HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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hie destruction of an insignificant fishing town, added to the paltry triumph ofhaving destroyed a few miserable barques, whose very humble occupation and

value

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4 . As to the complaint of the arbitrary proceedings of the captains of her majesty’s ships, in im-pressing seamen from merchant ships in die West Indies, and at their return into the ports of GreatBritain.

If tltis hath been done, it is contrary to the constant and direct orders given to the said captains, bywhich they are required not to impress any men from merchant ships in the plantations, without ap-plying to, and receiving the consent of, the respective governor*; and then never above one out offive, which is more than have ever been exacted from them during this war. If, for the bettermanning her majesty’s fleet, any men are taken from merchant ships, when they arrive here, thecaptains of her majesty’s ships are strictly required to supply as many good men in their room tobring them into the ports whereto they are designed ; and to send a careful officer with them.When such men have performed those services, they are allowed the usual conduct-money to enablethem to repair to their proper ships again : but, if tills should be true, it must needs seem hard to theirlordships that the merchants do impute to the lord-high admiral the miscarriages of his officers, whichhave never been complained of to him without a proper redress.

5 . As to the Gosport’s being taken in the passage to the West Indies, in June, 1706, with severalother convoys.

This was an accident that could neither be foreseen nor prevented : and these ships being taken al-most 300 miles in the sea, on which occasion as the queen’s officers did all that was possible in thedefence of the merchant ships, so it is hoped that their lordships justice and wisdom will not makesuch misfortunes criminal.

6. Another complaint is, that the Lisbon fleet, under convoy of the Warspitc and Swiftsure, wasattacked in March, 1706-7, and fourteen merchant ships taken in the Soundings.

This convoy had the misfortune to fall in with feventeen ships belonging to the enemy, which weregoing directly from Brest to the West Indies; and, by the greatest chance imaginable, met them iutheir passage.

7. It is farther alleged, that the Newfoundland fleet was attacked in April, under convoy of the'Falkland and Medway prize.

These two ships did, in their passage out, meet with eight sail of enemy’s privateers, from 20 to 30guns, with which they engaged ; but carried all their convoy safe to Newfoundland, except two thatmade sail from them, and by that means fell into the enemy’s hands.

8. It is alleged, that a coasting convoy was attacked in April off the land’s end. This may betrue, though this is the first advice of it.

9. Another complaint there is, that the Hampton Court, Royal Oak, and Grafton, sailing from the'Downs, on the 1st of May last, were the next day attacked, and the Hampton and Grafton, with abouttwenty merchant ships, taken by the Dunkirk squadron, of which no intelligence had been received■otherwise than that they were, in the Flemish Road, notwithstanding what is sworn by Mr. Dawson,•that he was told at the Admiralty Office the said squadrou was gone to Westward; for, upon the strictest•examination of all the advices, and of the minutes of the office of that very day, there does not appearany notice of the enemies ships being sailed to the West j wherefore those three ships, which were

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