Company complained that, the Admiralty had neglected its duty; that spies in the pay of the French monarch were allowed facilities for ascertaining the strength and movements of the English fleets, and the destination of any ships worthy of capture. Numerous complaints were also made in Parliament, but, in the sequel, nothing was done to satisfy the nation or to compensate the parties directly interested for the losses they had sustained. The attitude, however, taken soon afterwards by the English fleet in the Mediterranean under the command of Admiral Russell,[1] and the raising of the siege of Barcelona, with the undisputed command which she recovered over the Narrow Seas, restored the prestige of England, and forced the French to keep themselves cooped up in their harbours. But the war had proved disastrous to her commerce and her shipping; the clearances at its close, in 1696, having fallen to 91,767 tons, showing a decrease of no less than 98,766 tons in eight years, while the value of her exports during that period had declined to the extent of 1,356,567l.[2]*
- ↑ See 'Life of Admiral Russell, Earl of Oxford,' by Sir E. Cust, ii. p. 556.
- ↑ In 1701-1702 there were 3281 vessels measuring, or rather estimated
at 261,222 tons, carrying 27,196 men, and 5660 guns, belonging
respectively to the following ports:—
Ships. Tons. Men.
London 560 84,882 10,065
Bristol 165 17,338 2,357
Yarmouth 143 9,914 668
Exeter 121 7,107 978
Hull 115 7,564 187
Whitby 110 8,292 571
Liverpool 102 8,619 1,101
Scarborough 102 6,860 506No other ports of the kingdom possessed, at the time the return was
