246 
fionérs. of the Admiralty, 1 am di- 
tet etto acquaint the crews of his 
Majefty’s fhips and, -veflcls) at the 
Wore and at. Sheernefs; that after 
the! very ‘liberal attention: of lis 
Majefty,.in dncreafing, the. wages 
atidtprewifions of the’ feamer and 
matines inthis Majefty’s ferwice, for 
whichyathey have /ia’ general .ex- 
piciied thenfelvesnotionly fatisied, 
but highly grateful, their Laordihips 
avd extremely: furprifed:toi find the 
feamen and marines of his Majefty’s 
fhips atthe Nore’ and Sheernefs 
fliould be ftill in a ftate ef difobedi- 
ence, and brinsing forward further 
requetts.» Their Lordfhips there- 
‘fore have commanded me to inform 
you, that) finee all. that could rea- 
fonably be expected by the feamen 
‘and marines has been already grant- 
edsthem, their Lordfhips cannot 
-accede to any fuch requeft.<- With 
refpe& to the firft article of. the 
conditions, prefented by the feamen 
‘and marines at this port, their Lord- 
fhips direct me to inform, you, as 
“has already been explicitly declar- 
ed, that all additional allowances of 
wages and provifions, and every 
other regulation announced at 
Portfmouth, have been eftablifhed 
by his Majeity’s order in council, 
and by aét of parliament, and ex- 
tended to all feamen and marines 
in his Majefty’s fervice —That with 
yefpect to the fecond article of the 
faid conditions, the nature of the 
fervice in timesof war does not ad- 
mit of the men having leave to go 
to their families, except under ver 
particular circumftances, of which 
the captains or other fuperior ofh- 
cers alone can judge. — That with 
yefpeét to’ the third and fifth arti- 
cles, the fhip’s company fhall be 
paid in-the manner pointed out in 
the feyeral acts of parliament at 
ANNUAL REGIS TER, 1797. 
prefent in force for the encourage- 
ment. of feamen and marines em- 
ployed in ‘his Majefty’s fervice, as 
they always are, unlefs fome very 
urgent neceffity prevents it; but as 
it.ever has been the practice of the 
fervice to fhew attention »to thofe 
who; with the true fpirit of Britith 
feamen, voluntarily ftand forth in 
defence of their country, their 
Lordfhips sre defirous of giving 
every poffible encouragement to 
volunteers; and it is not their in- 
tention to direct that advance fhould 
be paid to imprefied men.— With 
refpeé toithe fourth article, all ar- 
rangements concerning the officers 
to be employed in the fhips of the 
{quadron mutt be ‘fettled by the 
Admiral or Commanding » Officer 
forthe time being, conformably to 
ihe inftructions of their Lerdfhips, 
according to the circumftances of 
each particular place.—That with 
refpect to the fixth article, if it 
fhould be his Majefty’s pleafure to 
pardon all who may have deferted 
from his fervice in the navy, it muft 
be the effect of his Majefty’s royal 
clemency alone, and not of any re~ 
quifition ; that although their Lord~ 
fhips thought proper to go to Portf- 
mouth for the purpofe of obtaining 
more perfeét information of the 
grievances which the feamen and 
marines in general might have to 
reprefent, and of adopting moft ex- 
peditioufly fuch meafures as might 
be necefiary, and granting fuch far- 
ther indulgences as might render 
their fituation more comfortable, 
and enable them better to provide 
for the fupport of their families, no 
fimilar reafon exifts for their taking 
fuch a ftep on the prefent occafion. 
—That the reprefentations made 
at Portimouth have been fully con- 
fidered, and the regulations made in 
confequence 
