Captain Baillie prepared and caused to be

printed, a book entitled, "The Case and Memorial of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich, addressed to the Governors and Commissioners thereof." The "Case" I have not seen. It was not inserted in captain Baillie's "Solemn Appeal," " because," as he states, "it might create fresh disputes, is very long, and the greater part recapitulated in the King'sbench and House of Lords." The Memorial he exhibits as follows:

* Extracted from "A Solemn Appeal to the Public, from an injured Officer, Captain Baillie, late Lieutenant Governor of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich; arising out of a series of authentic Proceedings in the Court of King's-bench on six Prosecutions against him, for publishing certain Libels (as it was alleged) in a printed ook, entitled, The Case and Memorial of Greenwi ospital, ad-dressed to the General Governors, in beif of Disabled Seamen, Widows, and Children; and the Evidence given on the subsequent Enquiry at the bar of the House of Lords, in consequence of the several Prosecations being discharged with Costs. London: Printed for Captain Baillie by J. Almon, opposite Barlington-house, Piccadilly; and may also be had of Captain Baillie, at Mr. Roberts, china-man, near Hatton street, Holborn. Price two guineas, stitched in sheets, with a fine engraving of captain Baillie, in mezzotinto, by James Watson, esq. painted by Nathaniel Hone, esq. of the Royal Academy, or separately, one guinea cach, 1779,"

VOL. XXI.

To the Commissioners and Governors of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich, The MEMORIAL of Captain Thomas Baillie, Lieutenant Governor of the said Hospital, in behalf of Disabled Seamen, their Widows and Children,

That through the various abuses set forth in Humbly sheweth; the Case prefixed, the British navy has been deprived of the full benefit of this wise and munificent establishment, which the generosity of princes, and the gratiThat landmen have been introduced into the tude of the public, had bestowed. Hospital, contrary to the charter and to the spirit of the institution; and that some of the principal wards have been torn down, and converted, at a great expence, into grand apartments for officers, clerks, deputies and servants, who are not seamen. That several thousand pounds are annually expended in repairs and alterations, under the pretext of finishing or carrying on the building, though it is already sufficiently grand, roomy and convenient. That the settled and ample revenues of the Hospital being wasted by this and other improper means, the present managers, sheltering themselves under the popular character of the poor defenceless men under their care, make frequent application to parliament for the public money, which they squander in a manner that has no tendency to promote the welfare of the pensioners or of the sca-service.

B

That the pensioners are fed with bull-beef, and sour small beer mixed with water. That the contracting butcher, after having been convicted in a public court of justice (the King's-bench) of various fraudulent breaches of his contract, was, on a second prosecution, suffered to compound the penalties, and renew the contract: and that many evident and injurious abuses in the supply of other necessaries are daily suffered without any due enquiry.

That under pretence of raising a charity stock for the boys in the Hospital, the pensioners are deprived of at least 2,500l. per annum out of their frugal allowance of provisions, &c. settled at the first establishment, and are compelled to accept of a part of the value in money; which causes frequent drunkenness, irregularity and disobedience. That these enormous abuses are the effects of the total subversion which the due government of the Hospital has undergone, arising from the inattention of the great and respectable characters who were appointed its perpetual guardians: and that the acting directors, being in general concerned in the receipt and expenditure of the revenues, are therefore improperly entrusted with the care of controuling the accounts, and of directing the affairs of the Hospital; yet that these men have, by successive encroachments, extended the proper powers of the board of directors, and taken upon them a great part of the government of the house, in the exercise of which they are deaf to every expostulation or complaint, however reasonable in itself, or regularly urged.

That a faction, under the title of the Civil Interest, is maintained in the Hospital, which consists of such officers, under officers, deputies, clerks and servants, as are not seafaring men, and who are therefore illegally appointed; which faction has kept the Hospital in a state of confusion and disorder for several years: and there is no pretence of right or necessity for their continuing in offices to which seamen alone have any claim, there being many brave men fully qualified to execute the business of these offices, who, after having fought the battles of their country, are now in a state of poverty and want.

That, independent of the obvious reflections suggested by justice and humanity on this occasion, the manner in which the pensioners are supported in Greenwich Hospital is a material subject of political consideration; particularly at this interesting period, when the endeavours to obtain volunteers for the navy are unsuccessful. Were a residence in the Hospital considered by seamen in general as a desirable object, it would have an evident tendency to lessen their reluctance for his majesty's service, as the loss of temporary advantages, or the dread of approaching hard

ships, can only be balanced by the hope of spending a comfortable old age. Now, the Hospital is so far from answering this valuable purpose at present, that it is mentioned among seamen with disgust and dissatisfaction.

Till some effectual means are taken to remove this opinion, the material object of the foundation is entirely subverted, and the Hospital become an useless and expensive burden to the nation. This can only be done by an entire change in the management, and by faithfully and honestly expending the ample revenues in the due maintenance of seamen only. The news of such a general reform in the affairs of Greenwich Hospital would be received in the navy with joy and gratitude. The lieutenant governor thinks it necessary to represent, that in this application to the several members of the court of commissioners and governors, he has no interests for which he can hope or fear on his own account: he was placed in the Hospital by lord Anson, after a life of active service, with a view, as he presumes, that he might pass his remaining days in peace and retirement; but the sixteen years which he has spent in the Hospital have been the most painful, harassing, and disagreeable of his whole life, as he has, during the greatest part of this term, been inevitably engaged in disputes and litigation with jobbers, agents and contractors, and in opposing the civil interest of this naval Hospital, with whom he never had any other point to carry, than that the pensioners should be peaceably and comfortably maintained, agreeably to the intention of the founders, and to the establishment of the Hospital.

That the contest, so far as he is concerned in it, must, in the course of nature, be now nearly finished; but it appears to him an indispensable duty, to state the leading circumstances of the atrocious facts which have been committed during his residence in the Hospital, to those who are in pos session of the legal powers necessary for the speedy removal of the several causes of complaint herein recited,-in order that the ineffectual struggle which he has hitherto maintained may not be urged as an example to deter his successors from the performance of their duty. The threat of this appeal, though on many occasions it had produced salutary effects, has however lately been disregarded, from an opinion that it would never be made. It therefore became necessary that it should be actual ly made; and, though some parts of the prefixed Case may seem rather tedious in the recital, yet the whole is confined to real instances of fraud, collusion, and incapacity, all of which can be proved by the clearest and most indisputable evidence. The lieutenant governor takes the liberty to