But, my lords, it is to be remembered, that in the third clause a
commissioner is appointed, by whom accounts are regularly to be
transmitted to the admiralty, of the arrival and departure of every
ship, and by whom the conduct of every captain is to be inspected; and
that he may easily detect such truant commanders, as shall careen their
ships only for the sake of deserting their stations.
Nor can the merchants suffer by any negligence or corruption of the
captains, because it is intended that the place of every ship returning
into port shall be supplied by another; and that the same number shall
be always in the same station, unless more important service makes them
more necessary in another place.
This proviso, my lords, a proviso undoubtedly reasonable, is established
in the second clause, but has not had the good fortune to escape the
censure of the noble lord, who has inquired, what must be the conduct of
the commanders of cruising vessels, if a seafight should happen beyond
the cape, which they are in this clause forbidden to pass?
That the clause may admit of expressions not only more proper, but more
agreeable to the intention of those by whom it was drawn up, I cannot
deny; for I suppose it very far from their design to limit the
operations of our navy to any part of the ocean, and am confident that
they meant only that the cruisers should not be despatched to such a
distance from their stations, as that our coasts should be left long
unguarded, or the enemy have time to collect his forces, and pour his
navies or his privateers upon our defenceless traders.
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