"1his day died Mr. Sam. Pepys, a very worthy, industrious, and curious person, none in England exceeding him in knowledge ofthe Navy, in which he had passed through all the more considerable offices, Clerk of the Acts, and Secretary ofthe Admiralty, all ofwhich he performed with great integrity." - Diary of John Evelyn, 26 May 1703
Samue/Pepys (1633-1703) naval dockyards, recounting "in chis age and all pas r, borh in rhe navy and ocher offices, rhe efiecrs of ignorance and corruprion run in a circle." 2 H e made ir a prioriry, from his early days as C lerk of rhe Aces co rhe Navy Board co rhe culminarion of his ca reer as Firsr Secrerary of rhe Admiralry, ro ensure ch ar rhe king was gerring a good rerurn on his invesrment in rhe navy, despire rhe rampant indifference and profireering char were occurrin g amongs r his colleagues.
One colleague who srood our in char capaciry was Sir William Barren, Surveyor of rhe Navy Board during rhe early 1660s. Barren paid fo r his opulenr home ar Walrhamscow by dipping into rhe C harham Chesr-rhe disabled sailors' fund. Barren, "whose chears I do daily oppose ro hi s grear rrouble," was as inco mperent as he was corrupr. In his diary, Pepys describes a survey of rhe Navy Yards ar Deprford conducred by Barren as "so poorly and unlike a survey of rhe navy, char I am ashamed ofir."
Pepys's indicrments of his colleagues were nor benign; rhe srandard he set did not go unnoticed by King Charles II and rhe commissioners of rhe Navy Board. His opposition ro rhe corruprion of chose like Barren caused him ro "grow more a nd more considerable" in rhe offi ces of naval adminisrrarion. When rhe Earl of Angelesy, Treasurer of rhe Navy Board, dipped into rhe C harham C hesr for rhe second rime, Pepys drafred new rules for rhe adminisrrarion of chis and ocher a reas of rhe navy, which were passed successfully by rhe King's Council.3 If rhe Royal Navy were ro ever be a perm a nent insrirurion in England a nd rhe srrongesr navy in rhe world, ir needed infras rrucrure ro rrain and mainrain irs personnel. Pepys was especially devo red Samuel Pepys's home barely escaped the flames that destroyed most ofLondon within the ancient Roman city wall in J 666 As he did for so many significant events in his lifetime, he was there to bear witness, not only for history, but as an on-site reporter ofsorts to King Charles 11 during the hours the fire was raging. Pepys's home is located on the lower right quadrant of the map, just above the boundary of the fire's reach; the orange-shaded area marks the burned part ofthe city.
SEA HISTORY 135, SUMMER 2011
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