of 10 per cent, with an alteration in the
terms of the Contraa of about 7 per cent, more
in their favour. When this billing and cooing with
the wood doves was over, and the arrangement
was finally fettled, the fcarcity of timber was no
longer talked of, but twenty jive thoujand loads
were offered in a trice. I pafs
• It is well known that he need not have bunted jar for the
neceffary information where to have direfled his route for the
accomplifhrnent of the objeft in view. In one coffee-houfe alone
in this town he might have feen advertifements for the fale of no
lefs than 96,256 oak trees, befides a great number of elm and
beech, and exclufive of J 3 55 trees not defcribed.

I pafs with contempt the afferted anecdote of
thc Affide.-Mcn who endeavour to difcharge
their duty to thc public, by deteaing or expofing
cither fallacy or negligence, muft expea to be
affailed by every fpecies of calumny that difap-
pointfd malice can invent. If they do not feel
themrdves above fuch aflailants, they will
foon ccafc to be of fervice to their country. No
thing can fo fatally betray the weaknefs ofa bad
caufe, as having recourfe to fuch infignificant and
grovelling modes of attack.
On the fubjea of General Imies, the enquirer
is totally in error; from a very brief enquiry in
deed, he might have learnt that the General was
not tried on the authority of an anonymous letter,
but on the evidence which appeared at the Court
Martial on Colonel Berkely, which was of fuch a
complexion that the Admiralty could not do lefs
than fubmit it to the confideraiion of the Attor
ney and Solicitor General, on whofe opinions the
trial of the General, which afterwards took place,
was direaed. In order, however, to ffiew the fen-
timents entertained by thai Officer of the fervices
rendered to the Marine Corps by Lord St. Vin
cent, I bave only to fubjoin thc conclufion of a
letter written by him to his Lordfhip Jubjiquent
to thc trial, conveying, at thc rrqa^ft of the Offi
cers of his divifion, " thanks in their name, as well
C "as

34
«« as his own, for the confideration his Lordfliip
« had manifefled for the inteiefts of his Majefty's
« Royal Marine Corps, and lor which he ffiould
«' hold himfelf ever ready to add his teftimony to
« the reft of his brother Officers."
•'It was far from my wiffi to have faid any thing
refpeaing the meafures which the prefent firft
Lord of thc Admiralty may think proper or be
advifed to purliie, with regard to the Navy ; nor
fhould I have touched on the fubjea, had not the
Brief Enquirer made an obfervation " that thc
« beft mode of giving new vigour and energy to
" our Marine, confifts in the employment of the
*' mcrcbant-docks for thc repair of the ffiips in
" ordinary, &c." If any man fliall have given this
advice to the prefent firft Lord of the Admiralty,
thc following ftatement will fliew how unworthy
he is, be he who he may, of his Lordffiip's confi
dence : I have purpofely feleaed the circumftances
attending the Bofton, becaufe ffie was repaired by
Mr. Wells, M'ho concludes his letter by faying,
" that not one fixpencc of his fortune has hitherto
«¦ been derived from Government; but that in
" his future Contraas he means to fecure hipifelf
«' what he ffiall confider as a juft profit."
The Bofton, a 32-gun frigate, of 676 tons,
was built by coi.traa in the river Thames, in thc
year

35
year 1762, for 7,534/. between which time and
1781, a period of 19 years, there was expended
on her in repairs in the King's yards the fum of
9,522/. In 1783 flie was repaired by contrail in
Mr. Perry's yard for fourteen thoufand two bun-
dred and thirty -four pounds ; and in thc fame
year the Greyhound, a 32-gun frigate, of 682 tons,
was built by another Contraaor for 9,872/., and
had not one ffiilling laid out upon her in repair
before 1794, a period of 11 years, whilft the Bof
ton in 1791, after a lapfe of only 8 years from thc
repair by contraa which had coft fuch an enbr-
mous fum, was again repaired by Mr. PTells, at
the expence of fourteen thoufand four hundred
and jfiy-three pounds, at which time a new fhip
ofherjize and clafs (at the contraa price then paid,
viz. 12/. 4.?. per ton) would have coft no more
than 8,247/.!!!
The Brief jEnquirer concludes by obferviiig,
*' that a certain degree of credit is unqueftionably
" due to thofe who have refigned the manage-
*' ment of our Naval Affairs ; and if they erred in
*' the means, there ' can be no doubt but that the
" intention was good." ^\\\% forry mite of appro
bation, where fo much praife is due, is not worth
acceptance : their intention has indeed been good ;
the whole of their time, thc whole of their atten
tion has been devoted to their coiintry. No objeft
C 2 but

36

but the Public Weal bas ever been in their con
templation. That the Genius of Britain may di
rea the hearts of thofe who have fuccccded them
to perfevere in their meafures, as far as their abili
ty will admit, is the ardent prayer of
PHILO ST. VINCENT.
P. S. Since thefe fheets have been in thc
prefs, thc 6th report of the Commiffioners of
Naval Enquiry has made its appearance, on the
inveftigation of Plymouth and Woolwich Dock
yards, and fuch d'tfgujlin^ Jcenes of negligence, pe-
culationand plu»derzrc therein developed, as could
not be believed, did they come from lefs authority.
If the late Board of Admiralty had done no other
good than the mere expofure of tbe extreme foul-
nefs of thefe Augean Stables, they would deferve
jiatues of gold from their country. When the
« worthy Baronef withdrew his late motion, the
newfpapers report him to have faid, that the pro
curing of Juftice for an injured individual was in
afair way of being fettled. If fuch is really the
cafe, he has placed his friend Mr. Marftall in
a fearful fituation !

THE EJTD.

Bt. ^