The motion to enquire into the present state of the navy or home service was made on Friday last [March I] in the House of Commons by Mr. Temple Luttrell, and seconded very ably by the Right Hon. Mr. Thomas Townshend. Mr. Luttrell introduced his motion with some strictures upon the Admiralty for the little care that had been taken in manning the men of war for the American service, by which misconduct some of the frigates had run ashore, and others been impeded in their voyage, &c. He insisted upon it, that so numerous a fleet as that, which it was said would amount to near 100 sail could not possibly be fitted out without press warrants; yet he did not condemn the withholding such expedient; for next to the compelling Americans to serve against Americans, nothing could be worse than to force Britons to fight against them. He asked.if it would not be wiser to have 50 men of war on that service properly manned, than 100 in so wretched a condition? The fleet in America, including storeships, victuallers; and small craft, must require upwards of 20,000 men, which would be more than could be spared at so remote a distance, consistent with the safety of these islands, when your resources.of men for land and sea service were so reduced, and the French and Spaniards actually fitting out large naval armaments, and increasing their military establis~ments. Some ministerial gentlemen had asserted the evening before, that we had 20 sail of line of battle ships fit to encounter any enemy whatever at a few days notice. This was absolutely a false state of facts. He would engage to prove by indisputable evidence at the bar, that when the rest of the ships destined for America shall have sailed, you cannot have mariners in all your ports put together to complete the complements of 14 sail of the line. The Spaniards will in less than six weeks have a greater force than that within two days sail of Gibraltar, and you have only one ship of the line in the Mediterranean. The French are now superior to you in all parts of the world, excepting North America: You have not. a single line of battle ship either in the East or West Indies. France has a squadron at Hispaniola, and 10,000 land forces. Are we then henceforward to hold our very existence a~ a nation by no better tenure than the impolitic faith or commiseration of the House of Bourbon? This Gentleman spoke upon various other matters relative to the subject with great force of argument, and seemingly from very diligent information; and he replied to the material part of the objections at the close of the debate, and shewed precedents in his favour. He was answered by Sir Hugh Paliser, and another Lord of the Admiralty, who persisted in the present flourishing state. of our navy at home, and the satisfactory manner in which the American ships were manned. The guard-ships had supernumerary hands, and seamen came in faster than was requisite. Lord Mulgrave supported these assertions, and declared as a professional man, that we could have a fleet of 40 sail of the line in a few weeks, and 60 in a month's time, if necessary. All these arguments were replied to in a very spirited and masterly speech by Governor Johnstone, who shewed that there was but too much reason to apprehend we were going to our lowest ebb as a maritime power as well as a commercial one. He justly observed, that the representations of the Hon. Gentlemen who had spoken on thisoccasion varied so widely, and upon a matter of such importance, that a clear conclusion must be drawn to go into an enquiry for the truth. Lord North and Lord Clare opposed the motion, and were answered by Sir Geo. Younge, Mr. Byng, and Mr. Hartley, lately chosen for Berkshire, who expressed his concern that country gentlemen should encourage ministry in the infamous and unconstitutional practice of withholding necessary information from the representatives of the people. It was his first speech, and he acquitted himself much credit. The numbers on the division were 93 against the motion, 44 for the motion.