The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-04-07
LONDON, January 40.
CDnci,s Summary Of FRIDAY's PROCEED
Mos IN me HOUSE Of COMMONS.

A r. three quarters paR three o'clock, the
- Sneaker took the Chair, when Lord Bar
IN q On brought in the eitimates tor the army
and Sir Charles Cooke the climates Tor the
Ordnance.
Mr.. Grievc then acquainted the houie, that
this day he ihould bring in the lame Dill nc
did laf year, s' not to remove the poor from
PARTIES until they become chargeable. Inc
Speaker then left the chair, and the whole
houi. went into a committee of iuPPlies, Sir
Charles Whiw0th in the chair.
MIR. Butler made the following notion
That it is the opinion of this committee. tha1
10000 feamen, including 1854 mariners,
will be necenary for the iervice OF the Preieht
year." Mr. Butler then iaid, that he was lofty
that it was really nsceGary for 70 great mum
Der this year, bur that next year much inai-
Ter number would be iufhcient, as the heet In
the Eat Indies were returning home, which
conGhed of fix ihiPs.
Mr.. Sawbridge faid, that every year we were
told the expence the proceeding year would
be lels. but he had remarked this year was the
fame as the laG chat the number OF ieamen
were double what uied to be keptin time OF
peace that laA war, when we were at the heignt
of glory, when we were the terror OF our enc
mics itopt fhort, and made diiadvantageous
peace, and had ever hnce Imported that peace
with war eRabliihment.
Lord North iaid, that we were not TO regu-
late our conduit by any former peace; thar
chief reaion of the annual expence had been
owing to Importing a feet in the Eat ladies'
where proviions were much dearer than any
where elEe, butthe eaabliihment could not
4 un.lI nh the COnClu-
fon of the laf war, 10000 ieamen were
thought proper eRabliihment, IN time OF
peace, for the iafety of the nation, but that he
hoped next year 1900 initead OF 10000
would be found fufficient, as the fleet BY chriit-
mas next would arrive from the Eat Indies,
when there would be deduction of 5000 lea
men that he was forty that the nature OF at
fairs occafoned 60 great fupples, but chiei rea-
fon why fomuch money had been expended,w was
owing to the great quantity of timber that had
been delivered into the dock-yards that oy
ChriRmas next their compliment would be
complicated, and they would have fuficient
Cock for three years,we Mould have then only
to keep that flock UP, which would not require
70 large fun that at the time OF the general
alarm in 1871, our feet was in terrible con-
dition, the repairing Of which had been very
expenfve, but he hattered himielf It was now
in 10 respectable fate, that it might be kept
in repair for a trihe, and that no member
would think the money which had been ex-
pended, was miiapplied.
Mr.. Dowdefwell iaid he hoped he ihould not
be looked on as an enemy to the navy, when
he conceded with the Honorable Gentleman
[Mr. Sawbridge] in laying, that he thought
al ~n.LI.n.~.o-r too much IN ut
profound Peace and, as his MaJeity had been
pleaied to tell them how pacific other powers
were, he faw no reaion why the number mould
be more than at the conclufon OF lait war;
when 10 900 were thought fuficient But, as
the Noble Lord had told them what terrible
fate the navy was In at the alarm IN I77I,
he begged to know how the enormous fupPlies
that had been granted for the navy had bees
appropriated, from the year I763,to 1871,
that in eight years they ihould fuffer the feet
10 be in 70 terrible condition; that certainly
they had been either TOO modet in their de-
r,ands, or, if they had demanded iufhcient,
had miiapplied the money, and in either cafe
blameable.
Lord North replied, he was net Obliged to
anfwer how the money had been applied du-
ring the eight years the Honorable Gentle
man had mentioned, as he was only three years
cut Of the eight in administration yet he would
take upon him TO fay, that the navy being 10
bad was owing to the hurry, fhips were built in
at rhe clole OF the lat war, many OF which
were built ofgreen timber, and, though never
ufed, had rotted in ieven years, when they
hould have lated fifteen that another reaion
why he was in hopes the fupplies for the next
80 mo, II nor amount IN hioh as the preient
was, that the fhips contracted for, in the mer-
chants yards in 1871 would be all launched
this year, and then our own yards would DC
able to fupply as fat as we fhOuld want, which
would allow, that the money which had been