Kingsale referred to with Honour p. 48. An Account of the Invention of Gunns in the Year 1378. iâ— That Invention maligned by Polydore Virgil Cardan and Melancton ib. King Alfred the first Inventor of Lanthorns p. 49. Of our new Invented Glasses and Lamps p. 50. Of the Scarlet or Bow-Dye p. 51. Of the New-River-Water p. 52. An Account of the New Engine for taking away Obstructions and Shelfes in the Thames and other Royal Rivers p. 53 54. How much the River of Thames is shallower before the King's Yard at Deptford since King Charles the second 's Restoration p. 55. Of the City of London's Applications to the former Commissioners of the Admiralty for the Preservation of the River of Thames p. 56. Of the City of London's Reasons in writing presented to that Board against Letters Patents for licensing Encroachments p. 56. If that River were spoil'd the great Trade of England would be transplanted not to other Sea-Port Towns in England but to Forreign Parts p. 57. A Lease made of a great part of the Soil of the River and by which the Conservatorship thereof may accrue by Survivorship to a Colour-man in the Strand ib. Those Commissioners of the Admiralty took much Pains in preserving that River ib. The Report from the Judge of the Admiralty of the Admiral 's being Conservator of all the Royal Rivers and having a Concurrency with the Lord Mayor in the Conservacy of the Thames p. 58. The Wisdom of our Ancestors in making them both Conservators of it p. 59. Of the Conservators of the great Rivers among the Romans ib. p. 60. The River of Thames now labouring under its most Critical State p. 60. The great ill effect that the Fire of London had on the Thames p. 61. The Stream of the Thames more clear and gentle than that of Severn and the Cause thereof ib. p. 62. Why the Tide flows up so high into the heart of this River p. 62. The Cause of the shifting of the Tides there ib. The three Constituent parts of a River p. 64. Of the destruction of several great Rivers by Sullage ib. The Administration of the Banks of great Rivers is a part of the Regalia p. 65. The Conservatorship of such Rivers is a part of the Regalia ib. Of the Conservators of such Rivers and their Banks among the Romans p. 66. This Branch of the Regalia granted to our Admirals in their Patents ib. The Vice-Admirals of Counties are in their Patents from the Admiral appointed Conservators of the Royal Rivers there ib. Of those Vice-Admirals Non-user of the Power to demolish Nusances p. 67. Of the Agreement of the Common-Law and Civil-Law Judges An. 1632. that the Admiral may redress all Obstructions in Rivers between the first Bridges and the Sea p. 68. Licenses granted by the Admiral for enlarging Wharfs c. p. 69. The illegality of granting Forfeitures before Conviction p. 72. Sir George Treby the Attorney General mention'd with Honour ib. The Benefit the People now find by being freed from illegal Grants of Forfeitures before Conviction doth much outweigh all the Taxes they pay to their Majesties p. 77. The Passage concerning the Alderman who ask'd King Iames the first if he would remove the River of Thames ib. p. 78. Of the Survey of that River by Sir Ionas Mâ—or p. 79. Of the Survey of that River by the Navy-Board and Trinity-house with the assistance of Captain Collins ib. p. 80. Captain Collins his Draught of that River commended ib. The only way possible for preventing future Encroachments on that River ib. The Nature of the Office of a Conservator as defined by the Writers of the Regalia p. 81. The same agrees with the Measures of our Law-Books ib. Granting things to the Low-water-mark vexatious p. 83. The Course taken by the Council-Board An. 1613. to preserve the River of Tyne p. 84 85. An Order of Council for demolishing a Nusance to Navigation in the Port of Bristol An. 1630. p. 87. More of the Conservacy of the Royal Rivers ib. p. 88 89. That Care be taken against the Sea-mens being molested ib. p. 90. In a little more than 12 Years after the Year 1588. our Seamen were decay'd about a third part p. 90. In the Act of 35 Eliz. for restraining New Buildings a tender regard was had to the Sea-men ib. p. 91. A necessary Document to be thought of by the Conservators of our Rivers p. 92. The Wardmote Inquest referr'd to for the preservation of the River of Thames p. 93 94. A fifth part of the River of Thames in our Memory taken in by Encroachers p. 95. The Profit accruing from the River of Thames to the Admiral and Lord Mayor ib. p. 90. Of the Charge incident to the Lord Mayors in the Conservacy of that River ib. Of the Charge born by the City in the obtaining Patents to be vacated that prejudiced that Conservacy ib. p. 97. Of the City's applying to King Edward the 4 th for a Scire Facias to vacate a Patent of that Nature and of the Lord Mayor's obtaining and prosecuting that Scire Facias to effect p. 97. The Diligence of several late Lord Mayors in thus shewing their Zeal for the Conservacy of the Thames ib. The present Lord Mayor referr'd to with Honour on the same account p. 98. Courage in Magistrates commended ib. The City of London apply'd to the Government in Henry the eighth's Reign for a Proclamation and obtain'd one for the better enabling the Lord Mayor and his Deputies to promote the Conservacy of the River of Thames p. 99. Of the late King Iames rejecting a Proposition for Building on the Shore above Bridge p. 100. More of the present State of Encroachments on that River below Bridge and the only way to prevent future ones there and in the other Royal Rivers from p. 107 to the end To the Right Honourable Iohn LORD Churchill Baron Churchill of Sandridge Viscount Churchill of Aymouth in the Kingdom of Scotland Earl of Marlborough and one of their Majesties most Honourable Privy Council My most Honoured LORD IT hath been observed by several of our late ingenious Writers that an eminent Venetian Embassador after a long residence in England sayling homeward did cast his Eye back on this Land and said in his own language O Isola felicissima c. The happiest Countrey on the face of the Earth did it not want publick Spirits among them Nor do I think that the pudet haec opprobria nobis c. was in any Age so justly applicable to England on this account as in the present one wherein Men generally depraved by a selfish inhospitable temper do like the Hedge hog wrap themselves up in their own warm Down and shew forth nothing but Bristles to the rest of the World and cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they have found a Stone to throw at an Inventor of any thing beneficial to Mankind instead of giving a tender
continued against it from Persons interested in the opposing it p. 6. The final removal of those Obstructions by the express Order of his Majesty and the Lords of the Admiralty in the Year 1673. upon three Years proof of the efficacy of the said Invention and the King 's personal Observation of its success upon the Phoenix p. 7. The Navy-Officers contracting with this Company for the use of this their Invention after five Years tryal of it in March 1675 6. in terms expresly declaring their sufficient experience thereof both as to Lead and Nails p. 8. The first breaking forth after this five Years proof of a Complaint from the Streights of an extraordinary decay discovered in Ships Rudder-Irons from their being sheathed with Lead p. 9. The care of his Majesty and the Lords of the Admiralty by their several Orders to the Navy-Officers for the finding out the true grounds of that Complaint and improving in Order thereto a Suggestion and Proposal of this Company 's touching their Iron-work p. 10. The particular Instances of Complaints upon which the Navy-Officers do found this their Iudgment against Lead-sheathing with the Companies solutions thereto and observation of a greater number of Ships resting uncomplained of than those they have instanced in were their Complaints true p. 11. The Companies Remarks upon the Philosophical reasoning of the said Officers upon the Lead it self as a Mettal p. 17. The Companies Opinion and Argument that the sheathing Ships with Lead neither is nor can be the true Cause of this decay of Iron-work p. 19. Their Iudgment and Reasons what alone this Mischief ought rightly to be imputed to p. 23. The only certain and effectual Expedient of arriving at the knowledge of the truth in this matter p. 32. Instances of the Discouragements and Obstructions wherewith this Company has ever hitherto been prevented by the Officers of the Navy in their Endeavours of serving his Majesty herein p. 34. Their fresh Offer nevertheless of the proposing of an effectual Remedy to the Evil complained of after premising the three following Reflections viz. p. 36. 1. That Sheathing with Wood the only security before this of Lead for sheathing Ships against the Worm is and has always been owned to be attended with circumstances greatly detrimental to his Majesty with respect both to his Ships and to his Service p. 36. 2. That the only Expedient besides this of Lead for obviating those Evils in Wood-sheathing has hitherto been the exposing his Majesty's Ships to the Worm unsheathed p. 39. 3. That the only third Method yet extant of serving his Majesty herein is this of Lead sheathing against which none of the Evils in the former two nor any other are at this day so much as suggested by the Officers of the Navy themselves after near twelve Years experience of it saving this relating to the Iron-work p. 40. The Company 's final Proposal of an obvious easie and chargeless Remedy to the said Evil to whichsoever of the supposed Causes the same should be found imputable p. 41. A particular of the Navy-Officers Complaints with reference to the Company 's particular Answers thereto in the Reply p. 45. The Navy-Officers Report and the Companys Reply laid before the King and Council by one of the Lords of the Admiralty p. 50. The Council-Boards Order upon hearing referring it back to the Commissioners of the Admiralty throughly to examine the Matter and Report the Fact upon each Article with their Opinion p. 51. The Company 's Memorial presented to the Commissioners of the Admiralty upon the Council-Boards Reference p. 54. The determination of the Admiralty Commission before any Report p. 58. The Company 's New Proposal to the Navy-Board 20 Decemb 1686. to sheath the Kings Ships per Yard square and to keep them in constant repair at a rate certain above Cent. per Cent. cheaper than the present Charge p. 60. Letters and Certificates from Master-Builders Carpenters c. in behalf of the Lead-sheathing p. 72. Pursers Certificates how the Sheathing Lead proved in the lyning their Bread-rooms p. 82. A Brief of the Controversie between the Officers of the Navy and the Mill'd-Lead Company p. 86. The Excellency and Cheapness of Mill'd-Lead for Covering of Houses c. p. 92. An Advertisement lately printed and published to all that have Occasion to make use of Sheet-lead abundantly proving Mill'd Sheet-Lead to be much cheaper as well as better than Cast Sheet-lead for any use whatsoever p. 93. A Paper presented by the Plumbers to prevent the Company 's Contract with the Navy-Board wonderfully decrying the Mill'd-Lead and commending their own naming half a score Houses that they say were amongst many others covered with Mill'd-lead which being defective were strip'd and their Cast-lead laid in the room p. 102. Letters and Certificates from the Owners or Inhabitants of those Houses proving the Plumbers said Paper to be scandalous and false p. 105. Also their idle suggestion therein about their Solder answered p. 113. A Memorial given in to the Navy-Board by the Mill'd-Lead Company proving that by two Tryals purposely made with the Plumber in Jan. and Febr. 1678 9. the Mill'd-Lead Scuppers were according to the Order given which the Plumber could not obey and above 25 l. per Cent. in both those Tryals cheaper to the King than theirs p. 114. A Treatise of Naval Philosophy written by the ingenious Sir William Petty p. 117. A Survey of the Buildings and Encroachments on the River of Thames on both sides from London-Bridge Eastwards to the lower end of Lyme-house taken by â—he principal Officers and Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy with the assistance of the Elder Brethren of Trinity-House in pursuance of an Order of the Lords Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England Dated the first of March 1683 4. Wherein is also particularly expressed which of the said Buildings and Encroachments are old and which are new and likewise which of them are judged most prejudicial to Navigation and the River together with References to each of them by Numbers in the Draught of the River lately made by Captain Collins To the Right Honourable The LORDS COMMISSONERS For executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England The humble Reply of Sir Philip Howard Sir Francis Watson K t s and Comp. interested in the Manufacture and Invention of Milled-Lead to the late Report to your Lordships from the Officers of the Navy touching the Method of Lead-sheathing used upon his Majesties Ships Wherein they shew to your Lordships THat from every Ship of his Majesties that has been so sheathed they have had complaints of the extraordinary Eating and Corroding of their Rudder-Irons and Bolts beyond whatever was found upon any Ship not so sheathed and annexed a Transcript of several Complaints by them received from several Commanders and others to that effect And that therefore upon due sideration had thereof and of the many Experiences had of the great damages arising
from this sort of Sheathing They give it as their Opinion that it will not be for his Majesties Service that the same be longer used upon his Ships but that the Ships so Sheathed may have their sheathing stripped off and new Iron-work supplied where defective as well to prevent any further damage from the longer Continuance of the said Sheahing upon them as that they may be in a condition of service whenever on a sudden occasion the same may be called for To which Report and the Matters of Complaint wheron the same is grounded importing a vehement suggestion of ruine likely to attend the Ships and Service of his Majesty in Case this Method of Lead-sheathing should be continued The said Sir Ph. Howard and Compa. do make this plain Return viz. THat as their first interesting themselves in this undertaking was wholly founded upon the hopes they had of being enabled to contribute somewhat thereby to the Service of the Royal Navy and those hopes confirmed by as ample Instances of Publick approbation as were ever given to any precedent Invention so do they still give his Majesties Service the same entire preference to all considerations of private advantage that either has or can arise to them from the same undertaking And therefore are not only contented but desirous that in case your Lordships shall after perusal of this Paper hold the reasonableness of the said Officers Advice for suppressing the further use of Lead-Sheathing sufficiently demonstrated by what they have offered as the grounds thereof in that collection of Complaints No Considerations relating to the Interest or Right of this Company may stand in the way of whatever his Majesty and your Lordships shall think most for his Service to determine concerning it A Deduction of the whole Matter relating to the Lead-sheathing of his Majesty's Ships with what this Company do in their Duty hold themselves bound on this Occasion to offer of their own Reflections and Sentiments thereon IT was in the Year 1670. when this Company becoming Masters of this Invention of Milled-Lead they soon met with Encouragement not only from sundry Officers and Builders of the Navy but from his Majesty himself and his Royal Highness then Lord High Admiral of England to an immediate exposing the same to practice But such was their backwardness to presume upon falling into the exercise of an Invention though never so self-convinced of its Efficacy and Safety whose first Experiments and future use were principally to be made upon a Subject of so high consideration as that of the Royal Navy of England without passing the most strict and solemn probation a matter of that kind could and ought to have in a Government like this subsisting by Navigation namely That of his Majesty 's in Parliament that they in the same Year brought this their Invention into the Parliament then sitting Where after all the severities of Scrutiny capable of being exercised in each of the Houses successively and publick Conferences had with all Persons qualified for giving Advice therein and those attended not only with the prejudice all new Propositions ordinarily meet with but from opposition of the Persons interested in the preservation of the old ones whereof more hereafter it not only received full Approbation by being passed then into an Act but had the same done in Terms the most expressive of the Conviction and Satisfaction wherewith his Majesty and Parliament passed the said Act with regard both to the Invention and Inventors as by part thereof following appears viz. An Act for granting unto Sir Philip Howard Knight and Francis Watson Esquire the sole use of a Manufacture Art or Invention for the benefit of Shipping WHereas it appears upon Examination that Sir Philip Howard Knight and Francis Watson Esquire by their great Charge and Industry have found out a New Manufacture Art or Invention to preserve Ships and other Uessels under Water with certain Commodities chiefly of the growth of his Majesties Dominons which is much cheaper and more smooth and dureable than any way by Deals for Sheathing or Pitch Tarr Rozin Brimstone or any Graving hitherto used Now for the Encouragement of Ingenuity and Industry in the like cases and to the intent that the said Sir Philip Howard and Francis Watson may be protected in the use of the said Manufacture Art or Invention and have encouragement to make the same publick for the benefit of his Majesties Dominions in general c. This being done and the said Company not only invited but by his Majesty commanded to apply themselves forthwith to the putting in use this Invention upon some of his own Ships they by his Order and on Terms adjusted with the Officers of the Navy proceeded to the making the first Experiment thereof at Portsmouth upon the Phoenix in the month of March 1670 and not long after did the like upon several others of which these following were part viz. Dreadnought Henrietta Mary Lyon Bristol Foresight Vulture Rose Hunter Harwich c. But your Lordships may be pleased here to be informed That however upon the stamp given it by Parliament this Company were so let in by the Officers of the Navy to the exercise of their said Invention yet was it not without fresh assaults from some who were interested in the benefit arising from the labour and the Materials employed in the bringing on and stripping off the Wood-sheathing in whose place this was to succeed And by their Arts and Industry were Sir Philip Howard and Company in a restless manner urged to give Answers all over again to the Objections formerly raised against them and their Invention in Parliament namely Its excess in charge above the ancient method its rough lying on Ships sides to the prejudice of their Sailing It s liableness to galling from the Cables and cracking when brought on ground It s tediousness in bringing on and off Aptness to foul and difficult in cleansing Lastly Its undurableness and doubtful efficacy in what was chiefly expected from it against the Worm But so convincing were the Solutions brought as before to every particular and the same so confirmed by a three years proof by this time made of the whole and more especially by a Personal view had by the King himself of the Phoenix then come in and Careened at Sheerness in the Year 1673. after two Voyages to the Streights That his Majesty to put an end to the unreasonable importunities till then continued upon himself and them on this Subject was pleased by his then Commissioners of the Admiralty to give a final Declaration of his Opinion and Pleasure concerning it in an Order from those Lords to the Officers of the Navy bearing date the 20 th of December 1673. as followeth viz. AFter our hearty commendations in pursuance of His Majesties Pleasure signified to us by himself at this Board that in regard of the many and good proofs which had been given of the usefulness of Sir Philip Howard and Major
At the Court at White-Hall Decemb. 22. 1682. Present The KING 's most Excellent Majesty in Council IT is this day Ordered by his Majesty in Council that the whole Matter contained in the Report of the Officers of the Navy to the Right Honourable the Commissioners of the Admiralty this day read at the Board and the Answer thereto from Sir Philip Howard and Company relating to the Sheathing his Majesty's Ships with Lead together with the other Paper then also delivered and read from the Officers of the Navy and what new Matter was further mentioned by them in Discourse upon the same Subject be Referred to the said Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England who upon the full and distinct Examination of the same and Hearing of all Persons concerned therein are to make their Report upon each Article thereof in Writing to this Board with particular regard had therein to the shewing the differences of Charge that has attended his Majesty whether in Iron-work or otherwise upon the Hulls and Rudders of the several Ships that have been sheathed with Lead and those that within the same time have been either Sheathed with Wood or sent to Sea Vnsheathed And if upon Examination it shall appear that Lead-sheathedâ—ships do sustain greater damage in their Iron-works than those Sheathed with Wood or Not Sheathed at all what the same is truly to be imputed to whether to their Lead Nails or what other Cause In all which the said Commissioners are to report to this Board the Truth of the Fact as the same shall upon Examination appear to them with their Opinion touching the same and what upon the whole Matter may be most for His Majesty's Service to be done therein with relation to the ceasing or continuing the said Method of Sheathing Francis Gwyn Hereupon Sir Philip Howard and Company further applyed themselves to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in their humble Memorial following viz. To the Right Honourable The LORDS His MAJESTY's Commissioners For executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England The Humble MEMORIAL of Sir Philip Howard and Company Interested in the Manufacture and Invention OF Milled-Lead Shewing THat His Majesty and my Lords of the Council having out of the same Consideration of its Importance to the King which led your Lordships first to the laying it before them been pleased by their Order of 22 Decemb. last to Referr back to your Lordships the Business in Controversie between the Officers of the Navy and this Company touching Lead-sheathing These are humbly to acquaint your Lordships that as we are and shall at all times be ready to answer any Commands which you shall think fit to direct to this Company in relation thereto so do we hold our selves bound in Right no less to his Majesty and your Lordships than our selves to remove a Prejudice which the said Officers did lately offer at the raising before his Majesty in Council against what we had then and may yet have further Occasion of saying in this Debate by a suggestion of our being governed by Considerations of Self-interest while themselves would be thought removed above all suspicion of any other End herein than that of His Majesties Service In Answer whereto we shall only crave leave to say That as to that Uninterestedness so pretended to by them it is too manifest that their obtaining from your Lordships a suddain Condemnation of this Method of Lead-sheathing is the only Expedient they have for preventing the Effects of that Enquiry which the Wisdom of His Majesty and the Lords of the Council have been so pleased to recommend to your Lordships into the particulars of our Answer leading your Lordships to the several Failures in Duty and breach of Orders reflected on them by us in relation to this Affair and the Prejudices sustained therefrom by his Majesty And for what concerns the Self-interest suggested to lye on our side we shall only Note 1. That under all the Discouragements and Oppositions our Invention has for twelve Years together been treated with by them we never have given them nor our selves the trouble of making one Complaint to his Majesty or your Lordships concerning them saving what has been extorted from us in our necessary Reply to their late Report to your Honourable Board on this Subject nor in the whole four Years last past wherein they have for ought appears both without and contratrary to Order taken upon them the Exercising even that which is the very Matter of the present Controversie namely the Adviseableness of laying aside the use of Lead-sheathing have we ever made one Application to them for removing or so much as enquiring into the Reaâ—on on their so doing 2. That had there been the least sollicitude on our parts after our private benefit it would have easily prompted us to a much greater reservedness of Style than your Lordships find us using on this occasion towards the said Officers upon whose good-will alone the success of ours and all other Contracts with the Navy is well known wholly to depend Nor does this Company need to appeal to any other Evidence than your selves for the Fidelity of their Proceeding in this Matter towards His Majesty in preference to any thoughts of private Advantage after that Declaration under our Hands wherewith we Prefaced our very first Paper to your Lordships on this Occasion not only of our Consent but Desires that No Considerations relating to the Interest or Right of this Company might stand in the way of whatsoever His Majesty and your Lordships should think most for his Service to determine concerning it 3. That besides the many other Advantages arising to His Majesty from this Invention the saving of his Treasure will we doubt not in your Enquiry be found concerned in a no less Degree than that of 60 l. or a much greater summe per Cent. through the whole of his Expence of Lead-sheathing compared with that of Wood or sending Ships to Sea Unsheathed Upon which Consideration and of the good Husbandry the present State of his Majesty's Treasure seems in so particular a measure at this time to call for as also for our fuller Discharge against the Consequences of any Mistake that may attend the issue of a Debate of such Importance to the Royal Navy of England We do on his Majesty's-behalf humbly pray and must take leave to insist upon with your Lordships not only that the Contents of our late Reply in this Cause may receive your due Construction and Examination with respect to what we have therein and do still assert touching the True Causes and Remedy of the Evil in Controversie about Ships Iron-works But that whatsoever your Lordships shall in Order to his Majesty's Service which alone we again desire your having any regard to find Cause of requiring further from the said Officers on this Subject may be mutually transacted between us in Writing and not otherwise In which we shall
endeavour to acquit our selves with all faithfulness and Duty to his Majesty and no less submission to your Lordships as becomes My LORDS Your Lordships c. The Lords of the Admiralty's Commission being determined before they had proceeded to make any Report herein and King Charles the second taking in to himself the Office of Lord High Admiral of England which was transacted by his Brother Mr. Pepys being Secretary and Sir Anth. Dean and Mr. Hewer the one always a professed Friend to the Thing and the other not only so but to that time a Partner also for a twelfth share in the Work being made Commissioners of the Navy the Mill'd-Lead Company could not but expect their Lead-sheathing would soon be restored by the Power of these Gentlemen they having throughly Examined the Matter and informed themselves of the great Benefit and Advantage this Sheathing had and might bring to his Majesty's Service as hath been shewn and by the Post they were in it now becoming their Duty also so that they did not much press their Work waiting only to be called for as soon as it should be thought convenient but much time being lost under these Expectations at length Complaining of this Delay to their late Partner Mr. Hewer he advised them not to Petition the King as they intended but to present a New Proposal to the Board to do the Work per Yard square without any Reflection or Notice of the former Proceedings saying they that had been against it must needs be convinced of their mis-information which had caused the Prejudices they had formerly conceived against Lead-sheathing the whole Matter â—eing so clearly stated and this Sheathing so well vindicated in the Company 's Reply which they had had so much time better to examine and consider of and that they would take this way of application to them well and we needed not to doubt the better and speedier success Wherefore the 20 Decemb. 1686. the Company presented the Proposal following which they leave still before the Navy-Board in hopes at one time or other they will find reason and leisure to take the same into further consideration To the Honourable The Principal Officers and Commissioners OF HIS MAJESTY's NAVY A Proposal of Mr. Kent and Partners concerned in the Work of Mill'd-Lead to Sheath his Majesty's Ships with the said Lead for preservation of their Plank against the Worm which way of Sheathing is plainly much better for Sayling cheaper and more durable than any other way hitherto used IT is humbly offered to your Consideration that when this way of Milling Lead for Sheathing of Ships was first invented it was immediately communicaed to the late King and his present Majesty then Lord High Admiral of England and the Usefulness of the Invention by them well weighed and considered and thought to be of such consequence that his Majesty gave the Inventors encouragement and advice to lay the same before the Parliament where aâ—ter a most strict scrutiny into the Matter in both Houses they obtained in the Year 1670. an Act of Parliament with Terms in it highly expressing the good Opinion they had conceived of this Invention After which by his Majesty's particular direction it was first tryed upon several of his own Ships but the interest several Persons trading in the Materials formerly used in Sheathing had to oppose this Invention did make them very iudustrious to raise Objections against it all which being throughly examined by his late Majesty and a View by him in Person made of the Ship Phoenix after two Voyages to the Streights with the same Sheathing it pleased his Majesty by his Order of 20 th Decemb. 1673. to signifie his pleasure that for the future this way of Sheathing and no other should be used upon his Majesty's Ships by the then Lords of the Admiralty in these words viz. After our hearty Commendations in pursuance of his Majesty's Pleasure signified to us by himself at this Board That in regard of the many and good Proofs which had been given of the usefulness of Sir Philip Howard and Major Watson's Invention of Sheathing his Majesty's Ships with Lead in preference to the doing of it with the Materials and in the manner anciently used and with respect had no less to the charge thereof than the effectual securing the Hulls of his Majesty's Ships against the Worms his Majesty's Ships may for the time to come be sheathed in no other manner than that of Lead without special Order given for the same from this Board These are to authorize you to cause this his Majesty's pleasure â—erein to be duely complyed with And so we remain Your Loving Friends Anglesey Ormond G. Carteret And after two Years further experience the then Navy-Board thought it for his Majesty's Service to Contract with the Mill'd-Lead Partners for the Materials to sheath his Ships at the Rates expressed in their Articles of Agreement during their whole term of their Act of Parliament And thus stood the Matter 'till the close of the Year 1675. at which time as we humbly conceive by the Artifice of the interested Traders was raised a Clamour never heard of before as if this way of Sheathing did occasion a more than ordinary Decay of the Rudder-Irons This immediately put the Partners upon a strict enquiry into the Truth and validity of these Objections and it was not long e're they fully discovered that this decay in the Iron-work proceeded not from the contrariety of the Nature of Lead with the matter of Iron but that the Iron-work lasted or decayed as it was better or worse mixt and wrought by the Smith for such different decays as are charged could never proceed from one common Cause His late Majesty himself was convinced that there was not such corrosive quality in Lead having consulted the Person in England the most skilful in those matters Furthermore Universal Practice both in his Majesties Yards and Merchant Builders has and does at this day make Lead the common security of Iron-work against Rust not only by covering therewith upon all Ships unsheathed and designed for long Voyages the Iron-work about the Rudder but by capping the heads of their Bolts under water with pieces of Lead sized to and nailed over the said Bolts Nor is this all for at this day whatever Merchant Man or Man of War is appointed for a Voyage where the Worm eats the back of her Stem-post and beard of her Rudder are sheathed with Copper or Lead and this even where the Ships also are sheathed with Wood the East India Company it self upon whom we may best depend for Cautions wherever preservation of Ships is in question not omitting in that very case to sheath their Rudders with Lead or Copper which practice certainly could never have prevailed with our Fathers and been followed with so continued a consent to this very day by us of the vicinity of either of these Metals assisted as is by some imagined by salt-water had
with the Nature and Custom of the Wind off at Sea thô at Land its wanderings are not altogether so sensible we may easily believe seeing so plain a reason for it that there will be a playing of the Tide too and fro and several Floods and Ebbs succeeding one another in a few hours space My Sentiments in this place are those of the Author of Britannia Baconica It was the Praediction of Campanella that Venice should at last be destroy'd by Oblimation that is by the Sullage of its Waters that should spoil their being Navigable And Gryphiander in his Book before mention'd hath a great deal of curious Learning to shew what famous Rivers in the World had been destroy'd by Obstructions He in p. 448. cites Ovid for his Vidi factas ex aequore â—erras He in p. 177. making the three constituent Parts of a River to be Water the Banks and Channel considers the Mutations incident to them all and in p. 460. saith Ravenna Italiae urbs ab Augusto Caesare portu manufacto aucta nunc pro flumine spaciosissimos hortos ostendit malis plena sed de quibus non pendeant vela sed poma Ita Patavij Aquileiae alibi latissima nunc jugera sunt ubi olim classium stationes fuerunt c. Leowerdia Bosswerdia aliaeque Frisiae urbes olim maritimae nunc integro milliari a Mari recesserunt And then speaks of other excellent Harbours there destroy'd by Oblimation or Sullage And in p. 177. he hath a great deal of excellent Learning much to this purpose and saith Quod si perpetua sit fluminum mutatio viderur ipse Deus imperij provinciae terminos mutaros velle qui ob hanc cauâ—am Moabitis minatur fluvium ipsorum Nimrim exsiccatum iri Ierem. 48. v. 34. Psal. 107. v. 33. Atque hoc experientia confirmat De quâ— Lucian in Charon Atque urbes tanquam homines quod magis est admirabile etiam universi Fluvii evanescunt Inachi enim nullum Argis extat vestigium Seneca in Hercul Oetheo Mutetur Orbis vallibus currat Novis Ister novasque Tanais accipiat vias Inde factum cum ex fluminum insolitis mutationibus praesagia sumerentur de mutationibus imperiorum ut flumina ipsa ab Ethnicis pro diis colerentur v. Natal Comit. lib. 1. Mythol 11. Ita Nilus in Aegypto pro Deo cultus De cujus presagiis Seneca l. 4. Nat. quest 2. And there afterward speaks of the changes of the Channel in the Rhine He doth often inculcate that Notion That the administration of the Banks of Rivers is a part of the Regalia and he in p. 436. quotes a great Writer of the Regalia to shew that the Work of the Inspection and Conservacy of them is among the Regalia Sicuti etiam jus retardandi flâ—mina ripas muniendi alveumque purgandi And there saith Hinc semper potestas statuendi de aggeribus ad â—uperiores pertinuit Ita Romae remedium coercendo Tyberi ex Senatus consulto Ateâ—o Capitoni L. Aruntio Mandatum Tacit. 1. Annal. Constitutus est in eum usum certus Magistratus ab Augusto Caesare Sueton. cap. 37. Nempe curator Riparum alvei Tyberis ut inscriptiones veteres habent Lips in Comment ad Annal. Tacit. Tyberius etiam quinqueviros constituit Dio Cass. lib. 37. Quos titulos usurpare ne principes quidem puduit This great part of the Regalia namely the Conservation of all the Royal Rivers of England hath been always by our Kings deposited in the hands of the Lord High Admiral of England and Ireland and the trust thereof is both granted to our Admirals in all their Pattents and is inherent in their Office and in all the Patents of the Viceadmirals of the maritime Countyes in both Realms the Viceadmirals are expresly constituted Conservators of all the Royal Rivers and Ports belonging to those Counties as Mr. Brisband inform'd me upon his having perused the draughts of many Vice-admirals Patents I thereupon asking him whether those Viceadmirals did put their power of being Conservators of the Royal Rivers in execution he told me that upon his having consulted some of the Offices and Officers in the high Court of Admiralty about this very thing he could find no foot-steps of their having minded the Power of such Conservacy That he observ'd them diligent enough in that part of their Office that enabled them to receive several Admiralty Perquisites and Droits of the which they were Collectors for the use of the Admiral and to whom they often gave their accounts about the same but that he never found in the Accounts of their Disbursments any thing inserted of a Penny charge they ever were at in the demolishing any Nusances or removing any Shelfs in the Royal Rivers and that the doing this being a thing of great charge and they having no allowance of any Sallary to support their Office this Work was never expected from them Thus then have Eneroachers took what liberty they pleas'd to make Purprestures on the Royal Rivers in the Countrey and to build Houses thereon as seem'd good in their own eyes and it hath there been as Gryphiander saith p. 522. In Corcyraeos propter impunitatem maleficiorum jocus est apud Eustat in Dionys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Libera Corcyra caca ubi velis But the Secretary shewed me how that in the Finalis Concordia of the 18th of February 1632. before the King in Council between the Common-Law Iudges and the Iudge of the Admiralty concerning Prohibitions one Article agreed to was That the Admiral may enquire of and redress all Annoyances and Obstructions in all Navigable Rivers beneath the first Bridges that are any impediments to Navigation or Passage to or from the Sea c. and no Prohibition to be granted in such Case And from the foremenâ—ion'd Report of the Judge of the Admiralty to the late Commissioners of the Admiralty it is plain that the Lord high Admiral in his high Court of Admiralty here under the eye of the Government hath variously acted in the Conservacy of the River of Thames for thence I noted down what follows viz. It can be made appear by Records in the Court of Admiralty that Licenses have been given by the Lord Admiral for the enlargement of Wharfs and that the said Court hath punish'd Persons for not keeping them in repair and Orders have been made from time to time for the regular lying of Ships by appointing how many shall ride a breast c. and the Report mentions that one was treated with by Persons concern'd in a late Patent that he might be permitted to take in some part of the Shoar to the Low water-mark and that another had de Facto agreed with them for the summe of 20 l. for taking in 80 Foot deep and 100 Foot long of the Shoar I have been by my Council at Law inform'd that he hath seen various late Patents for granting away the Soil of
present Advice they have received from abroad will justifie their saying thus much before hand that those Effects will be found of many times more Charge to the King than all that the Complaint now before your Lordships concerning Rudder-Irons can be made to amount to But My Lords As these Proceedings have not heretofore neither shall they now discourage this Company from a free Discharge of their Duty by opening whatever Conceptions of theirs they think reasonably grounded towards the Remedying as well as Right understanding the Original of the Evil laboured under and a Remedy both Obvious Easie Effectual and next to being of no Charge we take our selves to be Masters of and shall lead your Lordships to the concurring with us in it by the few steps or Reflections following viz. First That the only competent and allowed Defence of Ships against the Worm before this of Lead-sheathing was the paying the Hulls from the Waters edge downwards with Stuff and laying the inside of a Sheathing-board from inch and quarter to three quarters thick all over with Tarr and Hair to be brought over the forementioned Stuff and being well nailed Graving or Paying the outside of the said Board all over with another Composition of Brimstone Oyl and other Ingredients which is called Wood-sheathing Concerning which however united the Opinion of us English Men may be thought to have been touching the same it seems to this Company grounded not so much upon the real Perfection thereof as the Profit that attends it to the Builders interested in the working of it and consequently leaving them under no temptation either to look out for a better themselves or give encouragement to any discoveries made towards it by others And that indeed the so universal Reception given to Wood-sheathing is rather due to this than its own real sufficiency your Lordships will be Judges of from the following Notes 1. That if not the most at least the most essential of all the Ingredients employed in that method of Sheathing are of Forreign growth which we make use of not so much for the sake of the Nationality of its Argument though yet that is such as the Parliaments of England have ever laid great weight upon in all their Deliberations upon Trade and particularly in the Act relating to this very Invention but from a Consideration which the Books of the Navy sufficiently confirm the force of viz. That being Forraign such has sometimes been the scarcity thereof here even when their use has been most wanted that they have been either not to be had at all or at Prizes much exceeding the ordinary Market 2. That the said Wood-sheathing hath been always observed and confessed to be very apt to gather Filth and of no less uneasieness when fouled to be thoroughly cleansed again 3. That from its roughness and the multitude of Nail-heads standing out from the Ships sides or otherwise Ships sheathed with Wood have ever been complained of as lessened thereby in that only quality upon which our Friggats most value themselves and have their Service in preference to others calculated from namely That of their Sailing for proof of which your Lordships have not only the Evidence lately mentioned of the Navy Officers choosing to send naked Ships to the Streights when with as little violence to practice and order they might have sent them so sheathed but that general application which was heretofore made to his Royal Highness then Lord High Admiral of England by the Flag-Officers and Commanders of the Fleet designed under Sir Thomas Allen as we remember against the Turks advising that as his Majesty would expect any success of the said Fleet against that People he would let his Ships go with all their virtue of Sailing about them undiminished by sheathing as being from former Experience of the Turks out-doing us that way taught that without this nothing was to be hoped for of Advantage to be gained upon them which Advice of theirs was urged so pressingly and justified so fully that both his Royal Highness and the then Officers of the Navy concurred with those of the Fleet in the Council thereupon given his Majesty and afterwards pursued rather of exposing the Hulls of his Ships to the worst Effects of the Worm than hazard the loss both of their whole Service and his own Honour by sheathing and thereby disabling them in this their best quality of Sailing Secondly Which being so and that therefore besides these plain and important Imperfections in Wood-sheathing the only Remedy hitherto thought on has been to deliver up his Majesty's Ships to the mercy of the Worm by sending them abroad wholly unprovided of any Fence against them This Company takes leave in the next place humbly to recommend to your Lordships the requiring from the Officers of the Navy an impartial Account of the condition wherein the Ships of that Fleet of Sir Thomas Allen's brought home their Hulls notwithstanding all the mighty professions then made by their Commanders of the care that should be taken in the frequent turning up of their Bottoms and use of the long Scrubbing-brushes then first devised and introduced into the Navy for the easier reaching towards their Keeles in the making of them clean And for whatever issue your Lordships are to expect from the late Liberty taken by these Gentlemen of doing the like on other Ships at this day though it be yet too soon for your Lordships to expect any certain Account thereof as being a Matter not to be done before they are brought in and searched Yet we cannot think it will be reckoned any ill measure for your Lordships to frame your Expectations by therein to consider the single case of the Rupert in her last Voyage to the Streights under Captain Herbert which Ship in lieu of being according to the Kings Order sheathed with Lead was by the said Officers Advice and the Undertaking of her Commander for the frequency of her cleaning sent away naked saving in her Keel which was Leaded with this success that besides the Apprehensions Captain Herbert was under concerning her even while in the Streights upon what was then discovered relating to the Worm putting him upon thoughts had it been practicable of shifting her Garble-strake there The Officers of the Navy are well able to inform your Lordships that notwithstanding all that promised care of Captain Herbert and their own presumptions thereon it will be no small charge to his Majesty to make good the damage she brought home by Worm-eating What then remains after this that has been said and lies so easily within your Lordships proving touching the Imperfections of both these Methods of Sheathing Ships with Wood and exposing them to Sea without any Sheathing at all but the waiting for some Fourth not yet heard of or continuing this Third under debate of Sheathing with Lead to which nothing is so much as pretended to in Objection by the Officers of the Navy themselves but this of its supposed