Vol. IX. That of Provifions feems very unaccountable, it being all along for the fame Number of Men, and it does not appear that the Nature of the Payments to the Undertakers, either in time or Specie, has occafioned any Discount in proportion to the Advance in the Prices of the Provifions. However the Commiffioners have in this part been equally Remifs, for it does. not appear that any Regular Contracts at all have been made for fome late Years, but the Undertakers have been told by Mr. Crifp, That they must go on at the former Prices, and the only Authority they have had has been a Verbal Signification of the Commissioners Pleasure by Mr. Crifp; fome Contracts have been Signed for Candles in particular, above a Twelve Month after the Money was paid, and greater Allowances made to Contractors by Mr. Crifp, than by the Minutes of the Board he was Authorized to do: And fuch Alterations have been made by Mr. Crifp at his own House, without taking or asking any Directions from the Commiffioners.

And the better to Cover thefe Frauds and Abuses, the Ancient Rules and Methods Established for the better Regulating the Management of the Affairs of the College, have, of late Years, been Difpenfed with and laid afide; And Mr. Englis, who is Comptroller of the College, and had ufually been prefent at the. making of Contracts, or at least Attefted them, De-, pofed upon Oath, That for late Years he had never. feen any of the Contracts; and all the Knowledge he had of them, was, Mr. Crifp had given him Abftracts and short Minutes, which were all the Rules he had to Govern himself by, in the Receiving and Delivering out of the Stores and Provisions; and by this means all the Checques and Comptrols that were Established for the Security of the Publick, were ren, dred ufelefs,

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15 Majefty in Council taking the fame Vol. IX: into Coufideration, is Pleafed to Order, That the faid Report be made Publick; And it is hereby accordingly Ordered, That it be Printed and Published, to the end that all Perfons Concerned, may take Notice thereof, and ufe their utmost Endeavours to Prevent the like Abuses and Evil Practices for the fu

ture.

Mr. Howe's MEMORIAL relating to the State of Chelsea Hofpital and OutPenfioners, in pursuance of a Direction from the Lords Commiffioners of the Treasury to that purpose, which was by their Lordships judged of Confequence to be laid before his Majesty, and was by him referred to a Commit tee of Council &c. in order to a particular Examination of that Affair, as appears by their Report printed by Authority.

To the Right Honourable the Lords Commiffioners of His Majefty's Treafury.

May it please Your Lordships.

Having been acquainted with your Lord

fhips Directions to the Commiffioners of the Royal Hofpital at Chelfea, to lay before your Lordships a State of the faid Hofpital, with Refpect to the Charges of the prefent Eftablifhment, and the Out-Penfioners, and how far the refpective Parts of the faid Charge have been fatisfied, and by what Warrants and Authorities, &c.

I do herewith tranfmit to your Lordships the most perfect State which I believe can at

present

Vol. IX. prefent be made of the Charge of the faid Hofpital and Out Penfioners, with the Funds for their Support from the 24th of December 1712. (to which time they are fully cleared) to the 24th of December next, diftinguished under the proper Heads in two Annual Accompts, with an Abstract of them in one View, to which is added the feveral Sums I have received and paid for this Service.

By thefe Accompts your Lordships will fee, that befides the Sum of 5000 l. which is to be received from the Earl of Carnarvon, for the Day's Pay of the Forces who ferved abroad, when they are cleared, there remains to be iffued of the Funds voted by Parliament, and agreed to by a Select Committee, for this Expence, the Sum of 37,629 1. 8 s. 5 d. for the Tear 1713. and 63, 381 l. 5 s. 7 d. for the Service of the prefent Year 1714. making together 106,0101. 14 s. and admitting thefe Sums were iffued and applied, there will be still a Deficiency of 35,536 1. 10 s. 6 d. 1. to clear the Hofpital and Out-Penfioners to the 24th of December next.

As this will, I believe, appear furprizing to your Lordships, I think it neceffary to acquaint your Lordships with the Grounds and. Authorities upon which the particular Articles in thefe Accompts are founded.

The first is the Annual Sum of 3008 1. 9 s. for the Sallaries of the Officers of the Honfe, pursuant to an Establishment figned by her late Majefty foon after her Acceffion to the Throne; upon which Head it is proper I should take notice to your Lordships, that above two Years fince Directions were given for making a new Establishment with fome Alterations, and one

WAS

was accordingly prepared and figned by her late Vol. IX. Majesty, but upon an Application from the Commiffioners, of the Hofpital, a Stop was put to the Counter-Signing it, and a Report of the Commiffioners, with one of mine in Relation thereto, were referred by the Earl of Oxford to the Confideration of Mr. Gwyn then Secretary at War, whofe Report thereupon, with the Establishment, and all the other Papers lying before your Lordships, I shall not trouble your Lordships with any particulars therein, but muft obferve to your Lordships, that by reason this Affair has remained fo long undetermined, Ihave undergone fome Cenfure, the Officers of the Houfe being uneasy they were not paid, though I had no proper Authority to pay them by; her Majefty's Signing a new Establishment having cancelled the former, and the Differences of fome Allowances in the latter, made the Perfons concerned unwilling to be paid, and concluded by the other, which was not perfected, in which Condition it continuing at her Majefy's Death, I was fo moved with the Hardhip it was to many of the Officers who had no other Support, that I paid all (bur one or two who are truck off by the new Establishment) as much on Accompt as their new Sallaries did amount to at Christmas laft, and pray your Lordships will now please to give Directions for the perfecting fuch an Establishment as I must be governed by in concluding my Accompts of the Hofpital.

The Second Article is the Annual Allowance of 1249 1.8 s. to the Military Officers and private Men in the Hofpital, to Supply them with Tobacco, &c. and is by Establishment also.

F

The

Vol. IX.

The next Articles for Provifions, Contingent Expences, &c. are by the Warrants of the Commillioners, pursuant to the Authority given them by Patent, and Her Majesty's Inftructions, a Copy whereof is herewith delivered.

The Exchequer Fees are paid by Authority of Parliament, and the Allowances to my Office, &c. by Sign Manual.

The laft Article is the Pay of the Invalids, call'd Out-Penfioners, who being now encreased to a very great Number, I hope your Lordships. will not think it neceffary that I am very particular in my Obfervations upon that Expence.

It is originally founded upon a Warrant at the end of the Establishment of Guards and Garrifons, which directs several Allowances to be paid to fuch Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers as have ferved the Crown 20 Years, or by Wounds or otherwise are disabled in the Service, in order to fubfift them, until by Vacan cies in the Hofpital they can be received into the Honfe; and by a long War they are become much more Numerous than was or could be apprehended at the Time of their first Establishment; and by reafon the Poundage of the Forces who ferv'd abroad, which was first intended to bear this Expence, has been applyed to other. Services, there has been a neceffity for fome Years paft of applying to Parliament, who have from time to time granted Money towards this Charge upon Eftimates that have been laid before them, which I am very much concern'd to find to be fo fhort of the Sum that by the prefent Accompt feems to be wanted for it, and which indeed I could not have apprehended, it being but very lately that I could obtain the leaft Information of the Number the Out

Penfioners