82

HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

of carrying this measure also into effect. Contrary winds, tempestuous weather,Fogs, and other occurrences, naturally incident to naval operations, ‘served at dif-ferent

pany, and brought them safe to Spi'head, as the captain of the Charles galley informed the prince’scouncil by letter. ” ’

Mr. Joint Wood being sent for, and charged with this matter, produced two letters, which hemade oath were sent to him from Portsmouth, by captain Edward Friend, the master of one of thecorn ships, the first dated the 21 st, and the other the 22d of June last, wherein it is expressly af-firmed, that about S o’clock in the evening the commander of the convoy sent his boat on board themerchants, to tell them the news, that the Dunkirk squadron was at sea ; and at the same time to Ktthem know, that the convoy will take no farther care of them, but would make the best of their w ayto Portsmouth ; and that the merchants must shift tor themselves.

Captain John Falkner, the master of the Navy, another of the Ships from Shoieham, made oath,that the commander of the convoy sent his boat on board the merchants, to tel) them, that he had ad-vice of a French squadron, and that they must shift for themselves, for they would take no care.ofthem, hut would make the best of their way to Portsmouth : and he sw’ore the convoy were asgoedas their woid, and made alt the sail they could, having got in thither a considerable time Itcfore themerchants, who were in very great danger of b£ing taken, having been chased at least eight hours by aFrench privateer.

The 2/tli paragraph relates to the merchants complaints of the many and great losses of ships oiFBeachy, and upon the English coast upon their return home.

What this paragraph says, is, that these ships were runners, and should have put into Ports-mouth till they had an opportunity of convoy ; and when the merchants shall leave o/F tiading inthese gallics, or runners, which are subject to many misfortunes by going without, it is to be hoped,their losses will be less. Their lordships cannot think it strange, if the merchants are very unwillingto put into Portsmouth, in hopes of convoy, after the instances given by them of their ships lyingthere manv months, in vain expectation of men of war to convoy them.

As to the proposal that the merchants should leave off tiading in galiies, in expectation of convojs,the lords committees observe, the use of this kind of vessel was taken up during the late war, and hasbeen continued ever since with very great success, till within two years past, during w hich time therehas been in a manner a total neglect of any cruizers in the Channel or Soundings, or any man of warto guard their coast.

These ships are built for sailing, and also to row with oars, they carry more goods than are properfor sailing, and carry twice the number of men that a common sailing ship does, and are of force from16 to 40 guns.

There is no convoy granted to any trade within the Srreights. but to Turkey only, which is neverabove once in the year, and must be acknowledged to be too seldom to answer the occasions of thetraders to Leghorn, Genoa, Venice, ar.d other places in those seas.

If therefore the use of galiies, or single ships, le given up (for if any single ship be used in trading,it will l e gran d he galiies are the better sailets, and have the advantage of any common built stiij s),and all '.lit Mediterranean trade is to be carried on-by convoys, that whole trade will be, in a manner,

lost