III. to give the Privy-Seal to the Lord Bishop of Bristol, a Gentleman who had recommended himself to Her Favour by a Faithful and Judicious Execution of the Office of Envoy in Sweden during the Reigus of his late, and Her prefent Majetty. In September News came to England that Commodore Littleton fail'd from Jamaica with Her Majesty's Ship he commanded, in quef of M. du Caffe and the Galleons, and that he had met and taken one Spanish Galleon of 90 Guns, very richly laden, and another Spanish Ship of 26 Guns, and was in purfuit of the reit. But he overtook them not, for du Caffe failed for Europe, but met with so violent a Storm that he was not heard of for feveral 'Months. At the end of the Year it was faid Advices from Martineco gave Account of his arrival there very much fbatter'd. Thefe were all the publick Events. Nothing happen'd at home all this Summer of Note, except the Debates in Converfation concerning the Faults of the late Ministry. For the vast Summ the Debt to the Navy amounted to, and the Smart Reprefentation of the Houfe of Commons thereupon; but efpecially that Article wherein the Thirty Five Millions was mentioned, gave occafion to very free Difcourfe at this time. The common People generally believ'd that the Ministry had mifpent a great part of the Money paid in Taxes, and that they were fo confcious of their Guilt that they dufit not let their Accounts be feen. To remove therefore this Prejudice, and to Vindicate themselves, the Old Ministry, or fome body for them, publifh'd an Account of the Nature and Rife of the Navy-Debt. The Substance whereof is as follows, viz. 1. That part of the Debt was of long ftanding, 1. there being due to the Navy fo early as Michael-> 1,722679 mas 1702. 2. That the Funds given by Parliament for the 1,7226 Navy produced fhort of what they were given for. $1,411001 Which together make the Sum of - This being Deduted out of the whole Debt, leaves 3,133680 1,996857 Which Money was actually paid to the Publick in necessary Services which were not provided for by Parliament, viz. By Interest on Navy-Bills By Interest on Victualling-Bills By Gratuities given for importing Naval Stores 1. s.id. 242265. 12. 209239.13 6 from America, purluant to Act of Parliament, 3, 4°.> 18cco. 16. 6 Anna. By Bounty-Money of 51. per lead given for French Pritoners, purfuant to Act Parliament, 6. 34155. co By Encouragement given for Railing Seamen purfe aft to Act of Parliament 4 004,729.10.5. By Rebuilding Ships loft in the Storm, purfuant to Addrefs of Parliament By Bounty to Widows of Seamen loft in the Storm, pursuant to Addrefs of Parliament. By Bounty to Officers ferving under Sir George' Rook, Ditto. 134232. o. o 1711; 015158. o. 4 30777.13.s By the Ordinary of the Navy for the whole Year 1704, which was not provided for by Parliament >120000, that Year By an extraordinary Expence in the Ordinary of the Navy beyond the 120000l. per Annum, given by 126.000, Parliament which comunibus Annis, amounted to 14000l. per Annum, and for Nine Years comes to. By fo much iffued to the Commiffioners of Tranfports, which had not been provided for by Parliament, but was neceflary for the Service order'd by Parliament in the Years 1702, 1703, and 1704., By extraordinary Expence upon Account of the Marines, 8000 whereof are included in the 40000 Men provided for by Parliament; but the Pay of them and their Officers is fo much more than the Pay of fo many Seamen would amount to, that there has paid on that Account in eight Years c84515: 12.8 119675.8. By to much iffued to the Office of Sick and Wounded 100228. 14.6 By the Hire of Ships to carry out Victuals and Pro-145598.17 vifions to the Men of War, in these Nine Years tugal. 17.3 ·3606806.7.7 Total 1,991383. 6. Which wants to Ballance but 5474 l. 13 s. 11 d. With respect to the laft Article which the Commons took particular Notice of in their Reprefentation. 'Twas anfwer'd, That it was extream difficult to get Men for the Service in Spain, and therefore all Encouragements were neceffary; but to deny them Subfiftance on board, would have been a great Difcouragement. Befides, they were always at Short Allowance, and receiv'd 2 d. per Diem for Tobacco and Brandy, which was Deducted out of their Pay, whereby 3 d. per Diem only remain'd of their Subfiftance Money, which altho' it had been stop'd and reaffign'd to the Victualling-Office, would not have amounted to much above a fourth part of the Sum. For that Office reckoned the Charge at a Medium between 10 or 12 d. per Diem with Allowance for the Dearness of Provifion, through the Lofs by Difcount of Bills and all other incident Charges. The Allowance of Provision to the Garison of Gibraltar has been always Granted neceffary, because of the exceffive Dearness of all things they have occafion to buy there, whereby 12d, a Week there, will not go fo far as 6 d. a Week here. Upon 1711. Upon the feening heavy Charge that Thirty Five Millions remain'd unaccounted for, it must be remark'd that the Address did not intend to mean that no Accounts had been given for all that Sum, but that fo much remain'd undifcharg'd. For by the Report of the Comittee, which the Commons publifh'd in Print, it ap pears that Accounts had been given in of all but Seven Millions, 'Tis therefore neceffary to diftinguth between Rendring and Pafing an Account, every Accountant to the Publick ought always to be ready to Render his Account; That is, fhew how he has difpos'd of the Money committed to his Charge, but it will be impoffible for him to Pafs his Account till all the Vouchers requir'd by the Forms of the Exchequer be produc'd. The Commons therefore distinguish'd, and faid, for a great part whereof no Accounts are giyen in. The State of the whole Account, according to the Report of the House of Commons, flands thus. The Earl of Ranelagh's Charge 21.015.618. 19. 41 14,593,665.04. 2. 4,803, 154.0, 81 fore} 1,617,029,5. 11 By his final Account now before the Auditors. Remains to be Accounted for 21,013.847.10.10 1. 1771. 8. 6 The Committee declare alfo, That this Lord inform'd them that his Accounts were difallow'd by the Auditors for want of Vouchers in Form, that he had obtain❜d a Privy-Seal for 3,156248 4. and was Solliciting for the rest. The Honourable James Bridges Efq; prefent Paymaster His Charge amounts to 1. I d. 15,374,289.2 By Accounts actually paffed. * Declaration 956,789. 6: 5 By Accounts now lying before the 4,247,279.13.3 Auditors 9,054,281. 15. o Remains to be accounted for L 6,320,007.6. 11 Note, Note, Mr. Bridges has fince given in an Account The Lord Falkland, Treafurca of the Navy. His Charge between December 31, 1682, and March 16, 1684. Whereof Difcharg'd By Accounts actually Pafs'd and 3,094723-7.11÷ 1.122133. S. II By Accounts now lying before the1465368. s. 9 Auditors 2,587501.11.8 Remains to be Accounted for 507221.16. a Sir Thomas Littleton, late Treasurer of the Navy. His Charge between May 29, 1699, and December 18,382750.1. S 31, 1709. Whereof Discharg'd By Accounts actually pafs'd 7,559,382.5 3 By Accounts lying before the Auditor 3,557,993. 7 10 By Accounts under Examination of 16,796,936. the Navy Board A 10 I By Money paid over to Mr. Walpole 421250. 1: 1 Remains to be Accounted for 18,329562. 4.4 $3187.17. I Captain Atkinsoon, Commissioner for Transport in the late War. Remains to be Accounted for The Prefent Commiffioners for Transport. His Charge. Which remains to be accounted for 108,118.16.10 1711. Mr. Mafon. Ditto." His Charge. Which Remains to be accounted for Mr. Micklethwaite, prefent Treafuver. Ditto. 480209. 0.11 His Charge Remains to be accounted for 262,813.19.7 103,766.10.2 Mr. Povey, late Treafurer to the Sick and Wounded. His Charge 136160.0 Whereof discharged by Accounts now lying before 135478. 7. the Auditors "Remains to be Accounted for Captain Savery, prefent Treasurer. Ditto. His Charge 683.13 276078.8.2 Discharged by Accounts paffed, and by Accounts 138538. 8. 2 now lying before the Auditors Remains to be Accounted for 137540.0.6 Now therefore altho' by this Account there remain the faid Sum of Thirty Five Millions, &c. Unpaffed, yet the Accounts "given in, which fhew the Money that has been actually paid to the Service of the Publick reduce that Sum to Seven Millions, &c. as thus. Ballance upon Lord Ranelagh's Accout 7,557513, 02, 6 Ballance upon Captain Savery's Account Out of which Deducting Mr. Bridge's late Account 3,227778. 2. 6 CI. Total of Publick Money unaccounted for 4,329735, |