A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval MSS. in the Pepysian
Library. Edited by J. R. Tanner. Vol. IV. Admiralty Journal. (Navy Records Society. W. Clowes and Sons. 21s. net.) This profoundly interesting volume, too modestly described as a " catalogue, contains almost the whole minutes, written by Pepys himself, of the Admiralty Commission of 1673-79, and throws -abundant light on the state of the Navy in those distressful years when the work of reorganization was inces- santly hampered by lack of funds. Dr. Tanner's excellent introduction, of over a hundred pages, touches on the salient features, but the journal is well worth reading through. We may note two small points. Pepys, as Secretary to the Admiralty, took a fee of 25s. on each pass issued to a ship trading with the Mediterranean, and successfully defended his right to do so ; he made his small fortune out of this per- quisite, and not by corrupt means. The Van de Veldes, father and son, were given pensions of £100 a year for drawing and painting ships. Thereupon Francis Poyntz, " his Majesty's tapestry maker, employed in the making of a suit of hangings of the naval fights," and Thomas Phillipps, " some time employed by his Majesty in the drawing and designing of battles at sea," applied for pensions but were refused until the King " should be in better condition than he now is." It may be added that some of Poyntz's tapestries, representing the Battle of Solebay, came up for sale the other day in a London auction-room.
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