80

HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

proved so successless as to render a repetition of the same project ridiculous andcensurable. Tire only alternative that remained was to post a force sufficient to

awe

the Admiralty-office, from both the secretaries of state, of the strength of the Dunkirk squadron ;and when it is fully pioved, that they owned that they had notice die squadron was gone West-ward.

The tenth paragraph of the answer relates to the complaint of the merchants touching the Russiaships.

The instructions given to Sir William Whetstone, of the 10th of June last, take notice that theDunkirk squadron was gone to the Northward, and that there was reason to believe it was designed forthe coast of Norway ; under orders to look-out for, and endeavour to intercept, the fleet bound toRussia for naval stores; which made rt absolutely necessary, that the convoys to that trade should bestrengthened. He is therefore directed to proceed, with all the merchant ships under his convoy, asfar as the Northernmost part of the isle of Shetland ; and there to leave them to prosecute their voy-age with their proper convoy.

The lords make this observation, that after such intelligence, sir William Whetstone’s ordersshould have been to see a fleet of such consequence out of danger before he left them.

The 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16 th paragraphs, relating principally to the former deposition of Mr.Jacob Henckell, the lords committees ordered him to attend again ; and he was farther examined inrelation to the facts mentioned in the answer.

He desired to observe, that the 13th paragraph made him to assert what was not in his desposition ;for he did not say the corn ships were ready to sail in Jnly and August, but that a great quantity ofcorn was bought in those months.

In the 14th head of the answer, much weight seems to be hid upon the circumstance, that theNassau did not arrive at Spithead till the 20th of October; whereas Mr. Henckell, in his complaint,had sworn, the Nassau came to Spithead the 16th at night, the same day tire convoy sailed from thence.To clear himself, Mr. Henckell produced two original letters, signed byCoroelius Collies, his captain,written from Portsmouth ; the one dated the 1 pth of October, which says, the Nassau came too late fortheconvoy, hut wasnt that time at Sphlread ; andtbeotheTdatedfoe-SSth, which says expressly, theNassau came to St. Helen’s tire same night foe Lisbon fleet sailed. Mr. Henckell affirmed also, thatbe had other advices which fully verified what Ire had said in his former deposition as So the Nassau’sariivingthe 18th at Spithead.

The 1 7th head of rite answer says, that those ships, which the merchants supposed lay idle at Ports-•mouth so long, were under orders for particular services.

Upon consideration of this paragraph, and of the paper to which it refers, the matters of fact,whereof foe merchants did complain, seem, in effect, to be admitted to be true ; and the services forwhich it is alledged the ships were designed, do not -appear so pressing, but that some of them mighthave been employed to help the merchants in their great extremity.

As to the lSth head, which relates to Coward’s complaint that his ships let to freight to the com-missioners of victualling were long detained ; the answer says, it is not doubted they were taken up atso much per mouth freight; and the owners will be paid for foe time they have been employed, ac-cording to tire agreement made with them.