d with a view to favour the
whig interest; and the individuals of that party were indulged with
many places of trust and profit; but the tories were too powerful in the
house of commons to be exasperated, and therefore a good number of them
were retained in office.

BOTH HOUSES INQUIRE INTO THE MISCARRIAGES BY SEA.

On the sixth day of the session, the commons unanimously resolved
to support their majesties and their government; to inquire into
miscarriages; and to consider of means for preserving the trade of the
nation. The Turkey company was summoned to produce the petitions they
had delivered to the commissioners of the Admiralty for convoy: lord
Falkland, who sat at the head of that board, gave in copies of all the
orders and directions sent to sir George Rooke concerning the Straits
fleet, together with a list of all the ships at that time in commission.
It appeared, in the course of this inquiry, that the miscarriage of
Rooke's fleet was in a great measure owing to the misconduct of the
admirals, and the neglect of the victualling-office; but they were
screened by a majority. Mr. Harley, one of the commissioners for taking
and stating the public accounts, delivered a report, which contained a
charge of peculation against lord Falkland. Rainsford, receiver of the
rights and perquisites of the navy, confessed that he had received and
paid more money than that which was charged in the accounts; and, in
particular, that he had paid four thousand pounds to lord Falkland
by his majesty's order. This lord had acknowledged before the
commissioners, that he had paid one half of the sum, by the king's
order, to a person who was not a member of either house; and that the
remainder was still in his hands. Rainsford owned he had the original
letter which he received from Falkland, demanding the money; and this
nobleman desiring to see it, detained the voucher; a circumstance
that incensed the commons to such a degree, that a motion was made for
committing him to the Tower, and debated with great warmth, but was at
last over-ruled by the majority. Nevertheless, they agreed to make him
sensible of their displeasure, and he was reprimanded in his place. The
house of lords having also inquired into the causes of the miscarriages
at sea, very violent debates arose, and at length the majority resolved,
that the admirals had done well in the execution of the orders they had
received. This was a triumph over the whig lords, wh