Report of Land and Sea Officers on Fortifications. EXTRACTS from the Report made to bis MEMBERS Prefent. Vice Ad. Barrington, Lieut. Gen. Sir Guy Carleton, Leut. G. SirW.Howe, Leut. G. Lord George Lenox, Lieut. G. Burgoyne, Lieut. G. Earl Percy, L.G. Ear Cornwallis, Lieut, Gen. Sir David Lindsay, Lieut. G. Sir Charles Grey, Major Gen. Pattifon, Major G. Cleaveland, Rear Adm. Ld. Hood, Capt. Sir John Jarvis, Prefident, Vice Ad. Barrington,, TOR 253 report to your Majefty, that we have agreed on the following data, as the grounds on which our fabfequent opinions have been formed. First Datum agreed to unanimously by both Land and Sea Officers at Portsmouth and at Plymouth. That it is perfectly right, neceffary, and wife, effectually to provide in time of peace for the fecurity of your Majesty's dockyards. at Portsmouth and Plymouth, by fortifications capable of refifting fuch an attack as an enemy may be able to make upon them during the abfence of the fleet, or whilft, from other caufes, the fleet may be prevented from affording its protection to the dock-yards. Second Datum, agreed to unanimoufly by both Land and Sea Officers at Portsmouth and Plymouth. LIB Sir Dary L. G. FarfCornwallis,, Major Gen Bramham, Mejor Gen. Green, Major Gen. Roy, Major Gen. Garth, Captain Hotham, Captain Macbride, Captain Sir Andrew Hammond. REPORT of the Board of Land and Sea Officers appointed by your Majesty to inveftigate and report on the proper Syftem of Defence, and on the Expediency and Efficacy of the propofed Plans for better fecuring the Dock-yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth. Having fully taken into our confideration your Majefty's inftructions, under your Majefty's fignet and fign manual, dated the 13th day of April, 1785, and obferving that your Majelly has been graciously pleafed to allow us to vary or add to the data contained therein, as we should see occafion, we have availed ourselves of your Majefty's permiffion fo to do; and as, in confequence of fuch alterations, fome of the heads and questions under them ap peared to us to have been already answered in fome of the data, we conceived any dif cuffion of them became unneceffary, as will more fully be feen in the minutes of our proceedings herewith laid before your Majesty. We, therefore, in obedience to your Majefty's commands, beg leave humbly to That, as far as is confiftent with due Confiderations of expence, and the probable frength of the land forces, it will be adviseable to provide a defence by fortifications for The dock-yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth, gainst the chances of the fleet, or fuch part thereof as might give them protection, being abfent for (a certain time named, which is omitted as not being proper to be disclosed.) [Note, The third Datum, ftating the force of the enemy, againft, which it may be prudent to guard, the number of embarkations, and the detailed account of fhips proper for this purpofe, and agreed to unanimously by both land and fea officers, is omitted; as it cannot be proper that fuch particulars should be difclofed. The fourth Datum, afcertaining the precife number and fort of troops which may reasonably be expected to be had for the defence of Portfmouth and Plymouth, as eftablished by the land officers, and an obfervation thereupon, is of a mature not proper to be difclofed.-The diffent of Lieutenant Generals Burgoyne and Earl Percy is in fubftance contained in their provifo under another head hereafter stated at length; but the particular reafons contained in this diffent of Lieutenants General Burgoyne and Earl Percy are for the fame reafon omitted. The fifth Datum, agreed to unanimously by the land officers, afcertaining the time that it may require before the strength of the country can be collected from other parts of the kingdom in fuch force as to defeat fuch an attempt as is fuppofed, is for the fame reafon omitted.] Your Majefty's Land Officers at Portfmouth and Plymouth are, unanimously of opinion that fuch is the fituation of the prefent works, that no finishing, repairs, or improvements, without additional works, can, under the circumftances of the data, afford that degree of fecurity to the do k 254 Report of Land and Sea Officers on Fortifications. yards (for the time mentioned in the pre- All the details relative to the infufficiency of the prefent fortifications, unanimously agreed to by the land officers, are omitted.] Your Majefty's land officers (both at Portsmouth and Plymouth) are unanimously of opinion, that a fyftem of detached forts is the moft proper for the purpose of protecting the dock-yards. Your Majefty's Land Officers (both at Portsmouth and Plymouth) are unanimously of opinion, that the fytem of detached works, as propofed, has, in the extenfive fituations of Portsmouth and Plymouth, this advantage, that the fecurity to be derived therefrom will not be wholly delayed till the whole of the propofed plan is executed, but an additional degree of ftrength will be acquired as the detached works are progreffively finished. Your Majefty's Land Officers both at Portsmouth and Plymouth, are unanimoufly of opinion, that the fituations (of the feveral places therein fpecified) are well chofen for detached works. -Your Majefty's Land Officers (at Portf mouth and Plymouth) are unanimoufly of opinion, that the new works proposed are well adapted to thofe fituations. [Note, The detail of the peculiar advantages of thefe works, unanimoufly agreed to by the Land Officers, is omitted.] Your Majesty's Land Officers (at Plymouth) are unanimously of opinion, that the diftance of the fituation proposed, in lieu of Merrifield, from the dock, appears too great for the circumftances of the data; and would, if fortified, require a greater garrifon and greater expence, and would not afford the fame fecurity to the dock.. yard as Merrifield, and therefore the Land Officers must give the preference to Merri field. Your Majefty's Land Officers (at Portfmouth) are unanimoufly of opinion, that the propofed finishing works already begun, the improvements of old ones, and the plan for rebuilding South-Sea Cattle, will, together with the works propofed, give a reafonable degree of fecurity for your Majefty's dock-yard at Portsmouth, for the time and under the circumstances of the data, with a garrifon, of the numbers before fpeéified (regular, and militia) which the Land Officers are of opinion is fufficient for its defence; whereas the present works, even when repaired, finished and improved, would require a large force for their defence, with which they would ftill be ineffectual for the purpofe of fecuring this dock-yard. Your Majefty's Land Officers (at Ply mouth) are unanimously of opinion, that a garrifon (of the numbers before specified, regulars and militia) appears fafficient, if the propofed new works, and repair of old ones, are executed; and that for the prefent works, even when repaired, a much larger garrifon would be ineffectual for the purpose of fecuring this dock yard. Your Majefty's land officers, having taken into confideration the whole fituation of Plymouth, are unanimoufly of opinion, that the propofed new works, in addition to the old ones, when properly repaired, as fuggefted in our proceedings (with a garrison of the numbers before fpecified, regulars and militia) will give a reasonable degree of fe curity for your Majefty's dock-yard at Plymouth, for the time and under the circum. ftances, of the Data. Your Majefty's land officers, as far as they were refpectively concerned at Portfmouth or at Plymouth, do report to your Majefty, that, from the report of the committee of engineers at the Tower, which they have unanimously agreed to adopt, it appears that the expence of the works propofed for fecuring your Majesty's dock-yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth, will be as folfollows: [Note. This paper has been already delivered to the Houfe.]. Your Majefty's inftructions, under the 23d head, having required, what improve ments or alterations, or what other fyftem of defence, the Board would fuggeft, the unanimous opinion of your Majesty's Sea Officers is, that a certain number (therein specified) of gun-boats at Portsmouth and Plymouth will form a great arm of defence against an invading enemy. And your Majefty's Land Officers entirely concur in this opinion with the Sea Officers, confidering thefe gun-boats as a great improvement in the defence of thefe places. Your Majefty's Land and Sea Officers beg leave to recommend a fet of figuals to be established on the projecting head-lands (of certain parts of the coat therein fpecified), with intelligent mariners to make them, as of effential advantage in conveying early intelligence of the approach of an enemy, and for the protection of com merce. Your Majefty's Land and Sea Officers unanimoufly recommend an improvement in the fupply of fresh water at Plymouth (if to be had at a reasonable expence.) The Board has no other improvement, or other fyftem of defence, to suggest to your Majefty. Laftly, your Majefty's Land and Sea Officers humbly beg leave to obferve, That they make this report to your Majesty, in full Report of Land and Sea Officers on Fortifications, full confidence, that the providing an ad- Geo. Hen. Lenox, John Burgoyne, Percy, Cornwallis, -David Lindlay, Mark Milbanke, Charles Grey, James Partifon, John Jarvis, Captain Macbride entered the following objection to the third Datum, on the fabject of the enemy's force against which the Board thought it neceffary to provide. I object to this Datum, because it is founded upon a calculation of a large imaginary force. My idea of a descent goes only to the probability of an armament that may poffibly confift of (a certain force which he fpecifies) which I think fufficient to provide against. To the queftion, What improvement or alteration, or what other fyftem of defence, the Board would fuggeft? Lieut. Generals Burgoyne and Earl Percy, Vice-Admiral Milbanke, and Major-General Green, ftated, that they had none to fuggelt, under the circumftances of the Data. Rear Admiral Graves fated, that he had none to fuggeft under the excess of the Data. Vice-Admiral Barrington, Rear-Admiral Lord Hood, Captains Hotham, Bowyer, Sir Andrew Snape Hammond, and the Hon. James Lutrell, ftated, that they thought it more properly belonged to the land-officers of this Board than to them, as the mixtures of their proceedings will fhew, to enter into any fyftem of defence or fortifications, except in fuch parts as are intended for a defence against hips of war, and the propofals they have offered for gun-boats. Captain Macbride ftated that be had no further improvements to fuggeft; but entered his objections to the propofed fyftem of defence [Note, Captain Macbride's objections are omitted, because they-contain detailed defcriptions of the coast, roadsteads, currents, tider, and bottoms, and anchorage, by no means proper to be divulged. Captain Macbride oncludes his objections with these words: 255 I am therefore of opinion that no new works are at prefent neceffary to be erected at Plymouth. Signed, J. Macbride. their unanimous opinion, that no member is On the Board having declared it to be precluded, by the Data agreed to by the Board, from fuggefting any other fyftem of defence, on thofe or any other Data, for the confideration of the Board, in answer to the queftion contained in the 23d head under his Majefty's inftructions; The following provifo was added: But we do not think ourfelves required, as individuals, by his Majefty's inftructions, or any questions under them, to produce any other fyftem, or other Data. Signed S. Barrington, J. Burgoyne, Perey, M. Millbanke, Tho. Graves, Will. Green, Will. Hotham, J. Jarvis, Ģeo. Bowyer. Rear Adm. Graves, in affenting to the article of the report, expreffing the full confidence of the Board, that the providing an additional fecurity to the dock-yard at Plymouth is in no refpect inconfiftent with the neceffary fupport of the navy; to avoid being mifunderstood, defired to explain himself by the following provifo: I perfectly agree with the rest of the Board as to the importance of the Royal Navy towards the fafety and profperity of this maritime and infolar kingdom; but would not have it implied that I think any new fyftem of additional land fortifications for the fecurity of Plymouth neceffary. A Signed, T. Graves. Lieut. Generals Burgoyne and Earl Percy, Vice Admiral Millbanke, Rear Adm. Graves, and Capt. Sir John Jarvis, on figning the Report, beg leave to reprefent to your Majefty as follows: That our proceedings have been founded upon the fuppofition of the whole fleet being abfent for (a certain time) as mentioned in the fecond Datum, and therefore that the enemy may bring over an army of the force mentioned in the third Datum) with an artillery proportionate to an attack on Porifmouth or Plymouth, having (a certain time) to set in uninterrupted by the British fleet, as mentioned in the third Datum: The bare poffibility of fuch an event we do not pretend to deny ; but how far it is preblable that the whole British fleet may be fent on any fervice requiring fo long an abfence, at a time when the enemy is prepared to invade this country with a force as that mentioned in the third Datum) we mult humbly leave to your Majesty's fuperior wifdom; and therefore, whether it is neceffary, in confequence of fech a fuppofition, to erect works of -10 expenfive-a-nature as 256 Report on Fortifications.-Curious National Papers. as thofe propofed, and which require fuch large garrifons to defend them. Signed, J. Burgoyne, Percy, M. Millbanke, T. Graves, J. Jarvis. Lieutenant-Generals Burgoyne and Earl Percy, on agreeing to the erection of new works, and to the fyftem of detached forts being the most proper for the preservation of the dock yard at Portsmouth, entered the following provifo : We approve of the fyftem of detached works, and we agree to the above, under the circumstances fettled in the Data, provided the expence to be incurred fhall not exceed fuch fums as the state can afford to grant for thefe purposes, and that the number of troops, fuppofed to be alloted by the fourth Datum, can be fpared for the defence of Portsmouth, confiftently with the general defence of the kingdom. Signed, J. Burgoyne. Percy. To which provifo the rest of the land officers, members of this Board, think it their duty to add : The following authentic papers were laid upon the table of the House of Commons, for the perufal of the Members. Bank of England, March 2, 1786. An account of Navy, Victualling, and Transport Bills, and Ordnance Debentures, converted into 51. per cent. annuities at the Bank of England, agreeable to an act paffed laft Seffion of Parliament, viz. Navy Amount of Bills. 51 per cent. Stock. 6,401,423 09 7,131,181 1 3 Victualling2,925,804 4 4 3,259,343 I 4 Ordnance 538,714 13 3 600,127 7 9 £9,865,941 18 4 10,990,651 10 4 A. NEWLAND, Chief Cafhier. An account of the fums of money due by the East India Company for Cuftoms, the, payment of which was refpited by an act of the 24th year of his prefent Majesty's reign, and which have been paid into the receipt of his Majefty's Exchequer, between the 5th January 1785, and the 5th January 1786; fpecifying the time when fuch payments were made. 1785. 31ft. To Debentures, for £. s. d. 400,000 O O Eatt India goods That we the underwritten humbly defire that it may be understood by your Majefty, that we never entertained an idea that any expence to be incurred fhould exceed fuch fums as the ftate could afford for thefe Aug. 11th. To Cafh purpofes, as we apprehend is fully ftated in our fecond Datum; or that we meant to recommend works requiring a greater number of troops to defend than could be fpared for the defence of Portsmouth, confiftently with the general defence of the kingdom. On the contrary, the works we recommend appear to us to be calculated upon the most economical principles, and to require the fmalleft number of troops poffible to answer the purpose of effectually fecuring your Majefly's dock yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth. We conceive that fuch numbers can be fpared for this purpose; we confider fuch protection to be an effential object for the fafety of the ftate, and intimately connected with the general defence of the kingdom; but we do not confider it to be our province minutely to enter into a confideration of abilities of the ftate to provide the neceflary fupplies for this purpofe. Signed, Richmond, Lenox, and Charles Grey, James Pattifon, Prefident of the Board of Land and Sea Officers, &c. 1,000 18 2 117 18 11 JAS. DEACON, Receiver of the Grand Receipt under the Collector inwards. Custom-house, London, March 1, 1786. · Amount of the affeffments and furcharges made on Houses, Windows, or Lights, under an act of the 6th of his present Majefty, in the cities of London and Westminster, the county of Middlesex, and Borough of Southwark, for the following years: 1781 1782 1783 1784 Affeffments. 108,943 51 Surcharges. 3,536 8 4 2,836 7 6 110,590 3 1 N. B. The books received from the Sur veyors in the country are made up in such a Authentic National Papers.-Archdeacon Kaye's Charge. 257 Majefty, for the half-year ending the 5th April 1785 7.703 14 O Amount of furcharges made by the infpectors and furveyors, on all inhabited houses, under an act of the 24th of his prefent Majefty, in the cities of London, Weftinter, county of Middlefex, and borough of Southwark, as far as the fame can be procured, to the 5th of April 1786 4,450 7 9 To complete the above account in the cities of London and Westminster, county of Middlefex, and borough of Southwark, to the 5th of April 1786, in which there are 31 furveyors, returns are wanting from nine. TIMOTHY BRENT. Office Taxes, 27th Feb. 1786. NORTH BRITAIN. An Account of the net Produce of all the Taxes under the Management of the Com- Low Wines and Spirits £9,915 15 7 I 28,595 19 4 2 10 O O O 16 17 64 1.912 I 10 2.307 17 74 6,844 11 9 161 3 O 23 17 10 2,223 2 [ 343 13 9 3,618 6 5 2.022 6 0 4,197 4 114 7805 50 42,593 246,373 9 Excife Office, Edinburgh, 23d Feb. 1786. Alexander Udny, Geo. Brown, T. Whar ton, J. Balmain. The amount of affeffments made on houses and lights, under an act of the 6th of his prefent Majefty, for the year 1785, as far as the fame can be made up, produces £401,397 17 8 To complete the above account for 1785, returns are wanting from eight Surveyors ; but, to render it as perfect as poffible, it may be proper to obferve, that the returns of thofe eight officers for the year 1784, ending 5th of April 1785 amounted to 15,192 1. 195. 10d. which will make the whole fum 415,5901. 145. 7d. if there should not be any decrease in the districts of 'thofe officers. TIMOTHY BRENT. ex Extract from a CHARGE delivered to the 1 And it does not appear, from the catalogue of those who have lately fuffered capi tal punishments, that thefe men have been marked in the greatest delinquency of the times; but a more melancholy inference must be drawn from this circumftance, that the late increase of capital crimes, does not proceed from the clofe of war, an event to which it 91might with fome plaufibility have been attributed, but from the univerfal depravity of the people. The contemplation of which would be a gloomy office indeed, if it did not appear, that in the midst of judgement God has remembered mercy; and the divine goos nefs feems to have pointed out to the prefent age a meature fo peculiarly comprehenfive in the advantages which it holds out to fociety, that it appears formed to counteract the evil propenfities of thefe days, and to prevent them from being injurious to fucceeding generations, which folds, my bre 21 Feb. 1786. Alexander Udny, Geo. Brown, T. Wharton, James Stodart. J. Balmsin. James Broce, Accomptant. Robert Chalmers, Acc. Gen. Extracted per Apd. Hamilton, D. Comptroller. Ao account of the amount of the duties remitted by the Commiffioners of Excife in Scotland to the Commiflioners of Excife in London, on Carriages and Male SerGENT. MAO, Marcb, 1786, ΙΟ thren, |