Star.
London, England, 1803-05-31 00:00:00

N.lr.4L EA' Ull2l.

' Upon this reptelentatit:ll, the Navy soard, by
warrant, dated the 4th of September, 1795, remind
Mr. SMITH of, his inittuCtions, and require A compli-
ance therewith, in the mode of taking up money ; and
by direCtions from the Right Hon. the Lords Corn.
mithoners of the Admiralty, call upon him for an ac-
count current of the lams he had received, by ex-
change for bills drawn upon them, and the amount
' of the funs he had paid when the exchange had not.
been in favour of the drawer ; clearly evincing by
inch warrant, that they confidered their inftruCtions
to apply to the premium, as they did not make any
Ipecific nintion of it, although Rear Admiral Pat-
K kit had In delignated the advantage of the exchange
in Hs reprcfentation.
" To neither of thefe direCtions Mr. SMITH paid
any attention ; and perfevering in the praftice of
drawing bills at par, without giving the public the
benefit of the exchange, he was, particularly on that
account, as well as for other irregularities, difiniffed
from his office by the Right Hon. the Lords Com-
miffioners of the Admiralty, at the infante of the
I Navy Board ; and his conduft was judged fo repre-
henfible, that orders were fent out to the Commander
in Chief to firperfede him immediately, and to appoint
a perfon to aft in his place until his fucceffor might
arrive. The perfon appointed sera Mr. HENRY
BROUGHTON. the Chief Clerk in the Office; and
during his continuance in that fituation, he drew upon
the Navy Board for the firm of 37,00c1. on which
Ilan no premium has been carried to account.
" On the Bth of July, 1796, Mr. JAMES DICIE
was appointed Naval Storekeeper at Jamaica, and
took charge of his office on the tit February, 1797.
At the time of his appointment, he received from the
Navy Board a copy of the printed inftruftions, arr-
ay given to Naval Storekeepers, without any fpecific
direftioris as to the appropriation of the premium on
his bills.

IA: FIRST REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS APPOINT

ED EY ACT 43. C O. M.

NAVAL STORFKFI.PERS AT JANIAICA.
'6 The Ad of Parliament having pa I.J, by which
tt e were c,ntlituted Commiffloners to enquire and
ex ot,ige into any irregnlarities. frau.is. or abufes
which ale, or I:ay.. been praailed by puffins employ
ed in the f..v.:ral Naval Departments therein men.
Coved, and in the butinefs of Prize Agency ;—We
intmetli riely took the oath prefcribed, and atter let.
fling the neceifary art angettients of office, proceeded
without delay to the execution of the duties impoled
on ty. by the .-161.
" To enable us more readily to fulfil the intentions
of the Legitlature, we required the Right Hon. the
la.rds Commiffmners of the Admit alty to lay before
us ally information they had collated, relative to the
ebjems of Our enquiry In compliance with this re-
quifi:ion, we received from their Lordfhips the exa-
minations and minutes taken on their late vifitation
to the dock yards, with copies of their correfpon
dente with the Navy and Visaualling Boards, and a
variety of other papers and letters relative to the
abufes they had difeovered, and the alterations and
amendments they had eflabliflied in the fevcral de-
partments, which we think will be attended with much
advantage to the public fervice. We Alb called upon
the other Boards, for a general account of imprelis
ontlianding ; of bills drawn upon them by agents
abroad, and other flatements, which appeared need:
lary to our future invcaigations, And would take a
confidet able time in the preparation.
" The conduct of the Naval Storekeepers abroad,
more elpecially in regard to the mode of their taking
up money for the public fervice, and the rates of ex-
change at which they credited Government in their
accounts, together with the purchafes of (lures made
by them, appeared to us fribjeels to which our en-
quiries might be advantageoufly direCted, it being
apprehended that confiderable abufes had been prac-
tiled in thefe tranfaCtions.
" The Commillinners appointed by Alf of Parlia
ment to enquire into the Fees, Gratuities, Perquifites,
and Emoluments of the feveral Public Offices, and
alfo into the abufes that may exitt in thefame, thought
proper, after examining the ellabliffiment and con-
slat of the Officers at home, to make a feparate re-
port, under the head of Naval and ViCtualling De-
partments, at foreign and diflant Ports.'
" In this report they exhibit revere' inftanees of
frauds and abufes, committed abroad ; and, after
pointing out come cafes, in which a fufficient fuper-
intending power was not ellabliffied, and intimating
that in others this power had been wholly negleded,
or its operation corruptly withheld, they recommend-
ed many improvements in the fyftem; fome of which
have been adopted : but that others more effeCtual
are required, we have occafion to obferve, from the
zefult of an examination into a cafe laid before us,
and which we now proceed to make the fubjea of the
prefent report.
" Before we enter the detail of the cafe, it may be
ufeful to Rate, that the duties of Naval Storekeepers
on the foreign nations, are contained in a book of in-
firntlions of ancient date, to which additions have
from time to time been made.

4, Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, the former Naval Store-
keeper, returned to England loon after Mr. DICK'S
arrival at Jamaica ; but we do not find, that the order
requiring an account of his premium or difcount was
enforced, or any further proceedings had, regarding
the bills drawn by him without the fignatnre of the
Commander in Chief, which had been directed by the
Admiralty to be paid, lift Government (hould fuller
in its credit: And his accounts, notwithtlanding his
failure in a compliance with this order, and his ne-
gled in carrying to account the premium on his bills,
even after the directions of the Navy Board for that
purpofe, have all been finally paired without further
notice ; and the fecurity bond, which he entered into
for two thoufand pounds, with two fureties, has alfo
been given up. It has been hated to us, that accounts'
though pallid, are open to revilion, and the party
concerned liable to anfwer for any frauds or irregula-
rities; but we conceive a public board would appear
with an ill grace, in any fuit inilituted fur the recovery
of money, after the accounts had been finally paired,
the bond of the party returned, and his fureties re-
leafed. In the cafe above alluded to, fuch fuit would
now be fruidefs, from the rubrequent infolvency of
Mr. SMITH.

" Although it does not appear that Mr. Dice had
any public admonition or information given to him,
as to the mircondutt of his predeceffor, which we
cannot but think might have been proper ; yet, as he
had recourfe to books at the Navy Office, from which
he might have gained that information, although, in
his evidence, he alledges that he fearched thole books
merely for the purpofe of difcovering whether his f -
lacy commenced from the day of his appointment, or
from the time of his taking poffeffion of the office;
we cannot for a moment doubt, but that he was per.
tealy acquainted with the caufes of his predeceiTor's
difmiffion, and that the (lunge manner in which he
acted with regard to the papers of his office, on his
arrival at Jamaica, if truly hated ►y him, was de.
fignedly to lay ground for a plea of ignorance, in cafe
his poireflion of the Navy Board's warrant, of the 4th
'Sept. 1795, on the fubjett of the exchange, &mild be
afterwards brought in qneftion. Lord H no se Ss y Nona,
in his letter of z t ft December t goo, hates his convic-
tion, that that warrant was received and fuppreffed
and the examination of Mr. Wvt. SMITH, late Naval
Storokeeper at Jamaica, now confined for debt is the
Fleet Ptifon, confirms the falt of its having been re•
ceiveli.—(7o be cratamed.)

[Here the sth article of the ;nitrations is Mfert-
ed. It contains direftions for the condo& of Naval
Storekeepers on foreign Rations, in procuring money
for their bills of exchange, and in making purchafes
of (Sores.]
I 4, We alfn think it neceflary to give force Mort
ac-
count of the currency and exchange between this
country and the Weft Indies.
•' In the feveral Well India Viands there is a rcfpec
tive currency or valuation of money ellablithed, the
fixed proportional value of which, to the money of
this country, conititntes the par, or current exchange.
It does not, however, determine the adual rate of ex
ei,ang,e,for that fluCtuates trim the fame caufes which
affect the exchange between other countries. In An-
tigua and the other Elands, with the exception of Ja.
maica, the cuitom that prevails in drawing Bills is,
to add the premium when the exchange is above par,
expregiug them both in one furn; and in the lame
manner reducing the amount when the exchange is
at a difcount or below par.
• At Jamaica, inflead of this plain and dire& mode
of rperation, nothing appears in the bills drawn from
thence, but the exchange of 1401. (sct per cent. being Yellerilay, after the trial of Mr. Aflett had been
the difference between the currency of that ifland and put off till nest SefLons,as Rated in yeherday's Snit,
the money of this country) leaving the premium of twentyprifoners were tried,nineof whom wereconvid-
dilcount,which conhitittes the adual rate of exchange, ed of felony, viz.
to he leparately charged in the accounts current be. J. De Calla, for healing a law, the property of R.
twcen the parties. Conk ; M. Jones, for healing a pewter quart pot, the
• By the examination of WM. NKTTLT SHIP. Efq. property of J. Ivefon ; I'. Atterfley, for healing Ave
Accountant to oh: Right linnonrable and Honourable fmelling bottles, the property of T. Price ; R. Eve-
the Board of Ordnance, we learned, that the lubjed lyn, for healing a Alva table fpoon, and other arti.
of premium on hills of exchange, was brought under cles, the property of J. Littler ; and E. Goddard,
the cognizance of that Board in the year 1786 ; and for receiving the fame, knowing it to be Rolen ; M.
that fince the year 1789, it has been invariably ac- A. Cherfpnrt, for healing a gown, the property of
counted Am- by their Agents at Jamaica. How it In J. Prendergrafs ;W. Thorn, for healing a law and
long efcaped the obfervation of the Navy Board. we ether articles, the property of John Moil ;—James
are at a lois to underhand, efpccially a% we find from Parker, for healing two thins, the property of James
the accounts of hills drawn from the doTerent Rations I Ratcliff.
abroad, that at Halifax, the fame 'malice Janet Rudd was indiled for fcloainurly healing a
prevails of drawing bill. at par a: at Jamaica, yet a quantity of grains, the property of John Clements.
premium has been regid gircn cr,tlit for, or till- Roberi Mgt, was alto inclided for receiving the fame,
count charged on the hills c, twn (torn thence. knowing them to be flolen.
I.ladt iiateding t! .t! toi• heel: repee. It appeared that the profecotor, who is a fmall-
fmted t:. th. Navy Boa: and that Mr \V -s.!•:MITM, beer brewer, lent the ricotta Rudd, and another
vtlio was Naval :torckeei;er at Jo:via:ea it the corn- man named fltilev, pith a waggon on the toth of,
mencemem of the war, had I rum ho< j tl:;; rnntait, to frtch thaty quartets of grains from a
funati m, f,,r perliiing in the r: not giving bre%th,,ldt. XVltrn the waggon came back, Clements
C,orei ;anent creait tor the fa,:tinnini on !!.e ocu I.er , bierved, that li,me of the property had
thr ditedious he had received for dm, pot p, le, tt:l,,,vcd, and immediately made inquiry of the
',Hired from the Nay y hoard a c.,,y f Curt, nc, n,!,1 what had hecime of it ? The latter
fanndence a hich led t:i the Mr. Fat, if, i• ti t: c knowledge of it, as did Bailey. The
arid the order giyro ci.rreuprn, a::d and di: : v-a.. however, convinced in his mind, that
tn. or correspondence sshirh mica: have ',ailed !le had been rt.Y•cd, and on the morning following,
his iti:cetllnv, as to tee approp::et:un of the picmitan roceedcd to ilifccver the fad. On going up the
on their Bills. l line through v.i ice, die waggon had paired, he law
.• la thi correftiondenre it arovir,, th it r.,n Our grains lying on tit,• yrioind clorc by the gate of
14:1. Jo y. t 795, Near Admit ai N!. AR s, 01.11 p, honer !mole, near the Hackney Road,
r in at J'lnf4".l. ..1 th? ~,n t%!:ich he procured :in (.6:. cr from the Police Of.
Nail Board the cin'hia't Na kerrer, f, in Wm (hip-greet, feat cited the premifes, and
in a,- a,i4 to contra,: It. id,.,llr,Vtintis, in tit • v., he '.nind the pro;,cr ty !en iii Mr. \V iiliv's 'table, the
of la: ~t r .•
m ncy ; aril la:, his WWI::: •17 ,:f which to II.: his by the colour.—
g .:r.d the nt 1,•1. to Govei emelt!, !e, !,e It ..ley, the man ~l:•, &rye il.e waggon with Rudd,
then If per crott that I,t]r.}• the rico:Mtn wl.ieu the n,, tut-ting a tlilCovcry likely to take place, rinmedi
ivir Admiral had receivrai vaotig.t itcly communicated to the pmfecutor that Willis
11131. piiiuttlainsra- t bought the grains of the riforter Rudd for two
•
• -

OLD BAILEr.