IRY INTO NAVAL AFFAIRS.

In March, an inquiry into the condition of the navy was begun in the
house of lords. They desired the queen in an address to give speedy
and effectual orders that a number of ships, sufficient for the home
service, should be equipped and manned with all possible expedition.
They resolved, that admiral Graydon's not attacking the four French
ships in the channel, had been a prejudice to the queen's service, and
a disgrace to the nation; that his pressing men in Jamaica, and his
severity towards masters of merchant vessels and transports, had been
a great discouragement to the inhabitants of that island, as well as
prejudicial to her majesty's service; and they presented an address
against him, in consequence of which he was dismissed. They examined
the accounts of the earl of Oxford, against which great clamour had been
raised; and taking cognizance of the remarks made by the commissioners
of the public accounts, found them false in fact, ill-grounded, and of
no importance. The commons besought the queen to order a prosecution on
account of ill practices in the earl of Ranelagh's office; and they
sent up to the lords a bill for continuing the commission on the public
accounts. Some alterations were made in the upper house, especially in
the nomination of commissioners; but these were rejected by the commons.
The peers adhering to their amendments, the bill dropped, and the
commission expired. No other bill of any consequence passed in this
session, except an act for raising recruits, which empowered justices of
the peace to impress idle persons for soldiers and marines. On the third
day of April the queen went to the house of peers, and having made
a short speech on the usual topics of acknowledgment, unity, and
moderation, prorogued the parliament to the fourth day of July. The
division still continued between the two houses of convocation; so that
nothing of moment was transacted in that assembly, except their address
to the queen upon her granting the first fruits and tenths for the
augmentation of small benefices. At the same time, the lower house sent
their prolocutor with a deputation to wait upon the speaker of the house
of commons, to return their thanks to that honourable house for having
espoused the interest of the clergy; and to assure them that the
convocation would pursue such methods as might best conduce to the
support, honour, interest, and security of the church as now by
law es