238 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
in 1673, and resigned from his office when the Admiralty Com-
mission was dissolved in 1679. Monk during this period of
service described him as "the right hand of the Navy."5
Accused of furnishing information to France he was committed
to the Tower, but was released after a couple of months and later
wholly cleared of suspicion. When in 1684 Charles realised the
condition of the Navy he took over its management, assisted
by the Duke of York, and as a preliminary step to improvement
recalled Pepys as Secretary to the Admiralty Board. A survey
was made of the fleet, but particularly of the thirty new ships,
by the then President of the Royal Society.
"The greatest part nevertheless of these Thirty Ships (without
"having ever yet lookt out of Harbour) were let to sink into such
"Distress, through Decays contracted in their Buttocks, Quarters,
"Bows, Thick-stuff without Board, and Spir-kettings upon their
"Gun-decks within ; their Buttock-Planks some of them started
"from their Transums, Tree-nails burnt and rotted, and Planks thereby
"become ready to drop into the Water, as being (with their Neigh-
"bouring Timbers) in many places perish'd to powder, to the rendring
"them unable with safety to admit of being breem'd, for fear of
"taking Fire ; and their whole sides more disguis'd by Shot-boards
"nail'd, and Plaisters of Canvas pitch'd thereon (for hiding their
"Defects, and keeping them above Water) than has usually been
"seen upon the coming in of a Fleet after a Battle ; that several
"of them had been newly reported by the Navy-Board it self, to
"lye in danger of sinking at their very Moorings."
This was indeed a "melancholy visit" for one who had laboured
and had been mainly responsible for the building of the fleet
and the Navy's welfare. Suggestions had been made that the
decay was "wholly imputible to the Hastiness of the Building,
"the Greeness of the Stuff, and especial Effects of the East-
"Country-Timber and Plank wrought thereon." The accusation
about haste was summarily disposed of, for "three and twenty
"of these Thirty lay from one to full two, three, and four Years
"in building, and the last of them more than five ; till above
"one hundred pounds was demanded by her Builder for re-
"pairing the Decays of her very Keel, as she lay upon the
"Stocks." Pepys defended the construction of the ships and
the use of the small amount of foreign timber.
"Nought remain'd whereon the same could with any appearance
"of Consequence be charg'd, save the plain Omission of the necessary
"and ordinary Cautions us'd for the preserving of New-built ships.
5 This day died Mr. Samuel Pepys, a very worthy industrious and curious person, none in
England exceeding him in knowledge of the Navy." Evelyn. Diary, May 26, 1703.