Letters written by Sir William Temple during his being ambassador at The Hague, to the Earl of Arlington and Sir John Trevor, Secretaries of State to K. Charles II wherein are discovered many secrets hitherto concealed / published from the originals, under Sir William Temple's own hand ; and dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Littleton, Speaker of the House of Commons, by D. Jones, Gent.

LETTER VIII. Hague, Novemb. 13. S. N. 68. (Book 8)

SIR,

I Have since my last, had the Honour of two from you of the 23d and 26th past; And must refer you for Answer to all Points in the first, to this Nights Di∣spatch to my Lord Arlington; and likewise to the first part of your second, having va∣lued that strain of His Majesty's Confi∣dence with the States, as far as I could; And I hope, upon the whole, to keep all in good Temper here, whilst no change of Temper happens among their Neigh∣bours.

I sent immediately your Letter to Mon∣sieur Van Benninghen, but doubt I shall not receive much Assistance from him, in di∣sposing the States to the sharing of the Swedish Subsidies; Against which, he seems as much bent as Monsieur de Witt; And more upon promoting the other Expedient of Inviting Spain to the whole Payment, by a General Gua∣ranty.

I expect your Resolutions there upon the Marine Treaty; For though I am not called upon for them here, yet they would be glad to see an end of all, up∣on which they foresee Disputes may a∣rise.

For the second part of your last Letter, I have particularly informed my self, and find, that the Military and Oeconomical parts, have ever been perfectly distinct in the Administration of the Admiralty of these Countries; And that no Prince of O∣range ever had any thing to do in the Dis∣position of the last, nor any of the Lieu∣tenant-Admirals since; as Tromp, Opdam, or Ruyter; The course of that Admini∣stration being subordinately in the several Admiralties, but supreamly in the States themselves, as the Military part is now, since the Death of the last Prince of O∣range.

There are five several Admiralties un∣der these States; The first of Rotterdam, the second of Amsterdam, which bears a double Share with the rest, the third of Zealand, the fourth of North-Holland, the fifth of Friezland. In the Time of Peace, the Ships maintained by the States, are on∣ly for Convoys; And towards their de∣fraying, the Customs upon all Merchant Ships, are payed in to the respective Ad∣miralties

where they come in; And all that Revenue is, by these Admiralties, im∣ployed in the maintaining of Convoys for their Merchants. In Time of War, the States resolve what Number of Ships they will set out, and send for Commissioners from each Admiralty, to consult with, con∣cerning the Sizes of them, to be furnish∣ed by the several Admiralties: And like∣wise concerning the Charge of Equip∣ping, Victualling, and Maintaining them. When this is agreed by the States, with the Commissioners of the several Admi∣ralties, the Moneys are assigned by them accordingly, to the Admiralties, by whom the whole Care is taken of apply∣ing it, according to the Proportions agreed on.

The Benefit of the Admiral, and Lieu∣tenant Admirals, consists chiefly in the Share they have of all Prizes taken; The Prince of Orange having had no particu∣lar Pension as Admiral, but One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Guilders a Year, as Captain General and Admiral; And de Ruyter, at present, not having above Five Thousand Guilders a Year, as Lieu∣tenant Admiral. Upon setting out any Ships, the several Admiralties named two Captains, of which, the Admiral chose one, which the States do now, since the last Prince's Death; And the Lieutenant Admiral has only Power to supply pro∣visionally

any void place when he is at Sea.

If you desire to be satisfied in any Par∣ticulars I have not touch'd, you need but repeat them in any new Commands; Which shall be Obeyed by,

SIR,

Your most Faithful, Humble Servant, W. Temple.