Star.
London, England, 1805-04-01 00:00:00

NAVAL StRTICF.S.

*MT TMPILILETED IT THt MATT •OAILD, TOIL MITT

On examining the b<;nlccottaining the regillry of
Bills ailed by the Naval Board, we lifciwered that
confiderable fums had been advance by way of im-
preft, during the late war, for the performance of
Secret Naval. Services.
The impreft againft one of thee parties, amount-
ing to too,oool. having been taken off. and the ac•
count doled in the books of the Navy Office in a
manner which appeared to us irregular, we enquired
into the circumnances"rf the tranfaaion.

From the examination-of the Comptroller of the
Navy, we learned that this cum bad been advanced
by the Navy Board, in confequence of direCtions
given by the Lords Comm;illor.ers of the Treafuty,
to the Comptroller, which were marked " Moft Se-
cret ;" that pool. had been repaid into the hands of
the Treaforer of the Navy, and that the remaining
imprefl of 95,0001. had been cleared, or taken off,
by the direCtion of the Lords Commiffioners of the
Treafury, fignified by their Secretary's letter to the.
Navy Board, dated the ill of May 184.
By his Ma:Jelly's Order in Council for regulating
the Navy Office' dated the Bth of June, 1796, the
Comptroller of the Navy is autitorifed to execute
fuch Secret Naval Cervices as may be directed by the
Firft Lord of the Admiralty for the time being ;
and, after the fervices are performed, the Comptrol-
ler is required to communicate his orders, and his
proceedings thereon, to the Navy Board for their con-
currence. In cafe a majority (honld difapprove of
any part of his conduit, they are to fubmit the whole
with the reafons for fuch difapprobation' to the Firft
Lord of the Admiralty, whole decifion thereon is to
be confidered as final.

Upon this Order in Council inflrneinns were drawn
up by the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty for
the conduit of the Navy Board, and they were di-
reeked to conform thereto by their Lordfhips order
of the 17th of Auguft, 1796, in which there is an
omiffion that we think it right to notice.
II is not Hated in that order under whole direc-
tions or authority the Comptroller is to perform the
Secret Services therein mentioned. The order runs
thus :

66 All contratts are to he made by the Board at.
" large, thofe for Secret Seriices only excepted,
66 which are to be entrufted to the Comptroller,
" who is hereby authortfed to execute fuch
64 duty."
Whereas, in the Order in Council, after flitting that
eontrafLs of every kind are to be made by the Board
at large. thofe for Secret Services excepted, which
are to be entrufted to the Comptroller, it is ex-
pretled,
" That the Secret Services above-mentioned fhould

" be performed ander tbeauthority of the Fieji Lord
" of the Admiralty for the time king."
This million fhonld be reetified, as we are of opi•
nion it is of confiderable importance that the feve.
ral fubordinate Boards fhould hive precife informa-
tion, not only of the extent of the authority veiled
in them, but of the authority under which they are
to ail.

The Navy Board, by their patent of appointment,
are required to follow fuch orders and inftrudions
as they may from time to time receive from the Lord
High Admiral, or rife Commilli'sncrs for executing
the office of Lord High Admiral, for, the time being;
and it doe, not appear, that the.) are authorifed td
follow directions which may be given to them by any
other Department of Government. It is, however,
Dated by the Comptroller and the Secretary, that
the Board have been in the conflant pradice of re-
ceiving and following directions from the Lords Com.
miffioners of his Majefly's Treafury, in certain
cafes, which they have enumerated. It alfo appears
by the account entered in the Appendix, Nn. 4, that
t 6,0001. have been advanced by the Navy Board to
MeiTrs. Harumerfley and Co, for the performance of
a Secret Naval Service, which was directed by one
of his Majefty's principal Secretaries of State. If it
be jedged expedient that the Navy Board fhould fol.
low the diredions of any other Department of Go.
vernment than that under which they are placed ex-
clufively by their patent, we think they lhould be fur-
nilbed with fpeci6c authority to that effect, and that
they should in no cafe depart from their inflruaions,
without the fandion of the Lords Commiffioners of
the Admiralty.
It is Dated by the Comptroller, that the fervices
for which the fum in queition of tochoool. was ad-
vanced, were not performed under his orders, but
under the directions of the Lords Commiffioners of
the Treafury, by whofe authority the imprclt was
cleared, without any account of the expenditure of
the money being rendered to the Navy Board.
It is molt probable that a communication of the
c;rcumllances of this tranfadion was made to the
Fire Lords of the Admiralty at the time of advanc-
ing the firtt part of this money ; it does nor, how-
ever, appear, from his Lordlhip's examination, that
he directed the meafure ; and the Fire Lord of the
Admiralty, at the time the laft advance was made,
and when the impreft was taken off, was altogether
uninformed of the tranfadioo.

Notwitlitianding the time which has elapfed fince
the advance of the money, and the injunctions of the
Order in Council, we find that the Comptroller has
not communicated to the Navy Board his proceed-
ings in this Wines, or even made them acquainted
with the nature of the fervice performed. The rea-
fon given by the Comptroller for this departure from
his rnftruftions is, that the fervice is of fo delicate a
nature, that he does not think it prudent to make the
circumliance public.
After this declaration we forbore to enquire into
the purpofes to which this money had been applied,
and, of courfe, have no evidence of the nature of the
fervices performed ; yet we have reafon to believe,
that they were of fuch a nature as to come within
the defcription of Naval Services. There are cir-
comiltnces, conneaed with the public intereß, which
have irrluced 115 to withhold the names of the parties
to whom the money was advanced, and the nature
of the fervice to which we apprehend it has been ap.
; but, as the only fecurity 'which the• public
have for the propriety of the dilburfements of public
money by the Comptroller of the Navy, which may
be cunfidered of a fecret nature, is the ultimate in-
velligation of the Navy Board, to which all tranfac-
lions of this nature are diredted by the Order in
Couccil to be (Omitted, upon the completion of the
lervices, we think fo falutary a regulation ought not
to be departed from.

By the :acetone entered in the Append;:, No. 4,
it will be feen that other fumy have been advanced by
the Navy Board for the performance of fecret Naval
Services ; but as there Services are not yet terminat-
ed, we can only recommend, that as loon as they
are completed, the communication, direfled by his
Majefty's Order in Council, be made to the Navy
Board.

Can. M. POLL (L.S.)
Office of Naval EWAN LAW (L.S.)
Enquiry, No. 24, loos FORD S.)
Great George-Itrect, enni Nzcnotts (L.S.)
4th March,lBos. Wit. MACKWORIII PRALD (LS.)
APPENDIX.—No. ar.
GICNTLEMEN ellßlTlterg Ift May, 1804.

, .
The film of 93,0001. having been'imprelted to
Naval Services% and the Lords Commitlioners of his Majelty's
Treafury being Tatisfied that dilburfentents for thole fervices have
been made by them to that.amount ;
lam commanded by their Lordiltips tmdiredt you to caufc a
clearing bill for the fail fum ef 95,0c01. to be made out, to dif-
charge --•••, in the books of your office from that imprcit.
I am, Gentlemen, your molt obedient fervant,
Commillioners of the Navy. tv. VANCITTAIT.
NO. 12.—The examination of the Right Hon. the Earl Spencer,
K. G. taken upon oath the 6th November, 1804.
It appears that between the 4th October, 1799, and the 9th
April Mt, Navy Dills, amounting to tc..0,0001. were Med by the
Navy Board to for Naval Services, of which sarxl.
haat been repaid t t the Treafurer of the Navy on the 9th Odohcr
0102, and the remainder of the impreß cleared and taken off by
an order front the Right Hon. the Lords Conunifil nets of his
Majeity's Treafury, 70,0001. of which turn were advanced between
the 4th °dotter and 22t1 November, 1799, during which period
your I.ordlhip preficled at the hoard of Ac.miralty—Q. Was any
part of this tranfaCtion known to your Lordtaip ?—.A. I apprehend
the tranfadtion was known to me at the time; but I have not
now a fufficient reolledtion to (peak precifely on the fubjeet.

CO. Y.. POLt. £VAN LAW. JOHN roan.

1111114 N1C1101.1.1. Wl4. MACICWO4TH PRAM.

SPESCER.

No. 23.—The examination of the Right Hon: the sari of St. via-
cent, K. B. taken upon oath the 2d of November, tiloa.

ft appears, that between the 4th Odtoher, 3799, and 9th April
1831, Navy Bills, amounting to sco,cooL were jibed by the Navy
Board to for Naval Services, of which soca hare
been repaid to the Treafurer of the Navy on the 9th (Mabee 180:,
and the remainder of the imprelt cleared and taken off by an order
from the Lords CommiMoners of his Majelly's Treafury, 30,0001.
of which film were advanced On the 9th of April sitot, at which
time your Lordelits prefided at the Board of Admiralty.—QWas
any part of this tranfadlion known to yor ?—A. None whatever.
Q. It appearing that the turn of 14,0001. was advanced by the
Navy Board to Mars. T. Hammerfley and Company, between
the 18th of February, an.l 2 ft of April /8:4, for a ferret (d-
-yke ; was the Comptroller of the Navy authorized by you to per-
form any keret ferviee for which tl I. money was advanced, or
had you any knowlete of the tri:f.celion Z—A. He was not
nor have I any knowledge of the tranfaclon.

ST. VINCENT.

CH. W. PALE. EWAN LAW. JOHN 10113.
■CNRY NICHOLLS. WM. MACKWOR PItAED.

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