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 1 
 
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 :; 4 ; 
 
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 6 
 
, : /f, • 
 
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 A N 
 
 r 
 
 C C O U N T 
 
 OF THE 
 
 5^-,. • 
 
 1 ,V 
 
 FACTS 
 
 * * * "'f 
 
 ". which appeared on the late '"■''■' 
 
 'Enquiry into the Loss of Minorca, 
 From AUTHENTIC Papers. 
 
 By the MONITOR. 
 
 4( 
 
 
 
 :.|-:-.... 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for J. Scott, at the Black Swan in PaUr-noJ^er-row* 
 
 MDCCLVII. 
 
 ■-m 
 
A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 O F 
 
 FACTS, 
 
 c. 
 
 TH E only addition to mifery is the defpair 
 of redrefs. And there can be no greater 
 appearance of a failure in this refpedl, in the 
 body politick, than where the reprelentatives of 
 the people are deaf to their complaints, infen- 
 fible of their griefs, and partial to the authors 
 of their misfortunes. 
 
 The liberality with which the nation con- 
 tributed towards a war with France-^ and the 
 tranquility on the continent of Europe^ gave us 
 great hopes of fuccefs j but our moft fanguine 
 and well grounded expedlations foon vanifhed, 
 with the lofs of Minorca^ and therewith the 
 trade and navigation of the Levant, 
 
 Our only relief was a dependance on the 
 guardians of our liberties, to enquire into the caufe 
 of this misfortune, and to punifh thofe, who 
 
 B ihould 
 
[ 2 ] 
 
 fliould be found the authors of our difquletude, 
 difgrace, and lofs. The whole nation laid their 
 cafe in the moft dutiful and affedling terms 
 before their fovcreign : his Majefty promifed 
 his afflidled people that juflice fliould be done. 
 They direded their reprefentatives to make a 
 calm, difpafTionate, and impartial enquiry : 
 but, behold ! they have the mortification to 
 find that neither the royal vvifdom, nor their 
 own authority, was fuflicient to convidl the 
 Icaft of the offenders, or to bring one of the 
 managers of our marine, or one evil counfellor 
 to juflice. 
 
 It is true an enquiry was, after many diiH- 
 culties, begun, and the ftate papers relating to 
 the equipment of the French^ in their feveral 
 ports, during the time of their preparations 
 againfl the Brilijh dominions, were produced 
 in the houfe of commons : but, by the fame 
 means, which fo often have influenced the 
 mem.bers of that auguft afTembly to grant the 
 people's money without meafure, the managers 
 for the late minilh-y have endeavoured to flifie 
 all further examination into their condudt by the 
 following refolutions : 
 
 ** Mr. P — // — r ^according to order) reported 
 *' from the committee of the whole houfe, to 
 ** whom it was referred to confider of the fe- 
 *' veral papers and accounts, prefented to the 
 « houfe in this feliion of parliament, relating 
 I "to 
 
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 [ 3 ] 
 
 to Ijitelligence concerning the motions or de* 
 figns of the French j to preparations made, 
 and orders given, for the equipment or failing 
 of any of his Majefly's ihips of war, or for 
 the defence of any of his Majefty's dominions 
 in the Mediterrayiean^ and to the ftate and 
 condition of his Majefty's navy, and of the 
 ifland of Minor ca^ during the years 1755 and 
 1756 ; the refolutions, which the committee 
 had direded him to report to the houfe, 
 which he read in his place, and afterwards 
 delivered in at the table, where the fame were 
 read, and are as folio weth, 'viz. 
 
 '' Refoked, . 
 
 ** That it appears to this committee, that 
 " his Majefty from the 27th Augufi 1755, to 
 ** 20th April 1756, received fuch repeated and 
 ** concurrent intelligence, as gave jufl: reafon to 
 " believe, that the French King intended to 
 " invade his Majefty's dominions of Great 
 ** Britain or Ireland, 
 
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 « Refohed, 
 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 his Majefty received repeated and concurrent 
 intelligence, from the month of Auguft 1755, 
 to the month oi April 1756, that, with in- 
 tent to invade his Majefty's dominions, great 
 numbers of troops were marched from the 
 interior parts oi France ^ to the coafts of P/- 
 
 B 2 '* card)\ 
 
t 4 ] 
 
 " cardyy Normandy^ and Brit any, great qiian- 
 " titles of provifions, artillery, and warlike ftorc?, 
 •* collcd:ed, and numbers of vefTels for the tranf- 
 " portation of foldiers aflembled, in the ports 
 *' of France^ oppofite to the coafts of this king- 
 " dom. 
 
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 " Rcfohcd, 
 
 " That it appears to this committee, that in 
 the months of September, OBober, November^ 
 and December, ly^S* ^^^^ Majefty received 
 various repeated and concurrent advices of the 
 adlual equipping of a fquadron of twelve fliips 
 of the line, belides frigates, at Toulo?i, and 
 that the faid armament would at lateft be ready 
 to fail very early in the fpring, 1756, 
 
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 «* Refokcd, 
 '* That it appears to this committee, that on 
 the fourth oi February 1756, in a letter from 
 Mr. conful Birtles, dated Genoa, 17 January 
 1756, his Majefty received advice of an in- 
 tention to furprife the ifland of Minorca, 
 which was confirmed by many fubfequent 
 advices of the adual deftination of the faid 
 armament againft the faid ifland, received in 
 the month of February 1 756. 
 
 ''Refokedy 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 ** his Majefty received repeated and concurrent 
 2. " Intel- 
 
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 " intelligence, that the I'oidon fquadron, which 
 (billed to Minorca, confiding of twelve (liips 
 of the line, was ill provided with men and 
 
 " guns. 
 
 « Rejokcd, 
 
 That it appears to this committee, that 
 his IVIajcfly, between the 30th of yamiary 
 1756, and the 6th o^ March 1756, received 
 intelligence, that there was fitted and fitting 
 for the fea at Br eft and Kochfort^ a fquadron 
 of feventeen fliips of the line, which by intel- 
 ligence, received the 7th March 1756, was to 
 be augmented to twenty-two fhips of the 
 line, fome of which were to be fitted cut for 
 tranfporting troops; and by further intelli- 
 gence received, of the 3 ift of March 1756, 
 was increafed to twenty- three fliips of the 
 line, exclufive of three fhips of the line, faid 
 to be deftined for America. 
 
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 Refohed, 
 
 ** That it appears to this committee, that Sir 
 Edward Hawke received orders to fail on the 
 27th February i 756, and adlually failed on 
 the 1 2th of March following, on a cruize to 
 the weftward, with a fquadron of fourteen 
 fhips of the Upe, which fquadron, under the 
 command of Sir Edward Hawke, was, on the 
 ifl o^ April 1756, ordered to be re-inforced 
 with five fhips of the line, under rear admiral 
 Holbourne, 
 
 B 3 " Refohed^ 
 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 " Rcfohcdy 
 *' That it appears to tliis committee, tluit 
 on the 8tli March iy^6y orders were given 
 by tlic commiirioners of the admiralty, to 
 get ready ten fliips of the line, for the Medi- 
 terrancaii^ and on the iith of March 1756, 
 orders were given by the commiflioners of 
 the admiralty to admiral Byng^ to take the 
 iiiid ten iliips of the line under his command, 
 and fit them for fea, as foon as poflible, 
 and on the 27th of March lys^y ^^^ com- 
 miliioners of the admiralty were ordered to 
 fend ten fhips of the line to the ifland of 
 Minorca, which fliips failed on the 6th of 
 j^pril following, which ten fhips at their 
 failing were fully manned, (including the royal 
 regiment of fuzilcers, fent on board to ferve 
 as part of their complement, and which was 
 ordered to be landed at Minorca, in cafe the 
 governor, or commander in chief of that 
 ifland, fliould think it necefTary for its de- 
 fence,) and, as appears by a letter from the 
 faid admiral to the faid commiflioners, were 
 in every rcfpcd: ready for failing. 
 
 <' Rejolvcd, 
 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 
 '^ on the ifl of April ij z^i:), there were twenty- 
 
 *' feven of his Majclly's fhips of the line, cruiz- 
 
 " ing on the follow i]ig fervices; that is to fay, 
 
 *' four- 
 
[ 7 ] 
 
 '^ fourtocn flilps of the line ciulzing between 
 ** Brc/l and Rochfort^ under the command of 
 " Sir Edward Hauke ; five more of the hue 
 ** ordered, under the command of admiral 
 ** HolbournCy to join Sir Edward Ilawke j one 
 ** between Cape Clear and Scilly, one between 
 " Scilly and UJJjant, two off the ifle of Bafs, 
 '* one off Cape Barflew\ two in the Downs, 
 " under the command of admiral Smithy and 
 " one at Cork ; and twenty-eight fliips of tlie 
 *' line in commiflion at home, that is to fliy, 
 " feventeen fitted for fea, ten fitting, and owt 
 " in harbour fervice, all which were, exclufive 
 *' of the fquadron under the command of ad- 
 " miral By?2gy then under orders to fail immc- 
 " diately for the Mediterranean^ and that the 
 " complement of the fiid twenty-eight fliips of 
 " the line at home, amounted to 14,640 men, 
 ** and that there were borne upon the laid fliips 
 " books, 9891 men, and 7249 muflered. 
 
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 « Rejolvcdy 
 *' That it appears to this committee, that 
 on the ifl j^pril 1756, there were forty- five 
 frigates, floops, and armed (hips, cruizing on 
 the following flations; that is to fay, three 
 under Sir Edward Haw ke, one ofF Bre/iy two 
 off the ifle of Bafs, four off Cape Barfleur, 
 fourteen under admiral Smithy two at Dublin ^ 
 one at Greenock^ one at Whitehaven^ two at 
 Liverpool, two in Kingroad, one at Biddeford, 
 one at Falmouth^ one at Exniouth^ one at Tar-- 
 
 B 4 ** mouthy 
 
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 [81 
 
 mouthy one at Zyw/, one in the Humbp^^ one 
 at Newcajilcy one at Leith, one at Sheernefs 
 going to Lf/VZ', three convoy to Stadbfy one 
 convoy from Oftendy and then ordered to the 
 Downs 'y and there were at home feventeen 
 frigates, floops, and yachts, fitted and fitting 
 for the fea, the complements of wrhich feven- 
 teen amounted to 2405 men, of which 1508 
 were borne, and 1320 muflered.' 
 
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 " Rcfohedy 
 
 " That it* appears by the laft returns from 
 Minorca, before the fiege, bearing date the 
 3ifl July 1755, that the garrifon of fort 
 Sai7it Philip con filled of 2860 men (officers 
 included) and that on the ift February 1756, 
 there were thirty-five military officers abfent 
 from their duty, including the governor and 
 commander in chief of the ifland, the governor 
 of fort Saint Philipy and the colonels of the 
 four regiments in garrifon there, the governor 
 of the ifland, being otherwifc employed in his 
 Majefty's fervice, the governor of fort Saint 
 Philip difabled by age and infirmities, nine- 
 teen fecond- lieutenants and enfigns, appointed 
 between the ifi: oiOBober 1755, and the 4th 
 oi January ijs^^ ^"^ nine officers, employed 
 in the recruiting fervice in Great Britain, 
 
 *' Refohedy 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 '** major general Stuart did, in the month of 
 
 ** Novem- 
 
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 [ 9 ] 
 
 November 3755, receive orders from his 
 Majefty, to repair to Minorca^ in order to be 
 afTiftant to lieutenant general Blakeney^ then 
 commanding hisMajefty's forces in that illand, 
 and that on the 3d oi February following 
 the colonels of the feveral regiments then in 
 Minorca, received an order from his Majefty, 
 to fend all the abfent officers of their re- 
 fped:ive regiments to their duty there, except 
 fuch as it fhould be necefTary to keep in Great 
 Britam on the recruiting fervice. 
 
 « Refohed, 
 
 ** That it appears to this committee, that 
 " on the 28th oi March 1756, a detachment, 
 " with proper officers, equal <-o a battalion, was 
 " ordered to be fent from Gibraltar y to be landed 
 " for the relief of Minorca* 
 
 « 
 
 " Refohed, 
 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 " on the 30th of March 1756, orders were 
 " given for raifing a company of miners, con- 
 *' lifting of 200 men, and on the 7th oi May 
 ** 1756, diredlions were given for fending three 
 •* more battalions for the reinforcement of the 
 " garrifon of fort Saint Philip, 
 
 " Refohed, 
 " That it appears to this committee, that 
 ** the fquadron of his Majefty 's fliips in the 
 
 « Medi^ 
 
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 [ 10 ] 
 
 Mediterranean, in the month of December 
 iy§Sy confifted of one fliip of 60 guns, two 
 of 50 guns, four frigates, and one floop ; and 
 that the garrifon of fort Saint Philip, in the 
 faid month oi December, according to the laft 
 returns, made the 3 ift o^July ly^S, confided 
 of 2860 men (officers included) and that it 
 doth appear, that no greater number of (hips 
 of war could be fent into the Mediterranean 
 than were fent on the 6th of ^pri/ 1706, nor 
 any grea*-er reinforcement than the regiment 
 which was fent, and the detachment equal 
 to a battalion, which was ordered to the relief 
 of fort Saint Philip, confiftently with the 
 ftate of the navy, and the various fervices 
 eflential to the fafety of his Majefty's domi- 
 nions, and the intereft of his fubjcdts." 
 
 i 
 
 Resolutions I which I prefume were not 
 taken by the whole houfe : and fliould it ap- 
 pear that the minority in the debate were 
 members of the greateft property and integrity, 
 who have fomething of their own to lofe, and 
 are tenacious of the right and property of their 
 conftituents, and were of opinion that the lofs 
 of Minorca was principally owing to the not 
 fending an earlier and ftronger naval force into 
 the Mediterranean, than that, which failed under 
 admiral Byng ; to the delay of not fending any 
 reinforcements of troops to that ifland, till the 
 departure of the faid admiral ; to the fuffering 
 the officers belonging to the garrifon to continue 
 
 abfent 
 
[II I. 
 
 abfentfrom their pofts; and to the not giving 
 orders for raifing miners for the defence of fort 
 Saint Philip, till the 30th of March 1756. 
 Won't an injured nation be apt to think, that 
 thcfe refolutions were taken by men, who had 
 no will of their own, and held their feats in 
 parliament by minifterial tenure, and not by 
 the free choice of the people ? Becaufe it does 
 appear from the original papers laid before 
 them, that the miniftry, in their feveral de- 
 partments had njery early and clear intelligence 
 of the preparations and ftrength of the enemy 
 in the ports of the Mediterranean ^ as well as 
 of thofe armaments that were carrying on 
 along the coaft of the Britijh channel : and that 
 there was no want of ihips, nor of menforifea 
 or land fervice to have defended our own coafl:, 
 and to have repelled all attempts the French 
 were able to make againft any part of the Britijh 
 dominions. 
 
 But this will be more confpicuous from the 
 following minutes faithfully extradied from thofe 
 very papers j on which the free and indepen- 
 dant reprefentatives of the people grounded their 
 negative to the above recited refolutions ; and 
 are thus publiflied in juftification of their con- 
 dudl in a cafe of the greateft concern to their 
 conftituents ; and to enable every rational and 
 unbiafTed Eled;or to difcern how far the wifdom 
 and integrity of their reprefentatives, who have 
 ikreened the objeds of their country's refejit- 
 
 ment| 
 
I 12 ] 
 
 rnent, and the authors of its difgrace and mif- 
 fortunes, (hould recommend them to their future 
 favours. 
 
 By a letter from the fecretary of our embaffy 
 at Paris, dated fo early as the i ft day of jfam/ary 
 1755 ; and at a time that the Duke de Mirepoix 
 was employing all his abilities to prevent the 
 juft refentment of Great Britain again ft his 
 nation for the hoftilities committed by the 
 French in America-, with the moft religious 
 afliirances, that his court was lincerely defirous 
 to adjuft finally and expeditioufly all diiputes 
 fubfifting between the two crowns in the new 
 wocld ; Sir Thomas Robifjfon^ one of his Majefty*s 
 principal fecretaries of ftate, was informed, that 
 feventeen men of war were ordered to be 
 equipped at Bre/l, the admiral's ftiip to be of 
 70 guns, and that the greateji part of this fleet 
 was dejlined for America. 
 
 This intelligence was repeated from P^m ' 
 and other places, with many additional circum- 
 ftances. On the 8th **, the fame gentleman 
 advifed that the armament at Brefl confifted of 
 
 ■ It is faid, with good foundatkriy that orders are gone to 
 Breji, to fit out feventeen men of war (by fome I am told) 
 frigates included : (by others, exclufive of them) The 
 admiral's fhip is 70 guns. They are to have regular troops 
 on board. But part of this fleet only (and that the greatefi) 
 is deftined for America : but can't be ready before April 
 or May. De Cofne. 
 
 •• Received on the 12th. 
 
 lixteen 
 
 
[ 13 ] 
 
 fixteen (hips of the line and five frigates to carry 
 3000 land forces; again, on the 15th'' he re- 
 duceth the number of fliips to ten^ from 60 to 
 74 guns, and four frigates; and twelve fhips 
 from 12 to 24 guns, each to ferve as trafifporfs^ 
 to fail with 5000 land forces at the end of 
 March^ or beginning of ApriL From the Hague 
 this equipment was confirmed, but faid not to 
 be with that difpatch as firft reported; that 
 10,000 men were ordered for Britany^ and 
 that the troops to be embarked would be 
 draughted out of old corps ^. On the contrary, 
 other advices to the faid office declare that the 
 prieparations at Breji were then as great, as if 
 the flames of war would extend all ov^^ Europe: 
 and that it was reported, though not to be cre- 
 dited^ that an attempt was defigned in favour of 
 the Pretender *, 
 
 On the 25th ', Mr. Be Cofne further dif- 
 covers that there were eight more fhips fitting 
 out at Rochfort and Rochelle^ which in all would 
 make thirty fhips of war; twenty of which 
 were of the line, that they were to take on 
 board 6000 land forces, and that they worked 
 night and day to get them to fea *. 
 
 * Received on the i8th. 
 
 * Advices received in Lord Holdernefs^s office, January 
 ^l^^i 1755- Letter A. 
 
 ^ See ditto. 
 
 ^ Dated Paris, 22d January, 1755. 
 
 « See letter A in Lord Holdermfs's office* 
 
 LIST 
 
[h] 
 
 LIST of the fjips at Brefl then fitting out \ 
 
 Rate, built, refitted, men. guns, captains. 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 U Formidable, 
 Palmier^ 
 HeroSy 
 Bizarre, 
 Defenfeur, 
 Entreprenant, 2 
 VEfperance, 2 
 Jlgetjquir, 2 
 
 Dauphin, 2 
 
 >f/t.vV/^, 3 
 
 i//«>v, 3 
 
 Leopard, 3 
 
 i/j> 3 
 
 Jpollon, 4 
 
 ^^i^, 3 
 
 Prothee, 3 
 
 /^/^ar /sf^ //^, frig* 
 Ameihijle, do. 
 Heroine, do. 
 Sirene, do. 
 
 Aquilon, 4 
 
 Comete, frig. 
 
 1746 
 1752 
 
 1752 
 1750 
 
 1723 
 
 1751 
 
 1724 
 
 1752 
 
 1749 1 1 00 go Macnamnra. 
 750 74 BoislaMothe 
 750 74 MonluSf, 
 580 64 Salverte, 
 750 74 Boifnir. 
 
 74 Beaufremont4 
 'JO La Vilcon, 
 70 Montalet* 
 
 1752 
 1747 
 
 750 
 750 
 750 
 
 ^/ Quebec. 
 
 173s 1749 
 1743 
 
 750 
 
 1747 
 
 ^751 
 
 1749 
 
 70 Hocquart. 
 580 64 Af. CboifeuL 
 580 64. St. Lazarre, 
 580 64 L'Orgerie, 
 580 64 Ganin, 
 
 350 58 
 580 64 
 580 64 Marinieu^ 
 
 230 30 /)« 5(?/i7. 
 
 230 30 5i5r/. 
 
 220 26 Tourville, 
 
 230 30 UArguiUe, 
 
 350 50 Bonville, 
 
 220 22 Grang. 
 
 To be commanded by Monfieur Macnamara-, 
 to carry /.v regiments of two battalions each, 
 and to be vidlualled for /^wr months and a /&^7^*. 
 
 Soon 
 
 1740 
 
 1750 
 1721 
 
 1746 
 
 1721 
 
 1752 
 
 1747 
 
 1752 
 
 1745 
 1730 
 
 1752 
 
 1751 
 
 *» From De Cofne. 
 
 ^ D^ted February 12th and 19th, received on the i6th 
 and 23d. Mr. dt: Cofng alio advifes, by letter dated Feb, 5th 
 
[M] 
 
 Soon after this he tranfmltted a circumilan- 
 flantial account of the equipment making at 
 Rochfort, and the diligence ufed to fit thofe 
 fhips for fervice : by which it appears that the 
 enemy had the following fhips fitting out in 
 this port in February lysS "• 
 
 Ships names, rates, built, men. guns, captains. 
 LeVeille, 3 1752 580 64 Fontais. 
 
 L* Inflexible, 3 1752 
 
 L'Opiniatrey 3 1752 
 
 VAigle, 4 1750 
 
 La Diane, frig. 1741 
 
 La Fidelle, do. 1747 
 
 580 
 580 
 
 350 
 230 
 
 220 
 
 64 Guebrianf* 
 64 Moileire, 
 50 Coufage. 
 34 Rigaudiere. 
 26 ^onquiere. 
 
 1755, that they were fure of their complement of men to 
 man this fleet ; and that they took choice of what they 
 found in all their veflels. And by his difpatchcs of the 
 5th March, received the nth, it appears that the quantity 
 ef provifiom had been doubled. Other advices are pofitive 
 that there were then twenty fhips of the line fit for fervice 
 at Breji ; and add that the report of a defcent on Scotland^ 
 in favour of the pretender, feemed to be without founda- 
 tion. See letter A, dated Feb. 24, 1755. 
 
 ^ With this lift it is obferved, that there was not a 
 fufficient quantity of cannon in the royal ftores to arm the 
 Hiips putting in commiffion ; that they had borrowed fomc 
 from the Eaji India company, and fent for the reft to 
 Sweden j and that only the live firft fhips in the BreJi lift 
 had their lower tiers. 
 
 It was advifed from Holland, by a letter dated 15th Feb. 
 that the French were buying up all forts of Jiores and pro- 
 vifom at Amfierdam, and fending them to Brefi and Roch- 
 fort : with v/hich two fhips had already fai '.ed, and two 
 
 more were in the Texel waiting a wind. 
 
 Hitherto 
 
[ i6] 
 
 Hitherto it does not appear that there was 
 any intelligence of armaments making ready 
 in the ports of the Mediterranean : on the con- 
 trary, thirty officers of that department in the 
 French marine were ordered round to Brejl^ 
 under a pretence to ferve in the fleet fitting out 
 in that port. From whence the miriiftry re- 
 ceived, on the 24th February 755, certain 
 advice, that they were fitting out with all ex- 
 pedition fifteen fail, *viz, feven of the line, five 
 frigates, and three from 20 to 30 guns ; to be 
 ready to fail in March for Amcricay with a large 
 body of regular troops : that another fquadron 
 of feven fhips of the line was ordered to be 
 equipped as foon as pofUble; and that France 
 feemed determined to put all its naval Jorce to 
 fea, either to rei'^ force their American fquadron, 
 or to execute more dangerous projects. 
 
 Four days after, the fame channel informs 
 the Earl of Holdernefsy that in all thefe arma- 
 ments there appeared a plain defign to make 
 fettlements, and to build forts : becaufe the 
 greatefl part of the fhips were equipping en 
 JJute, or for the tranfporting of troops. He 
 alfo remarked, that it was reported they were 
 refolved to augment the fortifications at Louif- 
 hourg, and to build forts on the Ohio; that 
 M. Sahert would be charged with the expe- 
 dition to Canada: and that, after fending re- 
 inforcements to America^ it was probable they 
 
 would 
 
[ '7] 
 
 would keep two fquadrons at home, to be em- 
 ployed only €?t la petite guerre j as not being 
 ftrong enough for the Englijfj at lea. 
 
 But conful Birtksy by letter from Genoa, 
 dated tenth oi February lyss* ^"^ received by 
 the fecretary of ftate on the 26th of the fame 
 month, writes, that there were at that time 
 twenty-four (hips of war in the harbour of 
 louJon ; befides three on the flocks, and a 70 
 gun fhip careening : that there were orders ar- 
 rived from court to fit out that whole Jieet with 
 expedition : that the magazines and /lores were 
 in great order , and ififuch readinefs, that it was 
 pojible to put all thofe fhips to fea in a very 
 fhort time. 
 
 * 
 
 This was confirmed from Cartagena on the 
 1 2th March iys5 • from whence conful Banks 
 informs Sir T'homas Robinfon, that the French 
 were fitting out thirty-fix large fhips of war : 
 that they worked very hard to get them ready 
 for fea : that the great admiral of France was 
 to have the chief command : that the merchant 
 fhips were taken up to tranfport a great number 
 of land forces : but that it was not known againfl 
 what place they were defigned. 
 
 It might be thought that this repeated, cir- 
 cunflantial, and creditable intelligence of the 
 exertion of the whole naval power of France j 
 and the embarkation of fo many land forces, ^c» 
 
 . C for 
 
[ .8 ] 
 
 ^oT America \ and In the Mcdifcrranedri, where 
 Minorca and Gibraltar ' were the molV pro- 
 bable objects of their deftination ; would have 
 rouzed the attention of the Britijh minirtry to 
 exert their endeavours to intercept the American 
 fquadron, and to cover our fortrefTes in the 
 Mediterranean and Streights from infult and 
 furprize. But, though it mufl be granted that 
 Great Britain was, by far, fuperior to France by 
 fea, and that the lofs of Mahon or Gibraltar 
 would be a fatal ftroke to tlie BrifiJJj commerce, 
 no care was taken to fecure the internal ftrength 
 of thofe fortifications, nor to cover them from 
 an attack by fea : and, as we fliall fee hereafter, 
 the fquadron difpatched for theAmerican fervice, 
 was not appointed with that prudence, which 
 was ncceifary to defend our intereft in the new 
 world. 
 
 M. de Cofne, who feems to have been very 
 diligent in procuring intelligence of the mea- 
 fures purfued by the French minillry, acquaints 
 Sir Thomas Robinjon, by letter dated from Paris, 
 1 2th March iyS5> That, from what he had been 
 able to learn further of their armament, he had 
 found, that ten of their large (hips were not to 
 have their lower tiers 5 but to have their port 
 holes caulked up, in order to be fitted up to 
 tranfport their troops. He then adds, *' It is 
 
 * By advices In Lord Holdernefs^s office, dated 25th of 
 March, there was a talk at Paris of a project to attack 
 Gibraltar* 
 
 *« faid. 
 
« 
 c( 
 <c 
 << 
 « 
 a 
 << 
 <c 
 <c 
 
 (C 
 
 <c 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 [ '9] 
 
 faid, that it will require near two months 
 before the equipment can be complcttici. I 
 am told there are only Jix fliips already 
 equipped ; which lie out, in the road o( Bre/l 
 harbour, and that, as tbii expedition is fuppofed 
 to be intended for Canada^ if all the (hips 
 were ready, yet it would not be proper to 
 fail before the latter end of-^/r/Vj becaufe 
 the harbour of houijhourg would not be clear 
 of ice at their arrival : that the voyage thither 
 is generally about forty, and fometimes fifty 
 days J and the ufual time of departure is never 
 before the beginning of May : therefore, if 
 the expedition be retarded to that time, it 
 may be concluded witli great appearance of 
 certainty^ that it is deftined for that place ; 
 and that, on the contrary, if any of the fhips 
 fail fooner, their deftination may be fufpedted 
 to be for fome other quarter." 
 
 Lord Holdernefsj about the fame time '", re- 
 ceived advice, that in the port of Breft there 
 were great preparations for embarking officers : 
 that the fhips en Jiute were to carry no more 
 than 20 or 22 guns: that there were orders 
 fent to fit out eight more (hips of war : that 
 there were now at Erefl thirty-five fhips, vtz> 
 eighteen of the line from 60 to 80 guns, the 
 others frigates and light vefTels, befides nine 
 men of war, viz, five of the line, and four 
 frigates on the flocks, to be launched within 
 
 ""March 5th, loth, and 14th. 
 
 C 2 three 
 
'!!,;:i 
 
 ll!;ii 
 
 [ 20] 
 
 three months : that they had been fupplicd with 
 mads and other ftores, 36 pieces of cannon, and 
 balls by SwediJJj veflels : that only fiine (hips of 
 the line were ready with two thoiifand " foldiers: 
 and that at Brujjels it was reported ten tranf- 
 ports were alfcmbled at Calais, 
 
 On the 1 7th of March the fliips equipped at 
 Brc/l got into the road : but the letters on the 
 25th faid, that they could not be able to fail 
 before the beginning of April -y that they would 
 endeavour to flip away, without noife, with fuc- 
 cours to America^ and that the Duke of Mire- 
 foixs negociation was only to gain time, till the 
 French fhould arrive at their fettlements, and be 
 provided to declare open war. 
 
 The advices to Lord IlolJermfs on the 29th 
 of March, brought an account That there were 
 fevcnteen fliips armed and equipped at Bre/l : 
 that the reft would not be ready till the i 3th of 
 April ; though four fliips from 60 to 64 guns, 
 were fitted out and gone into the road : that 
 they were victualled for fix months, and deftined 
 for America : and that a fquadron of an equal 
 force was equipping in that port, with five or 
 fix firefliips, and fome bomb- ketches. 
 
 nil ; 
 
 "The advices of the 21ft confiim this embarkation to 
 be for Canada^ and augment the number of foldiers to 
 3000 ; and mention another equipment to be commanded 
 by Gtilhijjijfiiere, 
 
 April 
 
[ 2. ] 
 
 y^prll 2i\, 1755", '^"^'' •'armament ^i Breji 
 was carried 011 with the fame diligence ; and 
 propofcd to be ready to fail by the 20th. No 
 Ikp towards augmenting their land forces. 
 
 5th. Fourteen Hiips were got into the road: 
 on which were embarked implements for 
 throwing up or removing earth, and erefting 
 forts; alio provifions for hidlam — deflined for 
 Gafpcjic — and to be commanded in chief by 
 De la Mothe ; M. Macnamara being thought 
 too old, though certainly the beft ollicer they 
 have ^ 
 
 8th. I T Is now difcovered that fix (hips, 
 which got into the road on the i 7th of March, 
 had failed privately for America with troops, in 
 the night between the 1 8th and 1 9th of the 
 fame month : that fix others took their ftation 
 in the road, and received on board a number of 
 regular troops**, amongft- whom were many 
 Scotch and Irifi officers j and that orders were 
 iflued ^otjive more fliips to be expedited with, 
 the utmofl diligence. 
 
 " Received by the Earl of Holdernefi on the 6th. 
 
 P See advices in Lord Holdernefi' % office, March 2lfl, 
 
 1755. 
 
 *> April 9th. Orders were fcnt for their embarkation at 
 Brcji on this and the following days to the 13th. They in 
 ;ill amounted to 3000 men, taken by 500 out of fix regi- 
 ments of two battalions each; as by advice received Jpril 
 19th from M, Cofne. 
 
 C 3 nth. 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 ll 
 
 Jiii'!'; 
 iilill! 
 
 I ith. Every thing fpeaks war at hand. The 
 
 ^five new fhips of war arc all ready, and will be 
 
 in the road next week \ and M. DieJchaUy who 
 
 is to have the chief command by land in Ame^ 
 
 rica^ will embark on the 1 5th. 
 
 These letters add, that there was fome talk 
 of the Pretcnaer, and of a defccnt to be made 
 on one of the king .loniv of Great Britain : and 
 that there were no orders as yet gone for equip- 
 ping a fleet at ^iGuion : which is very incon/iftent 
 with conful Birtie's advice of the tenth of 
 February-, and, indeed, feems to have been 
 wrote at random j for, three days after, this 
 fame correfpondont delivers it for fadl, that 
 orders had been fent to Toulon for fitting out 
 ten ihips of the line j and further adds, that the 
 French marine armaments were expeded to be 
 completed in a month. 
 
 1 6th. M. de Cofnc writes that the fr'^^ate 
 La Diane had been difpatched and failed from 
 Rochfort, on the 27th ult. to Lcuijhourg and 
 ^ebec, with advice of the fuccours deftined for 
 America : that eight fhips more of the line were 
 ordered to be victualled and fit for the fea in 
 tvvo months : that M. Macnamara had received 
 orders to fail this day, if the wind fhould per- 
 mit; and that the courier was ordered not 
 
 ' They failed into the road on or before the i8th day, as 
 appears by other advices. 
 
 to 
 
f 23 ] 
 
 to return to court, till the fquadron was out at 
 fea. 
 
 1 8th. Advices ^: ova Flanders related that 
 there was at Brefl eleven fhips ready for fea ; 
 but was thought they would not lail till the 
 whole armament was completed : that the 
 equipment at Rochfort was finifhed, and two 
 more fixty gun fhips, and a frigate of 46 had 
 been put into commiflion : that there were fome 
 armed frigates at St. Maids : that each vefTel 
 was ordered to take 330 foldiers on board: 
 that befides the fleet then ready to fail, they 
 were fitting out at Bre/l one 70, one 56, and 
 one 50 gun fhip; and that there were twelve 
 more fliips of 64 guns in that harbour, which 
 might very eafily be made fit for fea '. 
 
 M. de Cofne is more particular ; who having 
 by letters of the 1 5th, confirmed the intelligence 
 of the united fleet, or fquadrons from Rochfort 
 and Brefiy being ready to weigh anchor in Brejl 
 road; and fent a lift inclofed of land forces^ 
 particularly the Irifi brigade, ordered to march 
 down to the fea coaft and to remain in garrifon 
 at Dunkirk^ Gravcline, and Calais^ till further 
 orders ; he, on the 1 8th, knds advice that the faid 
 
 ' In order to man this fleet they were obliged to ftrip 
 the fhips of all their failors in the merchants lervice, as 
 appears by advices received from HoUund on the 21 ft, 
 which faid *■ at veflcls were detained in Dunkirk for \vant 
 of hands J the failors being obliged to repair to BrcJ}. 
 
 C 4 fleet 
 
 r i 
 
Ill 
 
 [ *4] 
 
 fleet was then preparing to fail, and contained 
 and was commanded, as follows; 
 
 LIST of ibe BxciifqitadrotJ, the officers, and 
 
 guns. 
 
 Ships. Captains. Guns. 
 
 Formidable, Macnamara, general desarmesnavalles, 90 
 Enireprenant, Du Bois de la Mothe, chef d'efcadie, 74 
 Bifarre, 
 Ueros, 
 Palmier, 
 Alcide, 
 
 * Defperuere, 
 ^DauphinRoyalliMontalet, 
 
 * VAlgenquir, Vilcon, 
 
 Perrier de Salvert, do. 
 
 MonluSl, do. 
 
 Beaufremont d^Ouvillers, captains, 
 Hocquart Parcevaux, do. 
 Beavfrier, 
 
 * Efperance, 
 *A£iif, 
 ^Illujirc, 
 
 * Opiniatre, 
 
 * Le Lis, 
 
 * Leopard, 
 Amethijle, 
 
 * Apallon, 
 
 Bouville, 
 
 Chcv. de Cheaumont, 
 
 Choifeul, 
 
 Mocl'ien, 
 
 Orgerie^ 
 
 St. Lazarre. 
 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 
 Sieur du Botte, &c. lieutenants. 
 
 64 
 
 74 
 74 
 64 
 
 70 
 70 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 64 
 
 64 
 64 
 64 
 
 64 
 30 
 58 
 30 
 30 
 30 
 30 
 
 Govier, &c. do. 
 
 F/eur de Lis, Marnuic, &c. do. 
 
 Sirene, Tourville^ &c. do. 
 
 Comette, Grauy, &c. do. 
 
 Heroine, Bory, lieutenant, 
 
 *VAiguiUon, VAiguillon, he, do, 
 15 (hips from 80 to 64 guns. 
 7 frigates. 
 
 22 
 t Appointed for an hofpital fliip, and mounted only 26 guns. 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 Ships failed from Rochfort, officers and guns ^ 
 
 Le Veille^ De Fountais, de Rochechamarty captain, 64 
 
 Dti Confaque Bilfyy do. 50 
 
 Rigaudiere^ do. 30 
 
 La Jonquiere De, lieutenant, 26 
 
 Guehriant rAumont VAine, captain, 64. 
 
 VAlgle, 
 La Diane, 
 
 Fldellc, 
 Jnflexible, 
 
 2 fhips of 64 guns. 
 
 1 of 50, 
 
 2 frigates. 
 
 Total of both ports, 
 18 fhips of the line. 
 9 frigates. 
 
 27 
 
 JV. B, Those (liips marked with * fervcd as 
 tranfports for the troops, and only carried from 
 18 to 22 guns, although pierced as above. 
 The others were completely armed, and were 
 the convoy to the ihips for tranfporting the 
 troops. 
 
 However, though the orders from court 
 were fo pofitive, and every thing was ready, the 
 wind would not permit this fleet to fail till the 
 3dofM7y'; of which our miniftry received 
 
 * This delay created various conjeftures ; for the public 
 began to thinic that fome other reafon, befides contrary 
 winds, Gccafioned it ; as appears from the advices dated 
 May 2d. 
 
 this 
 
'V I 
 
 CC 
 
 <C 
 
 « 
 
 1 [26] 
 
 this pofitive advice from Paris, dated May 6th. 
 ** The Brejl fleet fet fail very early on the 3d, 
 " with fo fair a v^ind, as to be out of fight in 
 " a fhort time. It is generally believed, that 
 Macnamards orders are only to convoy the 
 fhips that fcrve as tranfports, to a certain 
 diftance, and then to let them purfue their 
 " voyage v^^ithout him "." 
 
 By thefe advices it is evident. Great Britain 
 had nothing to fear from an invafion into either 
 of its kingdoms: and that, notu^ithflanding 
 France had a few more fhips in the ports of 
 Brefl and Rochfort fit for fervice, they had 
 neither failors, provifions, ordnance, nor ammu- 
 nition, to fit them out for fea ; nor any number 
 of veflels, capable of tranfporting an army into 
 this ifland j had it ever fo ferioufly meditated 
 a dcfcent in favour of the Pretender *. Why 
 
 then 
 
 il'^l 
 
 * This was confirmed by the return of M. Macnamara 
 on May 20th, with nine fhips of the hne, having convoyed 
 the tranfports beyond the capes, and left them to proceed 
 to Canada with a fair wind. May 20th captain /««/V, 
 Oitf.r Jloop^ at fea, faw nine fail of French men of war ofF 
 UJhant going into Brejl. May 23d captain Edwards^ 
 Difpatchy off Falmouth^ faw twenty-five fail on the 4th, 
 vi%, twenty line of battle, two of 50, and three frigates, 
 which came out of Brejl and feparated. The French 
 admiral with eight fail hauled their wind. See advices to 
 Admiralty office, 
 
 * The only intelligence, upon which the miniflry could 
 form any idea of an invafion at this time, being the letters 
 of Mr. Barnham from Dover to Mr. Amyandy I ihall add 
 their contents. 
 
 On 
 
[ 27] 
 
 tlien was there not a more powerful fleet ordered, 
 in time, to block up, or to intercept Maa2a?/iaras 
 convoy ? Could tlie fovereign of the feas fpare 
 no greater force than eleven fliips of the line, 
 and one Hoop, to defeat the embarkation for 
 America ? Did the miniftry exert the uimofi of 
 their power in defence of our colonies, and to 
 maintain the dominion of the feas, when they, 
 apprifed of the force under failing orders at 
 Bre/i, confined their own flrength to a fqua- 
 dron under Mr. Bofcawen, of little more than 
 half the force; totally negleded a necellary 
 fupply of land men ; and paid no manner of 
 regard to the equipment of tcnj}:ips of the line 
 at Toulon^ of which they had pofitive advice on 
 the 14th of April', nor to the intelligence from 
 conful Banks, on the 12th of March; which 
 he wrote under a confirmed opinion, that there 
 
 On Feb. 1 0th, He mentions great warlike preparations 
 daily making ; and a fiirprlzing quantity of powder brougiit 
 in a few days to Calais, in thirty flat bottomed veflels, by 
 the way of their canals, and more expelled. 
 
 Feb. 28th, He writes : The only intelligence this day 
 learned from Calais is, that the troops, which were ordered 
 from the interior parts towards the fea coaft, have received 
 counter-orders : and that every thing at that time feemed 
 to be very quiet at Calais. 
 
 March loth. — 6co bomb-fhells are brought into Calais^ 
 and laid on the key : but their deftination is a profound 
 fecret. At the fame place arc alfo arrived 60 cannoneers ; 
 and more troops are expected. But notwithftanding this 
 mighty warlike preparation, I cannot learn they are taking 
 any fteps to increafe their (hipping at that place, which at 
 prefent is very inconfiderable. See Admiralty office. 
 
 would 
 
It 
 
 3 't 
 
 [28] 
 
 *would be a powerful expedition with land forces 
 from that port ? 
 
 The onlyflep taken to remedy thefe egregious 
 omiflions in the Britifh politicks ^ was to rifk fix 
 ihips of the line and one frigate under admiral 
 Holbourn to follow Mr. Bn/caivcn-y who did not 
 fail till the i ith of May, when it could fcarce be 
 thought poffible for him to efcape Macnamara^ 
 fleet, which had failed but eight days before. 
 And yet this was the only effort made by the 
 Britijh miniftry for feveral months, to countcradl 
 thevigorous armaments of the whole naval power 
 of France, 
 
 ■ ;i 
 
 The account of the Br eft fleet's being failed, 
 was foon after feconded by advices of more 
 equipments in that port, Rochfort and Toulon, 
 On the 13 th of Mzy our intelligence from Paris 
 mention more preparations of the marine at 
 Breji and Rochfort ; and alfo a fquadron fome- 
 where to be commanded by GalaJ/ioiiiere, The 
 letters of the 23d are more explicit : they inform 
 that^-u^ more fhips were put in commiflion at 
 Rochjnrfy and that there was a frigate fitting out 
 at St.Malo's^: xh^it Macnamar a was returned 
 into the port o^ Br eji on the 20th, with nine 
 ihips, viz, 
 
 '^ Paper B. i. in Lord Holdermfs's office. 
 
 The 
 
[ 29 ] 
 
 The Formidable^ 90 \ 
 
 HeroSy 74 
 
 Palmier^ 74 
 
 Tnjiexible^ 64 
 
 Veilky 64 
 
 -%/^, 5<^ 
 
 Frigates, Amethijl^ 30 
 
 Heroine y 30 * 
 
 and that there were in ^r^y? harbour thirteea 
 fliips of the line, and four frigates ; befides eight 
 fhips of the line, and four frigates more fitting 
 out J and to be joined by four Ibips from Jf^o<:A- 
 fort. 
 
 M. de Cofne on the 28th of May writes, that 
 thefe nine fliips were vidtualling for fix months : 
 and that he believed they would fail only to 
 cruife about the Streights mouth off of Gibral- 
 tar : and that they accordingly fet fail on the 
 fourth of June J under the command of M. Du 
 
 * Thefe were not expeded to return fo foon. They con- 
 voyed the divifions of M. de la Mothe^ and of M. de Salvert^ 
 to the firfl: meridian. The (hips armed enjiutes were deftined 
 for Canada, r.nd to land in Gajpey-bay, in order to make 
 divernon towards Acadia, at the fame time that the troops 
 on the Ohio advance on the fide of Virginia, See B. 2. 
 In Lord HoldernejW office. M. de Cofne adds. Thefe 
 tranfports, after landing the troops at Lowjbourg, will return 
 full armed, having flowed the reft of their guns as ballaft : 
 and Macnamara has orders to meet them, 
 
 I Guay^ 
 
I 
 
 :. I 
 
 [ 30 ] 
 
 Guay^ Chef i'Efcadre, M. Macnamara being ill 
 of the gout : their deftination remaining a pro- 
 found fecret, they kept cruifing in the Atlantic 
 ocean, near the Streights of Gibralta?', till they 
 entered the port of Cadiz ^. 
 
 In the mean time, the lords commiflioners 
 of the Admiralty received advice from captain 
 Buckle of the Unicorn, dated May 9th, in Genoa- 
 mole, that eleven days before, there had been 
 orders publifhed by beat of drum, for failors to 
 repair to Toulon : and that orders were likewife 
 fent to TouloUy to fit out all the (hips in that 
 harbour. 
 
 May 30. Captain Scroope writes from Villas 
 franca^ that he had feen Jive {hips of 60 and 
 70 guns in Hieres-bay, And the advices to Lord 
 Holdernefsy of the 5th ©f June, fpecify an order 
 for equipping the following (hips of the Hne 
 and frigates, 
 
 Le Temcraire, 74 
 
 EfperancCj 70 
 
 Efprity 70 
 
 Lion, 64 
 
 Sage, 64 
 
 Orphee, 64 
 
 Rjfe, 36 
 
 PomonCy 30 
 
 Atlante, 30 
 
 y When this fleet returned from Cadiz about the begin- 
 ning of Augiiji, M. Du Guay left tour frigates in that port. 
 See advices to die Jdmiralty from Gibraltar, dated Aug. 26. 
 
 inde- 
 
 li^'^ri' 
 
t3i] 
 
 independant of four frigates and nine gallies, 
 which they were already at work upon, and 
 ]uft finiflied, when thefe orders arrived j and not 
 to be employed againft Gorfairs. Yet Mr. ViU 
 lettes writes from Bern, on the 8th of Jujie^ 
 that hitherto there was not a fhip of war fitting 
 out at Toulon ; nor the leafl order for the troops 
 in Daiiphine^ Langucdoc, nor Provence^ to move 
 or to keep in readinefs. 
 
 The armament at Rochfort, by advices of 
 the 2 1 ft of June to Lord Holdernefs, was con- 
 tinued : three fhips of the line and one frigate 
 being then equipping in that port: but they 
 add, that nothing was doing to the eight ihips 
 ordered to be equipped at Brejl, that fhewed 
 any defign of .putting either thefe, or thofe at 
 Rochfort foon to fea : for, though they might 
 be furniflied with failors out of the Indiamen^ 
 and other (hips lately arrived, they were in want 
 of cannon. 
 
 ^uly I ft. The advices to Lord Holdernefs 
 brought an account of five fliips at Brejl almoft 
 fitted, with part of their crews on board ; five 
 more in great forvvardnefs, and five more at 
 Rochfort, in all fifteen fail: that there were 
 many regular battalions quartered about Breft, 
 but no talk of an embarkation : that du Quays 
 inftrudtions were to cruize on the coaft of For- 
 tugal to favour the return of la Mothe and Sal^ 
 vert, in cafe of bad news from America : that 
 
 they 
 

 f 32 J 
 
 they had at Toulon twenty- eight fliips, which 
 might be eafily put to fea ; and pkniy of ?iaval 
 /lores and artillery : and that faiiors belonging 
 to nine fliips then careening and rigging had 
 orders not to go out of the way without leave. 
 
 The intelligence received on the ift of July 
 1755, from Mr. FilleUeSy our refident at Ge?ieva, 
 mentioned a report, that a confiderable number 
 of pilots had been ordered to bring home twelve 
 large men of war, built for the fervice of France 
 in the ports of Sweden ; and that they were to 
 bring in them a vafl quantity of iron cannon 5 
 which he prefumes may not be entirely fadl : 
 however, other letters confirm this account, and 
 fpecify the number of cannon to be 6000 pieces, 
 bought in Sweden i and further fay, that twelve 
 more fhips were building in that kingdom for 
 the French King : concluding with this obler- 
 vation, " this may be exaggerated : but it feems 
 
 at leaft that they intend to make attacks on 
 
 more than one fide, and that they move more 
 
 than one fpring." 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 The Fre?icb court about this time was making 
 detachments from the militia to be fent to the 
 Eajl Indies : and though there were ten fliips 
 at Bre/ly in a condition to be fitted out on the 
 firft notice, and five at JRochfort, they were not 
 intended to fail till it was known what had 
 pafTed in America. 
 
 Thus, 
 
r33] 
 
 Thus, it appeared that the whole attention 
 of the French councils was taken up with their 
 American interefl, or at lead to favour the return 
 of their fliips from Canada ; and that Britain 
 had nothing to fear of an invalicn, from any 
 preparation at Brejl cr its neighbouring ports. 
 
 But, though it was conf-'^med by letters to 
 Lord Holdcrnels, dated Jidy 19th, and received 
 on the 2 2d, that no fliips were fitting out at 
 Brell'y and that they were equipping with ex- 
 pedition nine fliips at Toulon ; with orders for 
 the failors not to depart from thence ; the Britifh 
 minidry contented themfelves with fending Sir 
 Edward Haivkey on the 24th of yufyyto cruize till 
 September^ only to endeavour to intercept Du 
 Guays fquadron in its return from Cadi-z; or any 
 fhips which might efcape the vigilance of Mr.' 
 Bojcawcn^ and attempt to recover any port in 
 France : his whole force being no more than 
 twenty-one fhips of the line, and five frigates : 
 whereas, if there was any credit to be given to 
 our intelligence, it was probable that hs might 
 have met with DuGnays fquadron of ten (hips, 
 joined by five fliips from Rocbfort, ten fhips 
 from Brell^ and the ten fhips in their return 
 from America *. By which it appears that this 
 
 ■ By advices in Lord Holder>iefs's ofScc, ynly 15th and 
 19th, there were about 12,000 men quartered about 
 Dunkirk ; but it was thoii2;ht l>y thofc, who save this 
 inrormation, that this was done purely to give umbrage 
 to England, 
 
 D fleet 
 
 *f i 
 
[ 34] 
 
 fleet was commanded upon a very hazardous 
 fcrvice, and all the advices concerning the naval 
 preparations in the Mediterranean were difrc- 
 garded. 
 
 Sir EdwarJw:is no fooner got to Tea, than 
 our miniftry were informed by good authority, 
 that the armament at Bre/i of eight fhips was 
 forwarding with all expedition ; that /o«r more 
 were ordered ; in all twelve, 'viz. five of the line, 
 and fcven frigates from 30 to 50 guns*: and 
 that in cafe their navy was found infufficient to 
 cope with England^ the French were determined 
 to have recourfe to their armies. Accordingly, 
 on the third of Auguft^ advice arrived that the 
 baggage of the Prince de Souhife was packing up 
 to be tranfported from Lijle to Dunkirk j that 
 M. DeCremilley lieutenant-general, was marched 
 to Dunkirk^ at the head of 20,000 men; and 
 that they were at work night and day in that 
 port repairing the fortifications '' and opening 
 the harbour, in order to make an embarkation, 
 as they pretended ; but rather to draw the £«- 
 glifijorces to that fide. And letters of the 1 5th 
 and I9tb add, that great preparations for war 
 were making on the French frontiers : that the 
 troops were in motion in the inner part of the 
 
 » There were alfo three (hips from 67 to 70 guns, and 
 two frigates of 36 guns building at the fame time in that 
 port. See advices dated July 25th and 28th. 
 
 *» Building new forts, and mounting cannon on the 
 Rtjbank, Sec ditto, dated Auguji 3d, 6th, 8th, and i ith, 
 
 kingdom. 
 
[35 ] 
 kingdum, and the regiments had orders to aug- 
 ment every battalion with four companies ; That 
 thefe armaments, and the cnH(ting even boys of 
 fourteen or fifteen years of age, difcovcped a 
 defign in the French to begin the war with fome 
 great jlroke : but that at Dunkirk there was no 
 talk of equipments for an tjiva/ion % nor even of 
 the Pretender ^ Yet Mr. Barnham writes from 
 Dover on the 31ft of the fame month, that 
 5000 failors were ordered to Bre/l again ft the 
 17th of September, and that all the fiftnng- 
 boats at Dieppe^ were ordered to fail to Boulogne 
 and Calais \ 
 
 The equipments in the port of Toulon, which 
 hitherto had been carried on with more artifice, 
 began now to appear openly, and to keep pace 
 with the encampments facing the BritiJ): lliore, 
 formed merely to give umbrage ^0 the English, 
 and with the motion and augmentation of their 
 
 ' Though the fame advices add, that there were at that 
 time fixty-threevcflels of different fizcsin the harbour: that 
 the militia was ordered to be in readinefs : and that a camp 
 was taliced of, to be formed between 67. Omer'sy Dunkirk^ 
 and Calais. 
 
 ■* Letters of the 27th mention, that the marines were 
 augmented to 50 men in a company ; that camps were 
 forming at Valenccy Richmont^ and Sambre : That the 
 Pretender had been in France ever fince the 28th of July 
 incog. But that there was no hurry at Breji^ to fit out ftiips 
 in a condition for fervice, which greatly furprized the 
 people. 
 
 ' It Is fomewhat remarkable that this intelligencer gained 
 more credit than any other advices, which by their fitua- 
 tion, ^t. were more likely to come at the truth. 
 
 D 2 troops. 
 
 \' t 
 
 ^ : !^ 
 
 t* 
 
Ill 
 
 « .: 
 
 kill, 
 
 ,:'»} 
 
 [ 3H 
 
 troops. For the letters of the 6th of Augujl 
 declare expixilly, that orders had been fent to 
 Toulon to equip, with all expedition^ all the new 
 iliips, and to get the oU ones alfo in a condition 
 for fervice : that thefe orders were then purfued 
 with great diligence, and that they were to take 
 on board feveral companies of land forces befides 
 marines. They further advifed, that fince the 
 arrival of two exprelles at Tculon ; which had 
 caufed the holding of two extraordinary councils 
 attended by the principal officers of the marine, 
 the hands, which were at work in fitting out 
 the nine fhips there, were doubled, andj/?y other 
 fhips of the line put in commiffion, and ordered 
 to be equipped with the former nine, fo as to 
 be able to put all the fifteen fail to fea before 
 the 1 8th or 20th o^ j^uguft^ and to be vidualled 
 only for three months. Which letter concludes : 
 ** Though the deftinaiion of this fquadron is not 
 *' known, it is generally conjcdtured to be in- 
 ** tended againfl Gihralta?^ : but be that as it 
 " will, never was a greater hurry in that port 
 *' than at prefent '." 
 
 At the fame time it ought to be obfsrved, 
 that we had no force in thofe feas to prevent 
 
 ' Is it not wtry extraordinary that capt. Edgecombe of the 
 Deptford^ fhoul'd write from Mahon, on the yth of Augujl .^ 
 that he had received advice from Mar jellies^ that there 
 were no orders arrived at Toulon on the ift, for fitting out 
 the fhips in that port j and that there v/as great want of 
 naval Itores, and that there was not fufRcient artillery. 
 Received by the Admiralty^ Sept. i6. Is 
 
 Du 
 
[27] 
 
 Du Guays Iquadron, which did not fail from 
 Cadiz till the beginning of Augufty from joining 
 the fquadron at 1. onion. 
 
 Lord Briflol, in his letters to Lord Holder^ 
 nefs^ dated Tio'in, Augujl 1 6th, in part confirms 
 the preparations at Toulon, Kis Lordfhip writes, 
 that all the mafter- builders were commanded 
 to repair immediately from the ports oi Proveficey 
 &c. to Toulon J and that a body of 20,000 
 French troops were preparing to form a camp 
 at Faience IP DaiipL'Uie : bat ad;^.s, that nothing 
 had hitherto been done towards equipping any 
 of their ihips. However, ou the 23d his Lord- 
 /l]ip advifes, that there were twenty fliips large 
 and fmall at Toulon ; bat there was not ardllery 
 fufficient to equip them, and that no orders were 
 as yet iflbed for enlifting of failors in that port. 
 And on the 30th of the fame month, *-he fame 
 noble Lord writes, that rai exprefs had arrived 
 the week before at Toulon from Verfailles^ with 
 orders to equip with the utmofl: expedition 
 
 Is it not more furpriz/mg that Mr. ViUettes from Bcrn^ 
 OH the i6th o{ Augujl^ (hould v/ritc that he was informed 
 that no armament or zvarlike preparation:^ were as yet mak- 
 ing in the ports o'i J^rovence : excepting a few Tartans^ 
 which were ordered to fail to caution the French home- 
 ward bound merchantmen to be upon their guard ? Or is 
 it poffible to think, that this information fnould defjrvc, 
 or meet with, more credit in the Briiif) cabinet, than the 
 pofitive, circumftantial, and, if negleilcd, the deflruftive 
 advice of the 6th of the fame month to the Secretary's 
 office ? 
 
 i I 
 
 ! ; i 
 
 D3 
 
 fc-^Ck- 
 
 r ^ — 
 
■I' • 
 
 I > 
 
 ' ■II 
 
 
 '4' '} 
 
 m 
 
 h ' 
 
 [ 38 ] 
 
 fersenteen flilps : and that he was informed they 
 were already at work to expedite this armament, 
 and had taken off all hands from the merchant- 
 men building, &c. m the neighbouring dock^ 
 yards. 
 
 Xhese advices were confirmed by conful 
 BirtleSy who by letters of the lafl: date, writes 
 that letters from Nice, of the 25th oi Auguli^ 
 advifed, that a courier was arrived at Toulon for 
 the intendant to fit oni [event een fhips with the 
 utmoji diligence 5 and that a vefTel was arrived, in 
 four days, from Mar fei lies at Genoa, which con- 
 firmed that orders had been received for equip- 
 ping (Lips at Toulon, 
 
 Cor UL Cahanis, by letter to Sir Thomas Ro* 
 bin/on, dated Nice, Augufl 25, writes that the 
 French were augmenting their land forces, and 
 ad:ually recruiting in Languedoc and Provcfice : 
 that the laft pofl brought orders to Toulon for 
 equipping feventeen fail of men of war j that 
 next day they did 'csgin to infpedl them : and 
 that he was ajfured by very good hands y the 
 jntendant had fent immediately for all the 
 cornfa^ors from Marjeilles and the adjacent 
 parts. 
 
 To this armament IsAx.VilletteSi by letters 
 from Bern, dated Auguft 28th, adds three new 
 built 80 gwn fliips, purchafed of the Genoefe^ 
 
 and 
 
[ 39 ] 
 
 and expelled fooii at Toulon ^, He alfo mentions 
 tlie preparations making for aflembling a camp 
 at Valence in Dauphine : and that it appeared to 
 him, there would be nothing undertaken on 
 the continent this year, 1755, ^^^^ ^^^^^^ trading 
 vefTeis, and feamen employed in the fifheries, 
 were returned, and that in the mean time they 
 would make fuch necefTary preparations, during 
 the winter, as would enable them to purfue early 
 in the fpring thofe meafures, which their cir- 
 cum fiances, and the dignity of the crown of 
 France, might require. 
 
 From Carthagena^ conful Banks, in his letters 
 of the 2oth and 27th of Augujl, is ftill more 
 explicit : *' Mafters of French vefTels from 7w/- 
 ** Ion, fays he, report that there are in that port 
 " twenty-fix men of war of the \m<^,'viz, eighteen 
 " new fhips built fince the peace, and eight old 
 
 8 But, in order to lefTen the opinion of this equipment, 
 we find ir. a former letter from this gentleman dated Augnji 
 20th, the following account of the ftate of the marine at 
 Toulon '■ They have, fays he, built at Toulon, fince the 
 ** peat^ >•■ ^here are upon the flocks, in all fourteen fhips 
 '* or fuv lii rs They may, perhaps, fit ten more old ones : 
 ** they, who exaggerate, fay eighteen. But there are only 
 " 3000 failors in that department, including old men and 
 <' children: they have neither cannon, ropes, nor materials 
 "to make any ; which they hoped to have gotten from 
 " Sweden and Denmark : but thofe ftates have not thought 
 ** it convenient to fupply them. And fhould it be true, 
 ** that they have purchafed three fhips of the Geneoje; thofe 
 " ft- : will want both cannon and failors." See the ad- 
 vicw;> c" July J ft. 
 
 P4 
 
 ii 
 
 ones. 
 
!i! 
 
 re 
 cc 
 
 C( 
 
 ({ 
 cc 
 «( 
 <c 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 [ 40 ] 
 
 ones, which are all fitting for fea : alfo twelve 
 frigates, and a great many fmaller veflels, 
 which are in like manner fitting out 3 befides 
 ifix fhips of the line on the flocks ; feme of 
 which are ready for launching : That he had 
 received intelligence of 180 battalions of 
 foldiers marching into RotiUillon with great 
 diligence, and that thefe troops were defigned 
 again fl Minorca, to be tranfported thither 
 in merchant-fliips now at Alarjeilles, and to 
 be convoyed by all (* c men of war in the 
 port of Toulon.'' 
 
 Whilst thefe preparations were going for- 
 ward in the fouth oi France againft Minorca^ 
 the French miniflry, by their emifliiries in Hol- 
 land ^ &c. and their movements on the coafts of 
 the BritiJJj chimncl, and even fometimes by 
 counter orders at Toulon ^ endeavoured efFed:'jaily 
 to draw off the attention of Britain from the 
 main objed;. For, 
 
 At the Hague It was reported, Augufl 29, 
 that there would be an embarkation of troops 
 at Boulogne^ Calais, and Dunkirk, in order to 
 make a defcent in Scotland* 
 
 Mr. Baniham from Dover, Augufl 3ifl, Im- 
 proves the Dutch intelligence by informing (but 
 God knows upon what authority !) that there 
 was a talk in France that 5000 failors were 
 ordered to Bre(l againfl the 17th of the next 
 
 month, 
 
[4> ] 
 
 month, and that all fifliing-boats at Dieppe were 
 ordered to fail for Boulogne and Calais-, that 
 there were four regiments of the Irijlj brigade 
 at Boulogne^ and more troops expeded there. 
 Then he adds : " "^^efterday there arrived at 
 ** Calais a dopger in her ballafl, as has done 
 " wit^'n thefe few days three or four fiii^ill boats: 
 " what Icrvice they intend them for, is kept a 
 " fccret : but, no doubt, they would have us 
 " believe, that they dcfign playin?; us their old 
 ** game, with which they amufed us in the laft 
 
 " warV* 
 
 They managed their proceedings at Toulon 
 and in that neighbourliood, at the fame time, fo 
 artfully, that Mr. Villeties^?iV\(\ Lord Brifloly could 
 fcarce be induced to give any credit to the intel- 
 ligences they hitherto had tranfmitted to London, 
 And the modern panic of an invafion fo effec- 
 tually concurred to favour the politics of France, 
 that, notwithflanding the miniftry of Great 
 Britain were well informed, by letters of the 
 29th of Aiigii/i, *' that the French miniftry were 
 ** never more perplexed : that though they were 
 *' angry, they were divided in their fentiments ; 
 *' that councils upon councils were held ; but 
 •* nothing had been refolved on : and that, though 
 *^ an invafion oiFngland had been talked of, the 
 *' prefent fituation of France had, upon exami- 
 <* nation, been found very different from that in 
 ♦♦ J745 j" they fuffered themfelves to be amufed, 
 *» See before advices of the 27th of AugujU 
 
 3 and. 
 
W :'■ 
 
 ,'iiii 
 
 Am !' 
 
 [ 42 ] 
 
 and, by difcrcditing their corrcfpondents in I^a/y, 
 Spatn, and the fouth of Prance, negleded our 
 trade and property in the Mediterranean and 
 America, and every other obje(ft of our care, to 
 watch the execution of a fcheme, not fo well 
 attefled, and much more hazardous for the 
 enemy to attempt. Even fo far did this negli- 
 gence take place in our councils, that not an 
 officer was ordered to his corps in garrifon, nor 
 a iliip of war to intimidate the Totdon fquadron, 
 or to cover our fortrefTes and navigation from 
 the infults of the enemy in the Mediterranean, 
 
 The month of September produced more 
 pofitive accounts of the loidon fquadron, and 
 Its deftination. 
 
 SjR Benjamin Keene our minifter plenipo* 
 at Madrid, on the firft of this month, tranf- 
 mitted to Sir Ihomas Rohinfon an authentic lift 
 of the fleet at Toulon, 
 
 H 
 
 2 of 84 
 50^74 
 
 8 of 64 
 
 3 0^56 
 
 2 of 40 
 
 7 of^3o 
 2 of 24 
 
 The L I S T. 
 
 guns. 
 
 one wants confiderable refitting. 
 
 the Valliant will be launched the end 
 
 of next month, 
 one refitting will be foon finifhed, one 
 
 wants confiderable refitting, 
 one not fit to ferve any longer, 
 two outjOneon flocks, two fcarce begun. 
 
 1 bomb 
 
[ 43] 
 
 3 bomb veflels. 
 
 4 xcbecks at fea. 
 
 I of i4 guns not fit to ferve any more. 
 
 37 which only want cannon, 
 
 Lettei s of the fame date, and received at 
 the Admiralty from MarfeiUeSy on the 1 9th of 
 September y advifed that orders had been fent on 
 the 29th ult. to Toulon ^ to fit out with all ex- 
 pedition twelve men of war, viz. one of 80, 
 three of 74, feven of 64, and one of 50 ; that 
 they had begun to work hard, and that it was 
 expeded they would be ready to put to fea in 
 two months; befides /^-u^w others, which might 
 be equipped for fervice againft the fpring. 
 
 On the fame day the fecretary of the Admi- 
 ralty received information from captain Harvey 
 of the Phoenixy dated Genoa^ Sept, 3d, that the 
 French had at Toulony in all twenty-eight fail 
 great and fmall, and that thirteen of the Hne, 
 four frigates, and fix xebecks were fitting out 
 for fea with great expedition. Amongft the 
 remainder, he adds, are four large new fhips j 
 which prove fo leaky that they do not attempt 
 to fit them. There is a great want of guns, 
 900, upon proving, being found unfit for fervice, 
 or wanting : and a great fcarcity of failors : but 
 6000 are expeded home in the Levant fhips. 
 The captain then confirms the intelligence of 
 the purchafe of three (hips at Genoa : but con- 
 
 I eludes 
 
m 
 
 [44 J 
 
 eludes with this remark, " I have been on board, 
 ** and find en fi'iter for a Brazil convoy, or 
 " a Mi 'an- "irgo of timber, than a line of 
 «* battle." 
 
 '!■!! 
 
 IP 1 1 ! 
 
 h'l' 
 
 Six days after, the fame captain writes from 
 Villa-franca^ that the coi.iui at Nice^ and the 
 agent at MarfeilleSy had confirmed the intelli- 
 gence of the 3d, and fent the following account 
 of the armament at Toulon^ viz, 
 
 17 of 60 to 80, of which 3 incapable of fervice. 
 
 8 frigates of 20 to 40. 
 •I frigate of 40 expeded hourly from uimerica* 
 
 6 xebecks. 
 
 5 before Sallee expedled. 
 
 4 galleys fit, the reft incapable, 
 
 I Slip of 80 upon the ftocks. 
 
 4 others little advanced. 
 
 44 in all, including 4 bombs and 2 firefhips. 
 
 N. B, Twelve fhips of the line, and four 
 firigates, fitting with all expedition. 
 
 On the 13th, Mr. Birtles conful at Genoa^ 
 confirms by letters from Marfeilles of the 5th of 
 September y as alfo by a vefTel arrived in three 
 days at Genoa from T^oulon^ that they were 
 equipping twelve fhips of the line, and four 
 frigates, in that port 5 and inclofed the following 
 lift in French, 
 
 ■'«f.*sS 
 
 
 Noms 
 
I 4S 1 
 
 Noms des *vaijfeaux de guerre qui ou armi a 
 . Toulon. 
 
 ' Bi 
 
 < m\ 
 
 Foudroyanty 
 
 80 guns. 
 
 Guerrier, 
 
 74 
 
 Redoubtable, 
 
 74 
 
 Couronne, 
 
 74 
 
 Achtlle^ 
 
 64 
 
 Triton^ 
 
 64 
 
 Liofiy 
 
 64 
 
 iocige. 
 
 64 
 
 OrpUe, 
 
 64 
 
 Content^ 
 
 64 
 
 Kercule^ 
 
 64 
 
 Tiery 
 
 50 
 
 9 
 
 800 guns in all. 
 
 With four frigates. 
 
 From 7'«r/« Lord J5r^o/ informed Sir nomas 
 Robin/on, by letter dated the 6th of the fam« ' 
 month, that all the marines in France were 
 recruiting, and that cannon were mounting on 
 the batteries : and on the 20th tranfmitted the 
 following account of the maritime force of 
 France in the Mediterranean. 
 
 State 
 
,1 if 
 
 
 r 
 
 ill i 1 
 
 € 
 
 [46] 
 
 Siafe of the maritime force of France ifi the 
 Mediterranean, on the 20th oj Sept. 1755. 
 
 15 fhips from 66 to 80 guns, one of 80 leaky, 
 others of bad wood, which will foon want 
 refitting, when been at Tea. 
 2 quite unfit for fervice. 
 
 1 of 80 guns upon the flocks, ordered to be 
 
 launched in OSloher^ but cannot be got 
 ready this year. 
 
 2 of 60 to 70 guns upon the (locks, one of 
 
 which only the keel laid, the other not 
 much forwarder. 
 8 frigates of 24 to 40 guns fit for fervice. 
 
 1 frigate of 36 guns expedted from America^ 
 4 xebecks on a cruize off Sallee, 
 
 Thefe five expedled every day at Toulon. 
 4 bomb ketches. 
 
 2 fire-(hips. 
 4 galleys fit for fervice. 
 
 2 flrong large floops, equipped with 20 men, 
 — and a culverin of 36 pounds : with which 
 45 it is propofed to fink the enemy's (hips, by 
 
 running upon them and making their fire 
 
 between wind and water. 
 
 N, B, The firing of this piece of cannon is 
 very quick ; as it is replaced immediately, 
 by means of a fpring, as foon as fired. 
 
 To this was added a particular lift of the 
 fea forces *:hen getting ready at Toulon^ 'viz. 
 
 I The 
 
 } 
 
 'W 
 
[ 47] 
 
 r The Foudroyant of 80 guns. 
 
 1 1 from 66 to 70 guns. 
 
 12 fliips of the line. 
 
 To complete which fquadron, fays my Lord, 
 they want Hoo pieces of cannFon, and 10,000 
 men, including failors, troops, and officers j there 
 being only cannon enough for lower tiers, and 
 fcarce enough for the fecond and third tiers : 
 that they depended on Genoa for a fupply of 
 artillery, to be brought to Toulon in three large 
 Ihips, if approved of by a captain of a man of 
 war, the mafler founder, ^c, gone to examine 
 and prove the fliips and cannon : that the new 
 levies for completing the four companies, and to 
 augment the companies of marines from fifty to 
 an hundred men were continued : that the delays 
 in fitting out the fleet had been occafioned by 
 the great fcarcity of money : but that twenty- 
 four millions were now afligned to pay the ex- 
 pence of this armament ; and that orders were 
 arrived to pay fix months wages to the work- 
 men, ^c. 
 
 His Lordfliip then concludes, that as there was 
 no commanding officer as yet appointed to the 
 eight fhips in commiffion ; it was not poffible 
 to guefs at the deflination of that fquadron : 
 but that, in confequence of an order from 
 court, dated the third of this month, they 
 were employed diligently in getting ready 
 
 twenty- 
 
1 1 
 
 !^. ^J; 
 
 l*:ii i 
 
 .> 
 
 mi 
 
 m 
 
 [ 48 ] 
 
 twenty-five thoufand quiiiials of bifcuit for Its 
 ufe '. 
 
 T II F flimc noble Lord, by difpatches of the 
 27th of the ihmc month, further adds, that by 
 orders arrived at Mar fei lies on the I'T^ih^four 
 new men of war from 60 to 70 guns, were 
 immediately to be built under the dircdion of 
 the Marquis de Roufc : tliat he was well afTured, 
 they had received eighteen millions of livres at 
 ^oiilofi^ lad week : that every artificer in that 
 port, at Marjcilles^ and in that neighbourhood, 
 were employed continually to get all^ the fliips 
 and frigates ready for fea, by the end o^Otlober, 
 That they had already got fix thou j and framen 
 in readinefs, and that they expccfted a fupply of 
 jour thoufand more in a very (hort time. And, 
 
 ' Capt. Sc>'oopc of the Dolphin^ by letter of the 22d of 
 September^ dated at ^'^illa-Jrunca^ repeats the very lame 
 intelHgence. 
 
 •'On Sept. 19th, advices from the Hague confirmed this 
 equipment at Toulon, and inclofcd the following lift of fliips 
 ordered to be in readinefs at that port, v/x . 
 I of 80 guns,") 
 
 ^. rV^ ^ and two frigates. 
 
 I of 50 J 
 
 12 
 
 It is very pofliblc, he adds, that the intcndant of the 
 marine may have received orders from court to prepare a 
 fquadron of as many Ihips as are fit for fervice : But that 
 none of the letters mentioned above take notice that any 
 fupply of rigging and artillery, which was alfo greatly 
 wanted, has of late been imported at Toulon from abroad. 
 
i 49 1 
 
 as captain Scroopc had obfervcJ by letter, of 
 Sc'pi, 2 2(1, that thcfc fhips were Co bad as not 
 be fit for long cruizes, it was mod natural to 
 conclude their deflination mud be for fome 
 expedition «o/ bcvou(fi^Q IStrcizbts, ^fGibraliar, 
 
 ■••• ^ ' ■• ■■ •• ♦ -, • *" ■ ,''« 
 
 Mv Lord HoUcrnefs^ about the fame tiii^e, 
 
 received advice, that the Count de Gramjnont 
 
 was gone pn the ,26th of Augujl t;o Genoa y to 
 
 examiney^wr fhips of the hue ; offered on Tale 
 
 to the court of France : that the Genoefe had 
 
 alfo offered to fupply thcai with 5 or 600 
 
 iC^nnon : that at Toulou they worked incejjantly 
 
 in building new fliips : that they were able 
 
 ^o fit out ten or twelve Ihips of the line,^^x- 
 
 clufive of frigates, //; a very Jlm-t time^ \J,icn- 
 
 eyer orders flipuld come for that purpofe : 'and 
 
 ye^ this advifer pretends to lay, that there we^c 
 
 po.(irtfiaments yzv making at ,T<?w/i?;/k^ ^ ,,,).. ,, 
 
 : ^'jIjLetters of thp 2^d, 27th, and 30tli to the 
 
 fame office difii^pver that th£ . ^ow/*?'^ , fcjuadrgn 
 ^ ,>yas;to be cpnvp^ndjed by yi^.GalaJjionicre : and 
 
 th^t th? officers of t% i'oulon department, .who 
 , had /l?een exercifing on board of Du Guay's 
 
 fquadron, which had returned to Brefi^ on the 
 • third inflant, were ordered to repair to their 
 
 proper fervice j and that they were accordingly 
 . returned to that depanmcntJ^-.-':-''^ .-;:.-j.i" 
 
 ''■ Mr. Villettes, by letters of the 20th dated 
 from Bern^ writes that feveral letters affure that 
 
 .» 
 
 E 
 
 pre- 
 
Ri 
 
 Mi 
 
 fk 
 
 lis . 
 
 t 5° ] 
 
 preparations were making at Toulon for fitting 
 out twelve (hips of the line and Jix frigates : 
 but, according to his ufual method, endeavours 
 to deflroy the force of that intelligence, by de- 
 claring, contrary to the moft particular and au- 
 thentic accounts from Sir Benjamin Kecne^ Lord 
 ^ Briftol, and others of great capacity, penetration, 
 and veracity, that he fancied it was more than 
 they really kad in that port in a condition to 
 put to fea. ■ 
 
 .-\ 
 
 :,'..i oJ 
 
 How can the adhering to fach advice ha 
 reconciled with the total negledl of the intelli- 
 gence dated 2 id Sept. and received by the Ad^ 
 viiralty on the i ith of OSfober^ " that eightfeen 
 . " millions of livres had been received at Toulon 
 "" to fit the fquadron to fea : that they worked 
 ' *^'^"*night and day to complete "their orders by 
 '* the end of next month: that the line 'bf 
 " battle was one of 80, three of 74, eight of 64, 
 '" in all carrying 8, 1 4 guns, befides two frigates: 
 ^*** that there were (tipped' 6000 failors, ■ and 
 ■^ ** 4000 more were hourly expecled, and that 
 ""they had got 1400 brafs arid iron cannon".' 
 ■'"■y- . ..■ ':.'■■' While 
 
 .■< > 1 • .' ".. :- L-.. 1 ••-?•"• ' ■ -:■ 
 
 'They prefltd all the carpenters iii the country. See 
 . advices received b.y Lord HoUlrmcjs^ Sept. 27th. 
 
 •" Letters of the 29th from the Hime quarter, confirmed tl\e 
 flate of the maritime force oi France \\\ ii\e. Mediturranedn : 
 that they were fitting twelve (hips of the line at Toulon^ to 
 be commanded by Galajfiowere : that thefe fhJps would ba 
 ready in fix weeks : and that they would be fvble to put 
 fcven or eight more to fea in the fpring. Jdvices to the 
 Admiralty. Conful 
 
[ 51 ] 
 
 While thefe armaments were expediting at 
 Houlon^ the French^ knowing the foible of their 
 neighbours, to be terrified with every motion 
 they fliould make on the coaft of the channel, 
 played off their old political engine of an inva- 
 fion fo effedually, that they dampt the Britijh 
 fire, which, a few months before, had threatened 
 deflrudtion to the navigation of Francej and 
 made the miniftry fo cool, that they feemed 
 unconcerned what became of the important 
 tenures of their mafter's crown in the Medi- 
 terraneafi. 
 
 jeft 
 
 m: 
 to 
 bo 
 
 )Ut 
 
 he 
 iful 
 
 For, whether by their emiiTarie^, or by artful 
 devices, the nation was alarmed Vv'ith frequent 
 reports of an intended defcent upon England^ 
 which pretence was heightened in proportion 
 to the accclerr^tion of the real exped.tion deter- 
 mined 2igd\nii Mi?iorca. 
 
 About this time, Great Britain rang with the 
 armaments making by the French on the coafl 
 of Britany. Advices to Lord Holderncfs brought 
 an account of twelve millions being applied to 
 
 Conful Cabnnis gives this armament another turn : he 
 acknowledges that there was an order at Toulon to arm 
 feventcen men of wnr, but adds, that order had been 
 changed ; and the arming no more than twelve fhips of 
 the line, was, ivithout doiilt^ owing to the bad condition 
 they found their fliips in, and their want of artillery, which 
 was not to be bought at Gaica. See his letter dated Sep. 
 J 5th, received Oct. 4th. 
 
 E 2 the 
 
11 ill'' 
 
 I 
 
 I'i 
 
 'll'' !, 
 
 
 lii 
 
 * 
 
 Pi 
 
 I' 
 
 [ 52 ] 
 
 the fevvlce of the marine of the Brefl depart- 
 ment ; of orders for putting the coail: of Britmiy 
 and hclk-ijle in a good pofture of defence; of 
 a number of vcfTcIs of different fizes ordered to 
 Dii'ikirk) Calais^ and Bonlopie -, of twenty-four 
 fhips at Bourdeaux to be vidlualled for the tranf- 
 portation of troops, " and of the arrival of 
 Bticklefs, Sal/ey's^ and Og/evies regiment at 6r 
 near Boulogne : Keith's regiment at Graveline^ 
 and the Royal Scotch at St. Ome/s, under ofdtrs 
 10 be at Calais on the third of OSiober, 
 
 Letters of the 13th of September were 
 more particular. They pretend to give infor- 
 triation of the ° Pretenders being then at Paris ^ 
 atid of a.i embarkation on the coaft of Britany 
 fbr Scotland. They mention the taking of the 
 hlandford man of war : and the return of Du 
 Quays fquadron from Cadi% on the third of this 
 month : they give a lift of the eight following 
 fliips, 
 
 f.. . . 
 
 " See advices In Lord Holdcmefsh o^qq, dated Aug. 21, 
 received Sept. 6th and loth. 
 
 • ° A vefll'l arrived in twenty-four days from Louijboiirg 
 with advice, that M. de Mothe had taken an Englijh man 
 of war of 70 guns, and a frigate : that the French troops 
 were well at Lou'i/bourg ; and that their fquadron only 
 waited for a ftrong gale to difpcrfc the Englijh^ that they 
 might return to Europe. Other letters of the 16th mention 
 a report of the Pretender's arrival at Paris on the 24th of 
 Augujl : but conclude with faying, that this report wanted 
 eonfirtiuitlon. 
 
 -•■■• 2 Soldi 
 
 'If j 
 
 III, 
 
1 S3 1 
 
 
 Soleil Royaly of 
 
 . 80 guns. 
 
 CourageuXy . 
 
 70 
 
 Biatjhi/anf, 
 
 64 
 
 Protbee, 
 
 64. 
 
 Superbe, 
 
 70 
 
 Halciofiy 
 
 i6 . 
 
 Amphion, 
 
 5<? 
 
 Arc en Ciely 
 
 50 
 
 ordered to be equipped with all expedition for 
 fea ; befides eight more of the line equipping at 
 Rochefort, and the St. Michael^ then careening ; 
 and declare that they were raifing foldiers, and 
 failors, every where : that thirty-four velTels 
 were ftopt at Dunkirk, Grd-vellnt\ and Calais. 
 to ferve in cafe of need, and that at St. Omcrs 
 they were bufy in making fafcines and pickets ''. 
 
 Advices dated Sept, 19th, confirmed the 
 report of an embarkation intended for Scotland-, 
 and related a prohibition laid upon failo: '^'oni 
 navigating ; an order for the Bre/l fquadroii to 
 continue in the road, and for laying an embargo 
 
 P Sept. loth. It was given out,fuys my Lord Hoidernefs''s 
 correfpondent, that an embarkation would be made at 
 Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk; bccaufe it is faid tlic fliips, 
 u hich were to return from the iflands, could not pafs, being 
 prevented by the Englijh : ana t^.cj enr/vavour to make it 
 iielicved as if they had a ?riind to wake a dejccnt in Scotland, 
 to give a diverfion to the Englijh, that they may^ by that 
 means, have a way open to fend fuccours to the (IFvjl) 
 Indies. In the mean time, the garrifoii at Boulogne has 
 orders to keep itfelf in read.'nefs. 
 
 E3 
 
 on 
 
IP 
 
 
 ■il!^!' 
 
 life''' ' 
 
 1^ i 
 
 
 ^13 
 
 [ 54 ] 
 
 on all Hiipplng ; and, informed the miniftry that 
 the French were prefling forward the works at 
 Dunkirk, 
 
 " The chain at Dunkirk was laid but once 
 *' in the evening of the i2th of September, 
 '* The next day an order was affixed at the port, 
 '* permitting foreign velTels to go in and out of 
 " the harbour freely, but forbidding French 
 " vefi'els to go out. 
 
 Garrifon at Dunkirk^ 
 
 Bery St. IVtnnox, 
 
 Graveh'ney 
 
 Ca/aisy 
 Companies of marines, 
 
 Boulogne, 
 
 Montrevily 
 
 " iV. B, The fixteen battalions and eighteen 
 ** fqiaadrons, which came from the camp 
 " at Barlemonfy are cantoned, waiting for 
 " the affignment of their winter quarters \" 
 
 However, there could be nothing fo terrible 
 in all thefe appearances as to engage the whole 
 attention of the Brittfi miniftry, and our chief 
 flrength at fea to wait upon their motions : For 
 other letters on the thirtieth of the fame month 
 informed, that though all the grenadiers in the 
 Flemijh garrifons had orders to be ready to 
 
 ^ See advices in Lord Hsldernefs\ office, dated Sept. 
 27th, 1755. 
 
 march. 
 
 8 battalions. 
 2 ditto. 
 2 ditto. 
 4 ditto. 
 2 
 
 4 
 I 
 
[ 55] 
 
 march, and the troops at Dunkirk were ilill 
 encamped, the infantry had begun t^eir march 
 into winter quarters, and the cavalry were gone 
 for Brita?2)\ Franche-comtc^ a^id Burgundy, 
 
 A NATURAL difpoiltlon for covering their 
 own coafts againft a defccnt from Britain : but 
 very improper to be interpreted a difpofition for 
 invading an iflandi whofe bulwarks are the 
 ocean, and whofe cities and towns are without 
 walls and fortifications. Had the French ever 
 intended to invade us, they would have kept 
 their infantry on the coaft, and not their ca- 
 valry. 
 
 I SHALL conclude the intelligence of this 
 month with another letter in Lord HoIJerneJs's 
 office, which relates the order from the French 
 court to releafe the Blaj^dford man of war : as 
 alfo an account that the officers belonging to the 
 Toulon fleet, and were ferving on board Du 
 Guays were commanded to repair with all ex- 
 pedition to their department. " Whence, fays 
 this correfpondent, " fome conclude that M. 
 *' Du Guays will be laid up, and that fome of 
 " thofe fliips will be joined to the eight ordered 
 " to be equipped at Brejf." 
 
 This is a true ftate of the French armaments 
 both by fea and land till the end of September 
 IJSS' ^y which it appears without any dif- 
 guife, that a confiderable fquadron was fitting 
 
 E 4 out 
 
y 
 
 '!■ il 
 
 ii ' 
 
 ji«;h 
 
 fm 
 
 
 I). 
 
 
 [ 56 ] ' 
 
 out with greit diligence at Toulon ; that they had 
 ah'eady 6000 failors, and hourly expected 4000 
 more : that an army was adually ready to cm- 
 bark oh board tranfports to be convoyed by this 
 fquadron, v id u ailed on/y for two months : and 
 that every rational meafure was taken by the 
 French court to expedit and fupport this equip- 
 ment in the Mediterranean : but that the only 
 appearance of hoftilities in the northern pro- 
 vinces of France amounted to no more than the 
 return of Du Gnays fquadron to Breji ; where 
 it was laid up : a report that the Pretender was 
 arrived at FariSy which was not credited even 
 by thofe who thought it their duty to tranfmit 
 all the intelligence they could fcrape together: 
 a talk of an invafion of England or Scotland^ 
 whicli was grounded upon the trifling circum- 
 ftances of foldicrs, &c, drawn down to cover 
 their own fhore from a furprize: of a few veffels 
 colleded at Havre, Dieppe, Bourdeaux, &c, 
 without confidering the iltuation of France, 
 which now was very different from that in 1745 : 
 and a fquadron of eight fhips ordered to be 
 equipped at Bre/I, and of eight more at Roch- 
 fort. Yet our mini dry, as if they had forgot, 
 or Were refolvcd to facritice the important for- 
 trelTes of Glhrnhar or Mahon, and the Britifli 
 trade and navigation through the Streights, took 
 not the lead Hep towards fecuring them from 
 the apparent iniult and ruin, to which they 
 were cxpofed from tlie armaments at Toulon, 
 They did not fo much as dlfpatch a foldier or 
 
 an 
 
 g#!/:if 
 
[57 I 
 
 an offirer to flrengthen their garrifons, nor a 
 floop cf war to protcdt their trade. Their whole 
 attention being engaged to fruftrate the dif- 
 creditcd advices of a defcent on this ifland ; as 
 will more fully appear from the following lifts, 
 which will at one view exhibit all his Majefty's 
 fhips of war, or fquadrons of fuch fhips as were 
 equipped and made ready for the fea, from the 
 firft day of Aiigiijl 175'J, to the firft day of 
 OBober 1755, and of fuch of the fliips therein 
 named, as were ordered to be formed into or 
 to reinforce particulai" fquadrons within the faid 
 term of time. 
 
 Ad mi rally 'Office, March 19, 1757. 
 
 A LIST of all his Majefty's fhips of war, or 
 fquadrons of fuch fhips as were equipped and 
 made ready for fea, from the firft day o^ Auguft 
 1755, to the 30th day oi Aprils 1756. •. ' ■ 
 
 Prepared in purfuance of an addrefs of the 
 honourable houfe of commons to his Majefty, 
 dated 8th February, 1757. 
 
 rate, fhips names, guns. men. 
 
 2 Ramillies^ 90 750 
 
 3 Vanguard, 70 520 
 3 Effex, 70 480 
 3 P. Frederick, 70 480 
 3 Bedford^ 70 480 
 3 Trident, 64 500 
 
 when made ready for fea. 
 
 Thcfe fhips were at 
 home on the i ft Aug. 
 1755, and in all re- 
 fpedts fit for the fea, 
 except the want of 
 men -, which muft 
 
 4 ^^eJ^^ 
 

 i I' 
 
 ■ I; 
 
 l5i'^. 
 
 .;> 
 
 
 [58] 
 
 rite, (hips names. 
 
 4 Ea^'e, 
 4 Warwick^ 
 4 Wind/or^ 
 4 Falmouthy 
 4 Antelope, 
 4 JVuicheJier, 
 4 Greenwich^ 
 6 Gibraltar, 
 
 6 Centaur, 
 
 6 -Ry^, 
 
 6 Greyhound, 
 
 6 Blandjord, 
 
 guns, men, 
 
 60 400 
 
 60 400 
 60 400 
 
 50 300 
 50 300 
 50 300 
 24 160 
 
 when made ready for fca. 
 
 either proceed from 
 negledl of thofe, whofc 
 bufinefs it was to fhip 
 them, or to the great 
 hardfhips, to which 
 feamen in hisMajefly's 
 fervice are expofed. 
 See Monitor N*.xcviii . 
 
 11. Raven, 
 fl. Otter, 
 
 C Humber. 
 
 car. 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 24 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 fw. 
 
 H 
 
 14 
 10 
 
 160 
 160 
 160 
 
 jl. Difpatch, 10 14 100 6th. 
 11. Hazard, 810 70 6th. 
 
 Thefe (hips and floops 
 were at home the i ft 
 160 \of Aug, i755, and in 
 all refpedts lit for the 
 fea, except want of 
 men. 
 70J 
 
 44 280 5th Augujl 1755. 
 
 100 
 80 
 
 5 Roebuck, 
 
 6 Sheentefs, 
 
 3 Revenge, 
 
 4 Brijlol, 
 
 4 P. Louifi, 
 4 Oxford, 
 
 44 220 7th. 
 24 160 17th. 
 70 480 20th. 
 50 300 20th. 
 60 400 22d. 
 50 300 27th. 
 
 3 Hamptoncourt,'jo 480 28th. 
 
 4 JA 50 350 28th. 
 4 P. Mary, 60 4.00 29th. 
 6 Lime, 24 160 30th. 
 a.Wafp, 8 10 70 30th. 
 
 5 ./f/;;- 
 
rate, fhlps names, guns, 
 
 5 Ambujcade^ 44 
 ^.Wolf, 8 10 
 4 Portlandy 50 
 
 6 Experiment, 24 
 6 /?y^, 24 
 11. Sivan, 10 14 
 3 Stirlingcajlle, 70 
 fl. O/^fr, 10 14 
 fl.F/v, 8 12 
 fl. Ranger, 8 10 
 6 Seahorje, 24 
 6 ^ieeniorotigb,2/\. 
 
 3 Tridenty 64 
 
 4 Tilbury^ 60 
 fl. Swift, 810 
 fl. Savage, 8 i o 
 6 Greyhound, 24 
 {[.Peregrine,! 2 12 
 {[.Di/patcb, 10 14 
 
 [ 59] 
 
 men. when nade ready for Tea* 
 
 250 3d September 1755, 
 
 70 4th. 
 300 5th. 
 140 5th. 
 160 6th. 
 100 6th. 
 4H0 7th. 
 
 80 9th. 
 
 70 10th. 
 
 70 1 2th. 
 160 14th. 
 160 23d. 
 500 24th. 
 400 24th. 
 
 70 24th. 
 
 76 27th. 
 160 28th. 
 100 28th. 
 100 28th. 
 
 A LIST of fuch of the fliips named in the fore- 
 going lift as were ordered to be formed into, or 
 to reinforce particular fquadrons between the 
 I ft ci Augu/l ij^Si ^^^ 3°^^ oi April 1756. 
 
 rate, {hips names, guns. men. 
 
 deftination. 
 
 fOrdered 6th ^?/^. 1755 
 3 Vanguard, jo 520 to reinforce the weftern 
 3 Efex, 70 48 o< fquadron, under the 
 
 {[.Raven, 10 i/^ 100 I command of Sir Ed^ 
 
 \jLvard Hawke, 
 
 4 Gmm- 
 
[6o] 
 
 ■fi! 
 
 IP 
 
 I' Si' J 
 
 
 rate, (hips names, guns. men. 
 
 dcftlnatlon. 
 
 4 Greemvichy 
 4 Warwick^ 
 4 Winchejler^ 
 
 50 
 60 
 
 50 
 
 300 
 
 4oo-< 
 300 
 
 2 RamillieXy 
 4 Fahmutb^ 
 ^ Antelope^ 
 ^ Ronmcy^ 
 6 Gibraltar y 
 6 Centaur^ 
 6 Greyhound, 
 fl. /^o^, 8 
 11. Granado, i o 
 11. Criii/er, 8 
 
 Thomas Faukland, Efq; 
 was ordered 6th y^«^. 
 1755 to proceed with 
 j thefe fhips to the Lee- 
 ward illands, to relieve 
 Capt. Pye in the com- 
 mand of his Majefty's 
 (hips in thofe parts, 
 r Ordered 1 2 Aug. 1755 
 to be employed as the 
 Dowm fquadron under 
 the command of Vice 
 Admiral Smith. 
 
 N. B. This fquadron 
 afterwards underwent 
 24 160 j many and frequent 
 24 1 60^ changes and augmenta- 
 
 90 
 44 
 
 7S^ 
 
 350 
 
 300 
 
 280 
 
 24 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 160 
 
 70 
 
 4 Windfory 
 
 4 Falmouth, 
 
 5 Romney, 
 
 6 Greyhound, 
 6 Centaur, 
 il. /r^//, 8 
 fl. /^o^; 8 
 
 tions, as will appear by 
 the copies of the failing 
 1 00 orders to fhips equipp'd 
 70 and made ready for the 
 fea during this period of 
 time, as ^ifo by month- 
 Lly lifts. 
 60 400 pLord^«yo;z was ordered 
 50 350 Aug. 20 1755, to pro- 
 44 280 ceed ioHehoetJluys with 
 24 i6oi thefe fliips and yatchs, 
 24 160 j to attend the King on 
 10 70 I his return to his Britifi 
 10 70 Ldominions. 
 
 4 P. Mary^ 
 
 
[ 61 ] 
 
 rate, fhips names, guns. men. dcftlnation. 
 
 f Ordered 2 7 Aug, 1755 
 4 P. Maryj 60 4oo< to reinforce the fqua- 
 
 l^dironzi Jamaica, 
 
 r Ordered zyAug. iJSS 
 
 to convoy the trade to 
 
 the Mediterranean, the 
 
 Princefi Lout fa and 
 
 , Portlandio remain there 
 
 ^ ^ to reinforce the fqua- 
 
 ^^^ I dron under Capt. Edg- 
 
 combe, and the others to 
 
 return to England with 
 
 the homeward bound 
 
 3 Bedfordy 70 
 
 4 P. Louijdy 60 
 4 Port/and, 50 
 4 i5r//?(5/, 50 
 
 480 
 
 300 
 
 
 -^^V K' 
 
 
 .Ml 
 
 •2 RamiUieSy 90 
 3 Or/d?n/, 75 
 
 3 P.Frederickyjo 
 3 Hamptoncourtjo 
 3 Monmouth, 70 
 3 Tridejit, 64 
 3 2or^, 60 
 
 3 Kingflon, 60 
 3 Windfor, 60 
 
 3 Eagle, 60 
 
 4 Roche /ier, 50 
 4 Colchefter, 50 
 6 Gibraltar, 24 
 6 Sheer nefs, 24 
 fl. »Sw^«, 10 14 
 i\,Sarjage, 8 10 
 
 750 
 520 
 480 
 
 480 
 480 
 500 
 420 
 400 
 
 trade. 
 
 i'.l 
 
 •' ; 
 
 * V .\ M J • I 
 
 400 
 
 400 
 
 300 
 160 
 160 
 100 
 
 70J 
 
 > 
 
 Ordered 2tt\\ Sept, 
 1755 to proceed to the 
 weft ward uncer com- 
 mand of Vice Admiral 
 Byng, 
 
 f .J 
 
 A^. P. He did not fail 
 till 05i, 14. 
 
 
 The 
 
[62] 
 
 
 - The advices in the month of O^o/ r from 
 x\\Q font hern provinces daily confirmed the Toulon 
 equipment, and difcovcrcd thrir dcftination. 
 
 Mr. Vilkttn, by letter of tlie fifth of O^obcr \ 
 writes, that the reports, mentioned in his laft, 
 concerning the fquadron fitting out at T^oulon^ 
 had been, within a few days, confirmed to him 
 by fcveral creditable accounts ; which he en- 
 clofed to the Secretary of ftate. 
 
 By other difpatchcs of the 13th, the fame 
 minifter advifes, that a man of war lately built 
 had been launched the week before at Toulon ; 
 and that frefli orders had been iiTued for /'«- 
 creajing the number oi carpenters,^ caulkers ^ &c, 
 to be employed in the building of others on the 
 flocks, and accelerating the equipment of the 
 twelve, as already ordered to form a fquadron 
 in that port. ■/ - .- 
 
 > ' '< 
 
 Again, on iht feve?jfeejithy he writes " that 
 " they did now work in earned in the doclcs at 
 ** Toulon, and that the prefs for failors was fo 
 " hot, that they took them out of every mer- 
 " chantman as foon as arrived at Marfeilles, 
 " and condud:ed them to loulon : yet, he adds, 
 *' I do not hear of any pofitive orders from 
 " court, for the entire armament Qt failing of a 
 ** fquadron : and perhaps thefe failors are only 
 
 Received on the i8th, 
 
 (t 
 
 fent 
 
1 
 
 [63 ] 
 
 ** fent to get rigging in readinefs." He furthet 
 fays, in his letters of the 27th, " that the five 
 ** frigates, which had been fitting under a pre- 
 *' tcnce to fail for Algiers^ were not ready ; that 
 ** money was wanting ; the workmen withdrew 
 *' for want of pay, and the work in the docks 
 ** went on llowly. However, he concludes, 
 " ' they are employed in fheathing their men of 
 ** war, which denotes a long voyage : which 
 " circumftance.and the reports which prevail that 
 ** four Weft India merchant fhips had been hired 
 ** to take in provifions, give room to think they 
 *' are deftined for Canada ; efpecially as England 
 " will not fufpedt fuch an expedition from the 
 " ports of the Mediterranean.'' And yet this 
 fame gentleman, who feems either to be eafily 
 deceived, or very uncapable of reafoning upon 
 mariMme affairs -, by letters of the twenty-ninth 
 of -hi. month ', wh;ch were but two days after, 
 gives information, that the French were ufing 
 their utmofl endeavours for equipping out the 
 fquadron at Toulon ; under a thorough conviction 
 tliat they could e:cpe(5l very little fervice by 
 letters of marque or reprifals, till they could 
 get a number of men of war to fea : and that 
 the fquadron in that port might be ready to fail 
 in the beginning of the next year. , ,,. 
 
 ,'■• The intelligence by this channel pofitively 
 confirms the tquipment of the Toulon fquadron 
 
 '• Sec his letter dated 0<f?. j'th at Bcr;7, 
 
 i 
 
 ^ Received A'^'^'. icth. 
 
 of 
 
¥ :.i 
 
 m i « ! 
 
 -It 
 
 It' 
 
 ![ 64] 
 
 of twelve men of war, and clearly relates the 
 expedition with which they were augmenting 
 their navy in that port ; and the heat of the prefs 
 for feainen at Marfeilles. It is true, this cor- 
 refpondent has pretended to rcalbn upon thefe 
 fad:sj and according to his ufual way of judg- 
 ing, would iniinuate that thofc preparations were 
 rather intended for Canada than any fervice 
 nearer home, But this conje(J:l:ure was very ill 
 grounded, and ought not to have been regarded j 
 becaufe the number of land forces exped:ed to 
 embark under the convoy of that fquadron \vtis 
 too great for an American expedition ; and the 
 vidualHng of the men of war ordered for f*W9 
 months only I the bad condition of the {hips, 
 which rendered them unfit for a v6yage actj(>fs 
 the Atlantic Ocean ; and the contracts difco- 
 vered to be making with the cornfad:o>:s, fiJr. 
 in Provence^ for tlie fubfiftence of thofe td be 
 employed i J this armament, evidently (liewed 
 that'it muft be intended againit fome appendage 
 to the BritiftJ crown in Europe^ and within the 
 Streighfs. His intelligence was good : but his 
 application weak, inconhuciit and confufeid, 
 Yet this is the advice on which the minifcry, 
 which drew up the inflrudions for /idmiral 
 Byng's conduct in his laft unhappy voyage, 
 feem to have placed the greateft confidence : 
 for, they principally dirccfled hirri to watch the 
 failing of the Toulon fquadron f6r America j and 
 in cafe he, on his arrival at Gibraltar^ fhould 
 hear that it had ^jailed out of tiie Mediterranean^ 
 
 to 
 
 lii^ 
 
r 6s] 
 
 to fend a detachment, under the command of 
 Admiral JVefty after them to North America ". 
 
 Should tlwire not have been more credit given, 
 and greater attention paid, to the advices, fent to 
 Lord Holdcrnefs^ office, within the faid diftance 
 of time, and inclofing a iift of the officers ap- 
 pointed to command thdToulon fquadron ? which 
 is feldom done in France^ till the fhips are almofl 
 fit to go to fea : and which in particular con- 
 firmed the account of its conlifting of twelve 
 fhips "^j and of the chief command being given 
 to M. Galajjioniere, 
 
 These advices '^ confirmed \\\^ account of 
 failors prtfled within this month at Marfeilles, 
 and fixed them at 2000 for the fquadron equip- 
 ping at Toulon. 
 
 ° In thefe inftruclions it is commanded — ** Upon your 
 «* arrival there [at Gibraltarl you are to enquire whether 
 *' any French fquadron is come through the Streights ; — 
 *' and, as it is probable, they may be defigned for North 
 ** America^ — you are immediately to take the fold iers out 
 ** of fo many fhips of your fquadron, as, together with 
 *' the fhips at and going to Halifax^ will make a force 
 ** fuperior to the faid French fquadron,— and then detach 
 *' them under the command of Rear Admiral '^/^/, dire^l- 
 " ing him to make the befl of his way ofF Louisbourg." 
 See Admiral Byng's trial and defence publifhed by authority. 
 
 '^ I of 80 guns, "J 
 
 I of 50 
 =* Dated 0/7. loth. 
 
 It 
 
p' m 
 
 ■ H 
 
 mi' 
 
 III' i 
 
 [66] 
 
 It is true other difpatches ^ to the faid office 
 obferve, that tliey did not feein to be in fuch a 
 great hurry at Toulofiy as they had been for 
 forne time pad : but add, that they would be 
 able, in a very fhort time, to have the firft order 
 for equipping twelve {hips completed, fo as they 
 might be in a condition to adl j befldes frigates : 
 and that there would remain eight large fliips 
 in that port, which, in part, could be made fit 
 for failing in fifteen days or three weeks. 
 
 OBoher 3 ifl. The intelligence brought to the 
 fame office was pofitive that a fquadron of ten 
 fliips "^ in great forwardnefs, viz, 
 
 1 of 74 
 
 2 of 70 
 4 of 64 
 I of 36 
 
 2 of 30 
 
 that all the officers and feamen were aftually 
 on board or embarking, and would be ready to 
 fail from Toulon in eight or ten daysj that they 
 were vidlualled only for two months : which 
 this correfpondent wifely obferved, was an in- 
 dication that this armament was not defigned to 
 pafs the Streights. He alfo mentions the launch- 
 ing of a 64 gun fliip ; the fetting another on the 
 
 y Dated 0J7. 14th. 
 
 * Another correfpondent, Oj7. 31ft, writes " It is afilired 
 " that Hvelve fhips wexe ready to fail frerij Toulon this 
 " m^mh." 
 
 flocks. 
 
 h4 
 
[67] 
 (locks, aad that four more from 70 to 74 would 
 be finiflied before Spring. 
 
 Lord Brijlol writes from Turin, that Monf. 
 de Galajioniere was appointed to command the 
 twelve ftiips now fitting out at Toulon \ That 
 the naval preparations " at Toulon, were carried 
 on with expedition, and that there were orders 
 arrived for equipping four more (hips of the line 
 in that port* But adds, ** by the beft accounts 
 ** I can receive, no body can guefs where the 
 •* French will find artillery or failors for this 
 " armament :" and concludes with a report, that 
 the French had purchafed nine large fliips in 
 Sweden, on condition that the Swedes fhould 
 mann them. 
 
 The advices to the Admiralty this month 
 concur in the accounts of the French activity in 
 the ^oxt of Toulon. For though, on the 15th, 
 letters from Marfeilles * write that they worked 
 but ilowly on the fquadron at Toulon ; th2Xfeven 
 only had got mails up, and that there were no 
 orders given for heaving them down; yet others 
 of the fame date from Gibraltar^ fhew, that 
 
 * Dated OSf. 4th, received the i8th. 
 
 *» Dated C;^. i8th, received Nov, 5th. 
 
 * Received Nov. 6th. 
 
 * From Capt. Edgcombe of the Deptfordy received Nov. 
 2lft. The Captain wrote. That in confideration of the 
 intelHgence of a French fquadron of tvi^elve fliips and four 
 frigates ready to fail from Toulon^ the governor had em- 
 barked two ferjeants, three corporals, and forty private 
 men to go with him to Mahon, 
 
 F 2 they 
 
i 
 
 n 
 
 
 (1 ■' 
 
 111''!*'" 
 
 IL 
 
 ;i:'l! 
 
 [68] 
 
 they were convinced of the reality of the French 
 preparations at Toulon. And that they believed 
 their intention was to attack either Gibraltar or 
 Mahon, 
 
 Consul Dicks^ by letters of tlie 27th ", men- 
 tions the failing of five large fhips on the 23d 
 from Touloji, And, 
 
 Captain Scroope of the Dolphi?ty by dif- 
 patches of the fame date % from P^illa-Jranca^ 
 inclofed the folio vising piece of intelligence in 
 French ; " Ordres darmer autre 1 2 ijajfeaux de 
 *' ligne^ 5 frigates^ il parolt qiCon travaille 
 *' avec hcaucoup de diligence^ y ay ant 6000 
 ** employer" 
 
 It appears with great perfpicuity from thefe 
 advices, that the French obierved an exadl uni- 
 formity of condudl in their ports of the Medi- 
 ter7'anean j fometimes in a hurry -, at other times 
 {hewing, by way of feint, a flacknefs in their 
 armament, or a diltant intention j but never 
 lofing figiit of their real objedt, and making as 
 much difpatch, as the nature of their expedition 
 and the feafon of the year would now permit. 
 In v/hich they difcovered great policy and oeco- 
 nomy 5 confounding our intelhgence, and ex- 
 pending no more of the public money tlian was 
 necefTary, till the time of adion would difcover 
 their real defign. 
 
 
 *■ Received oa the i2th q^ Kov^mkr, 
 
 In 
 
[69] 
 
 In the northern provinces they took care to keep 
 up the report and appearance of an embarkation. 
 
 By the papers in Lord Holdernejs's office, it 
 appears there was early intelligence ' of the ar- 
 rival of the lEfitrepenanty Leopard^ tllluflre^ and 
 YOptniatrc^ four ihips of M. de Boh de la 
 Mothes fquadron from Louijhourg ; that M. de 
 Salvert was left at houipoiirg purely to amufe 
 the Englifi ; and that thcfe, who were returned, 
 had given Admiral Bofcawen the flip, by ven- 
 turing through the mountainous fea in the 
 3tr eights of Belk-ijlc, 
 
 Letters of the fame date ' informed that 
 the I'Vielie, hifiexible^ and Aigle were returned 
 to Rochfort from Cadiz, that the 
 
 Le "Jujle, of 70 guns 
 
 JLe Prudent, 66 
 
 Le Capri deux, 64 
 
 Le Hardi, 64 
 
 were ordered to be equipped in the fame port ; 
 and alfo brought a lift of a new fquadron equip- 
 ping at Br eft, viz. 
 
 Le Sold I Royal, of 80 
 
 Cotiragcux, 74 
 
 . Superbe, 70 
 
 Beaiifaijant, 04 
 
 Prothee, 64. 
 
 Aldon, ^6 
 
 Arc en del, 50 
 
 AmphicTjy ^o 
 U")*tea 0,7. 8. 
 
 guns. 
 
 with 
 
1 1' 
 
 I $ 
 
 m 
 
 l)i,*il' 
 
 m,} 
 
 ?'S 
 
 1 70 ] 
 
 with this obfervation, " that, except the whole 
 ** or part of M. Ju Guays fquadron (hould be 
 '* laid up, this new fquadron would want both 
 ** guns &nd fat lors," 
 
 Two days after it was advifed that all the 
 fhips of war, which had ferved as tranfports to 
 LiOuiJbourgy and were returned to Breft were 
 ordered to be laid up : that there were only five 
 men of war in the road ; and that although four 
 were ordered immediately under the command 
 of M. Terrier^ and four others to be equipped 
 for fea, they did not make any great difpatch^ as 
 if they were in hafte. 
 
 The fame intelligence brought a lift of the 
 following iliips in a condition to put to fea from 
 Brejl, 
 
 Le Zodicque^ of 74 guns. 
 
 Minotaurey , 74 
 
 Diademe, 74 
 
 Celebre, 64 
 
 BelUqueux, 64 
 
 Rohu/ie, 64 
 
 Solitairey 64 
 
 obferved that they were building with much 
 expedition, but that there was great want of 
 materials from abroad to complete their orders. 
 It was alfo remarked that a perfon had been to 
 found the harbour and road oi Dunkirk^ as it 
 was fuppofed, with a defign to fend fome men 
 of war to that port. 
 
 I My 
 
 Wli 
 
 ik 1! 
 
 i:;i 
 
[71 ] 
 
 M Y Lord Holdenicfs alfo received the fol- 
 lowing intelligence from Parisy on the 31ft of 
 OBober, that though feveral fliips were hired 
 by the government, at Brefly Boulogne, Calais^ 
 and Dunkirk, to enforce the report of an em- 
 barkation, there was yet no appearance of any 
 fuch meafure. And by another channel of the 
 fame date, the advices agree to difcredit an em- 
 barkation atthofe ports. ** Armaments at Brejl 
 " and Rochforty fay they, are carried on with 
 " vigour : there is money enough ; a million 
 ** per month being appointed for each port; 
 ** but that alone is not fufficient to fit fhips for 
 " fervice : and though there are ftrong reports 
 ** of a defign to make a defccnt in England, and 
 " Rnibarkatiom on the coaft: of Normandy ^ there 
 ^* 2XQ yet no difpofuions for it." 
 
 Indeed letters from Dunkirk and other 
 places along the coaft, dated 051. 2 1 , and re- 
 ceived on the 31ft, mention reports of embark- 
 ations to be made in February, and that thefe 
 reports were induflrioufly propagated ; the 
 French miniftry being defirous to create a belief 
 of their intention to make a defcent in Great 
 Britain or Ireland, by way of feint, about the 
 time, when they really concerted the conquefl 
 oi Minorca, 
 
 Hence we may account for the intelligence 
 picked up by Vice Admiral Smith from Captain 
 
 F 4 Vincent 
 
m 
 
 
 [72 ] 
 
 Vincent of the Greyhound^ who informed ^ the 
 Admiralty that there were one hundred and 
 twenty-nine vciTcIs at Dunkirk^ and that fiftv 
 empty vefTels had been detained by order of the 
 government : and for other *" advices to the faid 
 office, as " that at lead one hundred thoufand 
 ** troops were in motion, and only waited for 
 " tranlports for them (what, 100,000 men I 
 *' where could they find velTels?] to 'embark 
 " for Great Britain or Ireland-, and * that tlicy 
 " were colleding tranfports at Calais^ where 
 •' were eleven topfail veiTels, and twenty-fix one 
 " mafl veflels ; and at Boulcgne where were 
 " twenty-tvt^o fail of brigs, fnows, and floops ^ 
 
 M R. Barnham * writes from Dover in his 
 panic flile, *' I mentioned fome time ago, that 
 " orders were given by the French to collc^fl a 
 " number of vefTcls from Dieppe, Havre^ &c. 
 " to rendezvous at CuIlVS and other ports in that 
 *' neighbourhood. What their real defign for 
 *' fo doing at that time, I hinted was only to 
 " amufe. But I cannot help thinking now, from 
 " the number of vefTels, that have been brought 
 into our ports, and are daily taken, bound to 
 
 <c 
 
 
 ^ Letter to the Ad^niralty dated OSfoler the 20th, received 
 on the 21ft cf Onoher. 
 
 ^ Dated 05i. 20th, received 31ft from a Z)«/c/; Ikipper. 
 
 ' Dated 05i. 22d, received on the 25th. 
 
 ^ Does this number of vefTels appear any ways adequate 
 to the tranfportation of xcc,coo troops, as above ? 
 
 ■ 06i. 7th. 
 
 .3 ^ Calais ^ 
 
[ 73 ] 
 
 ** Calais, &c\ but tliat they have /ome fcheme 
 ** in agitation.' 
 
 « Within thelc few days pad, I am in- 
 " formed from Calais, that above ten fail are 
 " arrived there in ballafl from Roven, which 
 " draw but Httle water, and fome of them two 
 ** hundred tons : and it is now no longer a fecret 
 " that thele veiTels are actually in the French 
 " King's pay." 
 
 But the mod penetrating intelligence, re- 
 ceived Ot'hher the 20th, in Lord Holdenicfs^s 
 office, ought to have redlified all thefe vague 
 fuppofitions : " No court, fays that correfpon- 
 ** dent, was ever in a more cruel fituation than 
 " that of France. They have been led into a 
 " war by the repeated afTuranccs given them by 
 " the Duke oi Mirepoix, that however angry the 
 " [Englifh] nation was, the King and his mini ft ry 
 " would not enter into a war. As tJiis was credited 
 " by the French council in general, they took 
 " their meafures in conicquence ; axid were never 
 " more furprized than wiitn the news came of 
 " our taking the two French (lups in America^ 
 
 It is certain the Fre?ich King and his minidry 
 are greatly incenfed at prefent. An invafion of 
 Ireland has been propofed, and to rifque fending 
 troops into Scotland at the fame time. But on 
 examination, many difficulties have arifen. 
 However this is not laid afide : but it Is to be 
 
 believed 
 
w 
 
 ,■ Ik' , 
 
 ill » i. 
 
 
 f 74] 
 
 believed fome attempt of that kind will be made: 
 if England rejedls the lafl terms, this crown 
 will be obliged to make by the diftrefs they arc 
 in, every fhip in France will be fitted out : and 
 the court of England may be afTured, that if a 
 peace be not made, fome jlrcke of great confc- 
 quence will be flruck, to indemnify the French 
 merchants for the lofs of their fliips. 
 
 At this time thsre was a lift: handed about 
 which greatly magnified tiie ftrcngth of the 
 French navy, viz. 
 
 At Brcft fliips of the line 24 
 
 frigates, ^c. 2 1 
 
 At Rochjort (hips of the line 10 
 
 frigates, &c, i 
 
 At Toulon (hips of the line .1 8 
 
 frigates, ©"c. 13 
 
 Ships building at Toulon 5 
 
 At Brejl 7 
 
 whence it was immediately propagated that " M. 
 Machault had engaged to the French King, to 
 put fixty two fliips of the line to fea in the next 
 ipring, befides frigates. 
 
 What politician could avoid forming a precife 
 judgment from the premifes, that fome ftroke 
 of great confequence would be ftruck, on the 
 part oi France. That it could no: be expeded 
 by a new embarkation for America^ where their 
 
 "> See advices in Lord Holdernefs's office, received OSl. 
 
 ior« 
 
 
l7Sl 
 
 force was already greatly fuperior to ours, and 
 which could not be undertaken with bad 
 Hiips, and fcarcity of artillery, men, and provi- 
 fions : nor by invading Britain or Ireland^ for 
 which they had neither tranfports for fuch an 
 undertaking, nor were making other difpofitions 
 in the northern provinces, that could induce us 
 to give credit to fuch reports ; for the motions 
 and difpolition, as well as the extraordinary 
 number of their troops, more naturally ex- 
 plained their intention to prepare againft any 
 attempt, which might be made on their own 
 coaft, and to draw off the attention of the 
 EngliJIj from the Mediterranean^ than to en- 
 counter the difficulties, whicli, upon examina- 
 tion, were found to difcourage an invafion of 
 thefe kingdoms. But that it was to be guarded 
 againft in the Mediterranean, For, all our intel- 
 ligence agreed in thefe fadls, *' that a conlidera- 
 ** ble fquadron was now in great forwardnefs to 
 " fail with an army under its convoy, vidualled 
 " only for two months : that though ftrong 
 " infinuations were propagated of an intention 
 " to invade Great Britain or Ireland^ there were 
 " yet no difpofitions for it : and that the arma- 
 " ments carried on at Brejl^ Rochforty &c. were 
 " neither fo forward, nor of that force, as to 
 *' require the detention of the greateft part of 
 " the Britijh fleet to watch their motions." 
 Yet from the foWowing authentic iiJIs" the reader 
 
 " Prepared in purfiiance of an addrefs to the H. of C. to 
 his M y, dated Felf. 8th, 1757. 
 
 will 
 
[ 76 ] 
 
 will be enabled to judge, whether his Majcfty's 
 navy was employed, as it ought to hp.vc been, to 
 prevent the blow, which France v/as preparing 
 to ftrike in the Mediterranean, 
 
 m 
 
 i'» 
 
 I 
 
 A LIST of all his Majefty'syZ);)>j of war ^ or 
 Jquadrons of fuch fliips as were equipped 
 and made ready for fea, within the month 
 o{05tober 1755. 
 
 rate, fhips names. 
 
 guns. men. when made ready for Tea* 
 
 fl. Ra*i3en, t 
 
 10 70 ift 0^(?3rr 1755. 
 
 4 HampJJoire, 
 
 50 300 4th, 
 
 4 Rochefier, 
 
 50 350 5th. 
 
 4 Colchefter^ 
 
 50 300 7th. 
 
 4 E^S^^y 
 
 60 400 8th. 
 
 4 Kingflon^ 
 
 60 400 8th. 
 
 6 Sheernefs-^ 
 
 24 160 8th. 
 
 6 Lime^ 
 
 24 160 8th. 
 
 ^ Romfjey, 
 
 44 280 9th. 
 
 11. Hazard, 8 
 
 10 70 loth. 
 
 3 Mofimouthy 
 
 70 480 nth. 
 
 6 Centaury 
 
 24 160 nth. 
 
 5 Cheprjieldy 
 
 44 250 15th. 
 
 4 Dreadnought y to 450 i6th. 
 
 4 Torky 60 420 17th. 
 
 5 P. Edwardy 44 250 17th. 
 3 Lancajlcry 66 520 21ft. 
 ^, Happy y 8 10 70 2 1 ft. 
 3 Swifffurey 70 520 2 2d. 
 3 Elizabeth y 70 480 25th. 
 3 £^.v, 70 480 26th. 
 
 3 ^O'- 
 
[77] 
 
 rate, (hips names, guns. men. when made ready for fca. 
 
 3 JVey mouthy 60 420 29th. 
 
 4 Ant elope y 50 300 29th. 
 6 Blandjordy 24 160 29th. 
 a.Swany 10 14 100 29th. 
 fi.Houndy 10 14 100 29th. 
 3 Buckingham, JO 535 30th. 
 3 Orfordy 70 520 30th. 
 3 Jpfwichy 70 480 3 1 ft. 
 il. Ply^ 812 70 31ft. 
 
 A i^isT of fuch of the fliips named In the fore- 
 going lift** as were ordered to be formed 
 into, or to reinforce particular fqundrom 
 within the month oiO^ober.^ ^JSS" 
 rate, fhlps names, guns. men. dtftinatlon. 
 
 Ordered 1 5 th OJ?. 1755 
 lo reinforce the wefterii 
 fquadron, under the 
 command of Vice Ad- 
 miral Byngy who did 
 not fail till the 1 4th of 
 I this month. 
 
 pRear Admiral Wc/i or- 
 
 E y h >> I ^^^^^ 280^. 175510 
 
 ^ /^ r J *' ^-^^ J proceed with thefefhips 
 3 Orfordy 70 C20<r . r *u /i 
 W th (\ I reinforce the weitern 
 
 ^ '^ » ^ fquadron under Vice 
 
 ^^ Admiral Byng. 
 
 • See the former p^rt of this lift in the month of Septem- 
 ber ^ page 58, 
 
 The. 
 
 Revenge^ 
 Ipfwichy 
 
 70 480^ 
 70 480^ 
 
 
Mi' 
 
 [78] 
 
 . 1,' ' 
 
 f 
 
 ii' 
 
 The monthly lift of the admiralty, giving an 
 abftradt of the diipofition of the fhips, &c. 
 m fea pay, for the month of O^ober 1755. 
 
 rate. fhlps. men. 
 
 Plantations^ 
 
 r4 9 
 s 3 
 
 6 10 
 floops 9 
 
 
 Vice Admiral Bofcaweriy 
 
 Mediterranean^ 
 
 \ 
 
 Fsajl Indies^ 
 
 3025 
 780 
 
 1380 
 
 630 
 
 31 
 
 581S 
 
 3 ^0 
 
 5615 
 
 f ^ 
 
 1940 
 
 6 I 
 
 floop I 
 
 140 
 80 
 
 17 
 
 777S 
 
 4 I 
 
 280 
 
 6 3 
 lloop I 
 
 390 
 80 
 
 5 
 
 7S^ 
 
 3 2 
 
 4 2 
 
 97S 
 660 
 
 6 I 
 floop I 
 
 140 
 
 9Q 
 
 6 
 
 1865 
 
 
 Cruifers, 
 
[ 79 \ 
 
 rate. 
 
 Cruifers, 
 90 to ZAfllio weftward 
 
 16 J with Admiral 
 2 floops, J Byng, 
 50 to 241 Under Vice 
 
 7 {.Admiral 
 6 Hoops, J Smith. 
 
 Ready rj^ 
 Fitting 1 5, 
 
 At home. 
 
 Gener al abfiradt. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 fhips. 
 
 I 
 10 
 
 ^3 
 
 3 
 10 
 
 Hoops 2 3 
 
 l-arm.v. 3 
 "6l 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 floops 3 
 
 yatchs 6 
 
 i^hof.fli.3 
 
 T4 
 
 I 
 
 32 
 38 
 II 
 28 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 i6 
 
 lloops3 8 
 arm. v. 3 
 yatchs 6 
 hof,£li.3 
 
 766' 
 
 men. 
 
 770 
 5020 
 4690 
 
 780 
 
 1540 
 
 1850 
 240 
 
 14890 
 
 660 
 3320 
 
 2940 
 
 1280 
 
 480 
 
 300 
 
 280 
 
 lOI 
 
 14416 
 
 660 
 
 4090 
 
 16665 
 
 '3535 
 2849 
 
 4070 
 
 3030 
 
 240 
 
 280 
 
 lor 
 
 <■■ ■ ■* 
 
 By 
 
[ 8o] 
 
 \m 
 
 B Y which it will appear that our greateft 
 fofce was kept inadlive, or at inofl, to watch an 
 uncertain deftination of a few fifhing boats, and 
 unarmed veflels in the French ports on the 
 Britijh channel ; and that our whole ftrength 
 in the Mediterranean amounted to no more 
 than one fourth rate, three fixth rates, ^nd one 
 floop: which together carried 750 men. Was 
 this doing all that was in the power of the 
 miniftry towards the prefcrvation of Mw.orca ! 
 
 The advices received on the 4th of Novem^ 
 her^ in Lord Holdernefs\ office, gave an account 
 that orders had been fent to Toulon^ to equip five 
 frigates with the utmofl difpatch, befides the 
 o'.her ^ fliips already fitting out; feven of which 
 /hips of the line zndjonr frigates were com- 
 pletely equipped and ready for failing ** before 
 the end of this month : and they worked fo 
 diligently on the lafl orders, that one of the five 
 was put to fea before the fixteenth of the fame 
 month : " Though, fays Lord Bri/lo!^ neither 
 ** its fervice, nor the deflination of the whole 
 •* number is yet known : fome imagining that 
 they are commiffioned to protecfl the mer- 
 chant (hips that trade to and from the Levant^ 
 " or to defend the coafls from the infults of the 
 ** jjllgerines', or to proceed to Algiers, to reclaim 
 
 p Twelve fliips fee advices to the fame office, received 
 OSfober 31ft. 
 
 s See advices in the faid oiHcc of the :79th of November. 
 
 the 
 
 c< 
 
 <e 
 
<c 
 
 f 81 3 
 
 the French prifoners, and demand fatisfacf.tion 
 
 '* for infults 
 
 r >» 
 
 Agreeable to which, Conful Dicks writes' 
 from Leghorn, he had received intelligence from 
 'Toidon^ that five large fhips of war were to fail 
 on the 23d, as it was reported, to demand four 
 rtiips detained in the port of Algiers, 
 
 Mr. Fillet tes's, difpatches in thi^ month di- 
 minifhed greatly the former apprehenfionSjWhich 
 might have been raifeJ by the armament at 
 Toulon : he firft writes *, " that there had lately 
 " arrived at that port two millions of livres, for 
 ** expediting the former orders to equip twelve 
 " men of war of the line, and five frigates :" 
 and then adds, *' that there was a want of ms- 
 ** terials, and all manner of provifions : that part 
 '* of the -vorkmen in the dock^ were difcharged» 
 " and more were difcharging daily : that they 
 " had been obliged to buy Calilco for fails to the 
 ** amount of one hundred thoufand livres : that 
 ** the fitting out of the five frigites went oa 
 ** very (lowly : and that they had entirely given 
 " over, or at leait deferred the armament of the 
 ** twelve fhips of the line. 
 
 ' See advicco from Lord Brijiol oi Nov. I5tfa, received 
 Dec. 4th J and AW. 22d, received Da. 13th. 
 
 » VVithout date, received by Sir Thmas Robin/on, 
 Nov. 1 8 th. 
 
 ' By letters of Nov. 3d. 
 
 G Ox 
 
^VT ""^'' 
 
 [ 82] 
 
 s 
 
 M 
 
 •'m 
 
 Jn tl^e 8th ", he again infinuated his opinion 
 of an intention to fend fupplies by the 7'oii/on 
 fquadron to Canada: ** For, fays he, fuch a 
 " fcheme being lefs liable to be fufpected, and 
 " thereby more likely to efcape the vigilance of 
 " our fquadrons and cruifmg vefTcls in the ocean, 
 f* feems to deferve attention. 
 
 And though he was obliged to acknowledge 
 on the 20th of the fame month "^j that there 
 were ftill a great number of hands employed at 
 ToiiloHy to complete the twelve fliipe, and that 
 the five frigates were all ready for careening ; 
 he will not allow them to be in any hurry, but 
 writes that they went on but very flowly in 
 fitting them for fea. 
 
 In which he was feconded by advices from 
 Captain Rdgecomhe of the Deptfo?^d^ dated Villa- 
 Jra?tca, Nov, 17th ", who having inclofed an 
 account of thirteen fhips of the line and eight 
 frigates, carrying 1 104 guns, then in the port 
 of Toulon^ writes, that the French had difcon- 
 tinucd their naval armaments in thr.t port, and 
 that the fquadron therein mentioned could not 
 be ready to fail before February or March, 
 
 I 
 
 %-' 
 
 " Received Nov. 28th, 
 ^ Received Dec. 4th. 
 * Received Dec. t)th. 
 
 Yet, 
 
T 
 
 [83 ] 
 
 Yet, on the fame day, by letters of the 2ifl: 
 of November y the Lords of the Admiralty were 
 informed that, though the equipment of the 
 twelve Ihips went on flowly, every thing was 
 preparing to get tliem ready for fervice- : and 
 that in cafe of orders for failing, they would be 
 Jwn got to fea ; though it was the general 
 opinion, that they were not defigned to fail be- 
 fore Spring. 
 
 The pofitive fadls in thefe advices, which re- 
 quired our greateft attention, were, that there 
 was no want of money to carry into execution 
 the orders for the Toulon equipment : that there 
 was no fcarcity of workmen : that ftve more 
 frigates had been added to the former orders : 
 that they worked fo diligently on thefe fliips, 
 that one of the laft five frigates was got to fea 
 before the 15th of the month: that five large 
 fhips of war were ordered to fail on the 23d of 
 the fame month : ihsiifeven of the twelve (hips 
 of the line, and four frigates, were completely 
 equipped, and ready for failing before the end 
 of the faid month : and that they were all in 
 fuch readinefs as to be foon fitted for failing, 
 when commanded to fea : every other part of 
 their intelligence being only confufed conjec- 
 tures, and, it may be artful reports, propagated 
 on purpofe to deceive our fpies and agents a- 
 broad. 
 
 G 2 
 
 As 
 
I 
 
 11 ' 
 
 I'l 
 
 [ 84] 
 
 A s for the intelligence concerning the equip- 
 ments of the French nearer Great Britain^ and 
 their preparations for an invafion, it appears. 
 
 That, by advices received in Lord Holder ^ 
 nefs's office, on the 4th of November, one hun- 
 dred marines were arrived at Dunkirk, and ex- 
 ercifed: but that there was not the leajl ap- 
 pearance of an embarkation at that port. 
 
 That it was talked, ^ the Pretender had been 
 at Fontainbleau, incog, that feven fhips of war 
 were gone into Breft road : that there were four 
 battalions of the IriJ}^ brigade ; and fixty ihips 
 belonging to different countries at Boulogne ; that 
 the garrifons of Calais, in which port were about 
 thirty fhips of the like fort, and of Graveline, 
 were formed of the IriJJj brigade : but that there 
 were no more troops in that neighbourhood -, 
 nor any talk of an embarkation, nor even of 
 privateers ; thefe feven men of war, if they 
 (hould fail, being intended only to proted: the 
 commerce. 
 
 Letters of the fame date relate, that all the 
 fhips at Bre/i, that had been out, were ordered 
 to difarm and to be refitted : but *hst M. de 
 ConJlans*s divifion, was in lefs forwardnels than 
 that to be commanded by M. Perrier, And 
 yet OLher letters of the 2 2d of the fame 
 
 y Letters received Nov, 12th 1757. 
 
 month, 
 
T 
 
 [85] 
 
 month ^ after having acknowledged the inadl- 
 vity of the French minlflry, add, that fome 
 attribute their condudt to a want of means to 
 raife money j and that others were of opinion 
 that the French made thofe delays in their ma- 
 rine equipments, only to blaze out at once with 
 a fleet of two hundred fhips to be colle6ted be- 
 tween Dunkirk and Urefl ; that thofe tranfports 
 were to be efcorted by fifty fail of men of war 
 in two fquadrons in order to invade England^ 
 and that the invaders intended to march, as foon 
 as difembarked, diredily to the capital. 
 
 This intelligence was immediately followed 
 with this further circumflance : That Marflial 
 Bellijle had formed a project for invading Eng" 
 land and Hanover at the fame time : that there 
 had been lately built two frigates at Havre ; and 
 that there were four frigates in Breft road in- 
 tended only to protect the merchantmen : but 
 that there, did not appear the kafi difpofition for 
 an embarkation at Dunkirk^ or in the neighs 
 bouring ports. Which was confirmed by * dif- 
 patches from Admiral Smith ; who having given 
 an account oi Jift^ lliips at Dunkirk^ and thirty-^ 
 Jive at CainiSf aflured their lordihips thai there 
 
 * In Lord Hold.-^nefi\ office, there was aliout the fame 
 time an account that the French had augmented their forces 
 with 27,000 foot, 15150 horfe, 25*10 dragoons, and 6000 
 marines. 
 
 * Of the 30th of November, received by th" Adr^lralty on. 
 IIk 1 5th of D^\ ^mber, 
 
 G ^ was 
 
W'"^ 
 
 A'- 
 
 U 
 
 lift.': 
 
 m 
 
 f 
 
 
 I: 
 
 [86] 
 
 was no movement that indicated an embarkation 
 of land forces. 
 
 Thus the terror of an invafion was founded 
 upon no better authority than the trite accounts 
 of the Irijh brigade being quartered on the coaft; 
 a few merchantmen detained or laid up in D««- 
 kirk and Calais ; feven frigates lying under fail- 
 ing orders in Breji road, for the protecftion of 
 their mercantile navigation, and a gafcoynade of 
 a refolution to invade England with a fleet not 
 in their power to fend to fea, and at the fame 
 time to attack Ha?20ver : whereas the heft of 
 our correfpondents declared that there did 7iot 
 appear the lea ft difpo fit tony nor was there any 
 talk of an embarkation ''. 
 
 Yet our miniflry affedled to'be terrified with 
 the certainty of an invalion ; and paid no regard 
 to the real armaments making at Toulon " ; as will 
 
 '' For, though different plans had been propofed, they 
 had been all rejccSled ; becaufe, in the firft place, it was 
 impoflible for them to collect a fufticient number of tranf- 
 ports in one or two ports, as would be neceflary : becaufe 
 the Bre/i fleet, was it in a condition to puf to fea, could 
 not pretend to convoy them ; for fhould that fleet meet the 
 Engitjh^ either in going or returning, it would be rifquing 
 the whole trade of France^ and expofmg both their fleet 
 and forces to ruin. Therefore, their whole intention is to 
 alarm and diftrefs England-^ though, fays the correfpondent, 
 I can't anfwer how far pafllon may carry them. See ad- 
 vices in Lord HoldernejY% office. 
 
 '^ Except we may account the order, in this month, for 
 General Stuart to repair to his command in Minorca., the 
 firfl appearance of an intention to put that ifland into a 
 pofture of defence ; though he could not obtain a pafTagQ 
 to Mahon x'lW the 6th of Jpr'd 1756, when he failed with 
 Admiral Byvg, i more 
 
1 
 
 f 87] 
 
 more fully appear by the following account of 
 the equipment made in Great Brita'vu 
 
 A LIST of all his Majefty's/v>j of war, or 
 jquadroiis of fuch fhips as were equipped 
 and made ready for fea, within the month 
 
 oi November 1755. 
 
 Prepared in purfuance of an addrefs of the 
 honourable houfe of commons to hisMajefty, 
 dated 8th February y 1757. 
 
 rate, fhips names, guns. 
 
 fl. 6 Gibraltar y 24 
 
 60 
 90 
 90 
 10 
 
 50 
 
 4 Medway\ 
 2 Prince, 
 
 2 St. George, 
 n. Peggy, 8 
 
 4 Newcajile, 
 fl. Saltajh, 10 14 
 il Cruifer, 8 10 
 
 5 Ambujcade, 44 
 
 6 Experiment, 24 
 
 4 Falmouth, 50 
 
 5 Z^yw;/, 44 
 f[. Swallow, 14 14 
 
 6 Solebay, 24 
 
 3 Najfau, 70 
 5 JVoolwich, 44 
 2 P. George, 80 
 fl.^(?iy; 8 JO 
 
 men. when made ready for fea. 
 
 160 2d November ly^S' 
 
 430 3^' 
 750 4th. 
 
 750 5th. 
 
 70 5th. 
 350 6th. 
 100 9th. 
 
 70 9th. 
 250 nth. 
 140 20th, 
 350 2ifl:. 
 250 2ifl:. 
 100 2 I ft, 
 160 22d. 
 480 23d. 
 280 24th. 
 720 27th, 
 
 70 30th, 
 
 G4 
 
 A LIST 
 
r 58] 
 
 
 ]1* 
 
 im 
 
 im 
 
 mJI 
 
 
 A LIST of fuch of the (hips named In the fore- 
 going lift as were ordered to be formed 
 into, or to reinforce particular fquadrom 
 in the rcion^oi November ^ 1755. 
 
 rate, (hips names, guns. men. deflination. 
 
 " Ordered 4th Nov, 1755 
 
 5 Chejlerfeldy 44 250 to convoy trade to the 
 
 6 Experiment y 24 i^O'^ Mediterranean y^nAxc- 
 
 fl. Raven, 10 14 1 00 
 
 inforce the fquadron 
 xawAtvQ^i^uEdgecumbc, 
 
 The monthly lijl of the Admiralty^ giving an 
 abftrafl of the difpofition of the fhips, 
 ^c. in fea pay, for the month of November 
 
 ^755' 
 
 fhips. men. 
 
 rate. 
 
 Plantations^ 
 
 Vice Admiral Bofcawen, < T 
 
 4 9 
 
 5 2 
 
 6 10 
 
 Hoops ^1 
 
 3045 
 560 
 
 1400 
 
 560 
 
 29 
 
 55^5 
 
 3 10 
 
 6 I 
 
 floop I 
 
 1940 
 
 140 
 
 80 
 
 17 
 
 7775 
 
 Medi" 
 
[ 89] 
 
 rate. 
 
 Mediterranean ^ 
 Deptjord so 3 24 
 
 Eafl Indies, 
 
 8 fhips "I Downs, Vict r-z i 
 1 1 floops i AdmiraliS'w/V/j 13 16 
 
 Cruifers, ^ ^ ^ 
 
 22 90 to 507 underVice I 6 u 
 3 24 > Admiral liloops24 
 
 I floop J Urm.v.^ 
 
 72 
 
 Refitting 13, 
 Fitting 17, 
 
 At home, 
 
 ' 2 
 
 2 6 
 
 3 5 
 
 4 9 
 
 5 7 
 
 6 3 
 
 flcops 3 
 
 fire fh.2 
 
 hof.{h.3 
 
 Lyatchs 5 
 
 975 
 660 
 
 140 
 
 90 
 
 1865 
 
 1510 
 4120 
 2730 
 
 3240 
 17^0 
 
 480 
 
 290 
 
 100 
 
 loi 
 
 21Q 
 
 4531 
 
 4^^ 
 
IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 // 
 
 A< 
 
 <i'. 
 
 
 ^- 
 
 10 '- 
 
 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 118 
 
 M 
 1.8 
 
 U III 1.6 
 
 If I'o 
 
 6' 
 
 <^ 
 
 % 
 
 //, 
 
 >> 
 
 "m 
 
 
 (?;^ 
 
 7 
 
 /A 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sdences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 m 
 
 ,\ 
 
 m 
 
 c^ 
 
 ^\ 
 
 % 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 0^ 
 
 U 
 
 % 
 
 '%^ 
 
 23 WESV A.A!N STRSET 
 
 WEBSTER, H.Y 145*0 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 

 fA 
 
r 
 
 [90] 
 
 
 »" 
 
 • ••' rate. fhips. 
 
 men. 
 
 . ;. 
 
 ri 2 
 
 I510 
 
 « • 
 
 2 7 
 
 4890 
 
 ' 
 
 3 ■ 33 
 
 17315 
 
 * 
 
 4 4.0 
 
 HI55 
 
 ♦ 
 
 5 ^2 
 
 3090 
 
 General abftra6V, '^ 6 29 
 
 4380 
 
 c.C.i 
 
 floops38 
 
 3090 
 
 V,;, i 
 
 arm. V.3 
 
 240 
 
 •', ■• 
 
 fire fh.2 
 
 100 
 
 i 
 
 yatchs 5 
 
 210 
 
 
 ^hof.fli.3 
 
 100 
 
 174 
 
 49081 
 
 The fhips deflgned for the expedition 
 againft Minorca, being got as forward as need- 
 ful for the feafon of the year, and the time 
 appointed for carrying it into execution ; you 
 have feen in the accounts of the lafl month, 
 that the carpenters, &c. who had been brought 
 from all parts to work upon them, were 
 (many of them) difcharged. Why? becaufe, 
 as the fquadron was not to fail till March, 
 it was needlefs to retain a number of ufcleft 
 hands, for three or four months to do the 
 work, which could be finifhed in three or four 
 weeks ; every thing being already done, whicji 
 required the afTiftaiice of fuch a number of 
 hands : befides this difcharge of the workmen 
 produced another good effed: it carried the 
 appearance of a (^e/ay, or an alteration in the 
 meafures of the couit, in regard to the arma- 
 ment 
 
[ 91 ] 
 
 ment at T'oulon j and in confequence created a 
 belief in the Britijh agents and miniftry, that 
 they had nothing to fear from that quarter. 
 For, thus ran the intelligence fi-om feveral quar- 
 ters in the courfe of the lafl month. Our cor- 
 refpondents, without confidering the work that 
 had been expedited by the diligence and num- 
 bers employed in the fitting out of the twelve 
 men of war of the line, &c, very impolitically 
 concluded that the difcharge of the workmen 
 was an indication of the equipment's being laid 
 afide : and without attending to the feafon of 
 the year, which did not require more expedition 
 than was really neceflary to get the fquadron to 
 fea within the time limited for its appointed 
 fervice, they interpreted the oeconomy of the 
 French miniflry zjlownefs or want of refolution, 
 men, or materials, to carry their firft intention 
 into execution. 
 
 The fame infatuation prevailed in the month 
 o£ December in the advices from Turin, For 
 Lord Brijiol writes *" that though iht Jive frigates 
 at 'Toulon were ready to put to fea ; the arma- 
 ment of the twelve fhips of the Hne in that 
 harbour went on vtxyJlowl)\ and by all accounts 
 muft be many months before they could be in a 
 condition to fail. 
 
 Consul Cabanis at Nice wrote '' in the fame 
 ftrain. " Thtjive frigates, viz, one of 50 guns 
 
 •= December 20th, Received "January 21. 
 ^ December 2 2d, received January 21ft. 
 
 « 
 
 one 
 
'.. f. 
 
 m 
 
 If' 
 
 ■'i 
 
 ;kM 
 
 lii 
 
 r- il 
 
 1( 1 :■'. 
 
 \k\ 
 
 t9*] 
 
 " one of 30 guns, and three of 24 guns at Toulon 
 " are ready to fail ; but, as to the twelve ftiips 
 " of the line in commiffion, their equipment 
 ** goes on very /lowly ^ and they will not be able 
 ** to get them ready ibis' winter. He adds, that 
 ** they recruited their land forces with all ima- 
 ** ginable diligence." 
 
 Such was the deception in Italy, in regard to 
 the French armament at Toulon, However, Mr. 
 Villettes, at Bern, feems to have been fomewhat 
 better advifed. For, in his letter ' to Mr. Fox^ 
 he firfl relates that the Jive frigates were ready 
 to fail : that there v/as only one of them got 
 into the road j and that people could not tell 
 what to think of the Jlownefs with which they 
 proceeded in the marine department of that port. 
 Then he ' advifeth that all the Jive frigates had 
 * got into Toulon road, though it was not known 
 when they fhould fail ; that the intendant of the 
 marine at Toulon had taken a lift of all the Weft 
 India merchant fliips in the port of Marfetlles, 
 fpecifying their burthen, ftrength and number 
 of cannon ; and that he had ordered two of them 
 to repair to Toulon, 
 
 Letters from the fame correfpondent of the 
 ^2^ oi December obferved, that it was reported 
 orders had arrived at Toulon for the frigates to 
 fa' 1 ', but that their deftination was kept a pro- 
 
 " December 6th, received the 20th ditto. 
 ^ December 1 3th, received on the 25th ditto. 
 s Ob or before the firji day of December, 
 
 found 
 
le 
 d 
 lo 
 
 [ 93 ] 
 
 found fecret : '* though it ig probable, continues 
 he, " that they will go and join thofe near 
 ** armed at Breji j and, if the projedl for invad- 
 ** ing England is not laid afide, they will be 
 " employed in favouring the paffage and landing 
 " of the land forces." Should not Mr. Villettes 
 have firft reafoned with himfelf upon the dif- 
 ficulty, and almoft impoflibility of fuch a weak 
 force of Jive frigates of 50 to 24 guns, to get 
 into Brejl, which was, at that time, blocked up 
 by a ftrong fquadron of Britijh men of war ? 
 he had more reafon to keep to his former vague 
 furmize of an intention to favour the French 
 hoftilities in North America, But it ihould feem, 
 as if this gentleman was very happy in coincid- 
 ing with the favourite fchemes of thofe, whofe 
 endeavours were to perplex the Britijh councils 
 with the cry of an invafion. 
 
 He afterwards informs the government, that 
 orders had been publifhed at Marjeilles^ by found 
 of trumpet, for all failors to repair immediately 
 to Toulon : ihaX Jour of the frigates above-men- 
 tioned, were faid to be ordered to convoy the 
 Algerine galliot, lately taken, to Algiers ; but 
 that they had not received their laft orders for 
 failing, and that it was very certain they had 
 quite another deftination ''. 
 
 •» By letters dated 27th December, received January 13th, 
 iQclofing advices of December 15th. N. B, He writes on 
 thp'a9th oi December y that the people were quite tired tQ 
 hear the frigates were ready and did not fail : and that the 
 French, by means of a Portugueze merchant, had bought 
 1300 pieces ot cannon in Englavd, 
 
 Yet, 
 
I 94 ) 
 
 Yet, even in the midft of this uncertainty^ 
 it plainly appears that the Toulon fquadron of 
 twelve fhips of the line might be put to fea ill 
 the Spring : that, in the mean time, all diligence 
 was ufed to recruit the land forces in Provence, 
 and the neighbouring provinces : that meafures 
 were purfued for taking up (hips for tranfports : 
 and that a flridt watch was kept to fecure a fuf- 
 iicient number of failors againft the time of 
 adtion. 
 
 '* , ' 
 
 Agreeable to thefe fadls, the government 
 received advice from Mr. Banks, conful at Car- 
 thagena in Spaifi, that by his intelligence from 
 Toulon, the French fleet was ready, and only 
 waited for orders to put to fea : that feveral 
 battalions and fquadrons were in motion towardj 
 the frontiers of Catalonia, and that moft of the 
 ports in Provence were crouded with Polaccas^ 
 Settees, ^arta?7s, and other vefTels, a great many 
 of which were taken up in the government's 
 fervice *, 
 
 ■\i 1 
 
 Letters to the Admiralty, dated Marfeilles, 
 December 24th, expreflly mention, that the five 
 frigates were ready to put to fea j and that the 
 twelve fhips of the line were under orders to be 
 equipped with all expedition, and would be 
 ready to fail in three weeks, 
 
 * See his \t\.Xsx q^ DecemUr 7th, received February 19th. 
 
 Thus 
 
[95 ] 
 
 
 th. 
 US 
 
 Thus every particular, But the pofitive defti* 
 nation of the Toulon fquadron, was known : and 
 their intention to invade either Gibraltar or 
 Minorca, was eafily to be coUedled from their 
 manner of viBtiallingy number of troops, and 
 variety of fmall vejfels taken into pay for tranf- 
 ports. 
 
 However our minlftry rather chofc to give 
 credit to the advices of the tranfadions in the 
 north of France, From whence Lord Holder^ 
 nejs was informed ** of great augmentations to 
 the militia of Normandy and Picardy, which 
 already confifled of twenty-two battalions each; 
 and that nothing was talked of but a declaration 
 of war, and a refolution to fix the Pretender on 
 the throne of England in the March following. 
 
 This intelligence was foon followed by an 
 account of feventy or eighty thoufand land forces 
 expeded ' to arrive, and to be cantoned in the 
 towns and villages near Dunkirk, in order tg 
 take poflfcfTion of Nieuport, Oftend, and other 
 barriers, to favour a fquadron to be commanded 
 by M. Bart, and appointed to fail into thofe 
 feas"*. But, 
 
 Whence was a fquadron to be expedled 
 fufficient to face the Britijh navy ? It could not 
 
 •* By letter dated December ()i\\, received the 1 3th ditto. 
 
 ' DecerrJ^er 5 th. 
 
 ™ By letters dated December 12th, received the 15th ditto. 
 
 be 
 
 ■u A- 
 
'i> 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 [96] 
 
 be from Toulon for reafons already afligned. 
 It could not be from Breji, nor from Rochfort j 
 becaufe advices of the firft of December to that 
 fame noble Lord expreflly declare, that the 
 fquadron in thofe ports, under M. Conflansy went 
 on very f^owly : that the fquadron under M. 
 Perrier, confifted only oi Jive fhips of the line 
 and yo«r frigates, when completely equipped: 
 that there was but one fliip fitting at Dunkirk^ 
 and that there was no other maritime difpofition 
 in that or in its neighbouring ports. 
 
 Was it to be colleded from Bayonne, Bour-" 
 deauxy Nants^ Rochelle^ and Havre, where it was 
 reported there was a defign to build frigates in 
 private, or in the merchants docks. That was 
 by far a too diftant view : for had that fcheme 
 been adopted by the French miniftry, it would 
 have enabled the King's yards to build a num- 
 ber of capital fliips, but not a fufficient num- 
 ber to cope with the Britijh navy, or to favour 
 the pretended invafion, within the compafs of 
 the year 1756. It is true the advices of the 
 9th of this month, related a defign in France 
 to fit out every fhip that could be made capable 
 to keep the feasj and to divide the whole into 
 two fleets^ one at Toulon^ the other at Breji-y ta 
 fall with force on th^. Britijh fquadrons, dif- 
 perfed in imall numbers ; and, in the mean 
 time, to make a powerful diveifion by means 
 of an invafion, for which purpcfe they had af- 
 fembled already 50,000 troops from Givet to 
 3 the 
 
[97] 
 
 the neighbouring port. But, the next day, this 
 formidable gafcoynade was knocked on tlie head 
 by fiefh afTurances " that France had m other 
 'views in all this than to gain time : that there 
 were no dijpofitiom on the coall of the Britijl} 
 channel for an embarkation " ; that eight frigates 
 had failed from Breji^ but were employed by 
 way of convoy for their merchantmen ; that the 
 armament of the two fquadrons went on fo 
 flowly, that M. Perriers could not be got ready 
 lill 'January at fooneft, and that of M. Conflam 
 not till May^ : and that there was nothing new 
 on the i 9th of December in the ports of Iterance ^ 
 except the arrival of fome troops at Dunkirk, 
 
 Other intelligence in the fame office, dated 
 "December the 4th and 13th, allow that there 
 had been fomt propofals for an invafion, but 
 they were rejeded on account of the many dif- 
 ficulties, and the facrificing fo many troops; 
 and conclude that all talk of that fort was only 
 defigned to alarm and dijlrefr ; for, that after 
 diligent fearch, no plan for invading England or 
 Ireland could be found. 
 
 In the whole courfe of this intelligence, which 
 carries us to the conclufion of the year 1755, 
 no one can prefame to find any foundation for 
 the mmijlerial panic, continually dreaming of. 
 
 " December loth, in Lord Holdernefs^s office, 
 
 *» December 13th, in ditto. 
 
 P Letters of December 15th, in ditto, 
 
 H 
 
 and 
 
 lill 
 
S* ii 
 
 [ 98 ] 
 
 and alarming the people with, the dread of an 
 invafion. How then ouglit we to account for 
 that paffage in his Majefty's fpeech, where he 
 informs his parliaincnt, that *' from various ap- 
 " pearances and preparations there was reafon 
 ** to think there liave been formed defigns againfl 
 " his kingdoms and dominions j" except, as a 
 certain noble Peer, many years at tiie head of 
 the law, has taught us, we coniider fuch fpeeches 
 as the language of a miniilry, rather than the 
 fentiments of their Royal Mailer : and then it 
 may create a fufpicion that this invaiion was a 
 pure minijlerial bubble^ to raifc a prodigious fum 
 of money out of the fears of the people : and 
 not to be hitherto refolvcd upon by the court of 
 France. 
 
 Is it not alfo very extraordinary that there was 
 not the leafl notice taken of the advices received 
 concerning the armaments at Toulon, and the 
 appearances and preparations making in that port 
 and its neighbourhood, for invading and con- 
 quering Gibraltar and Minorca f Except we 
 may fuppofe thofe two important places are in- 
 cluded under the general name of dominions : 
 which both houfes of parliament, in their ad- 
 drefTes, certainly underftood to mean his Ma- 
 jefty's EletJoral and German dominions '' : befides 
 
 ^ His Majesty, on the 13th of November 1755, in- 
 forms his parliament in thcfe words : " I have confined m/ 
 *' views and operations to hinder France from making new 
 *' encroachments, or fupporting thofe already made; to 
 '' exert our riglU" to a fatiifavStion for hoftilities committed 
 
 it 
 
[99] 
 
 it will appe.ir from the following, as well as 
 foregoing lifts, that his Majefty had not been 
 advifed to extend his views mid operations to 
 
 " In a time of profound peace, and to difappolnt fuch dc- 
 " figns, as, from various appearances and preparations, 
 *' there is reafon to think, have been formed againft my 
 '* kingdoms and dominions." 
 
 The Houfc of Lords ^ in their addrcfs on this fpcech, cx- 
 prefs thcmfclvcs in thcfc terms : " We look upon ourfelvcs 
 '* as obliged by the flrongeft ties of duty, gratitude, and 
 ** honour, lo (land by and fupport your iMajcfty in all fucli 
 " wife and necefTary mcafures and engagements, as your 
 " Majefty may have taken, in vindication of the rights of 
 *' your crown; or to defeat any attempt, which may be 
 ** made by France^ in referrtment of fuch meafurcs : "nd 
 " to afTift your Majefty in difappointing and repelling all 
 •' fuch enterprizes as may be formed not only againft your 
 *' kingdoms, but alfo againft any other of your dominions, 
 *' although not belonging to the crown (?/'Great Britain, 
 ** in cafe they fliould be attacked on account of the part 
 *' which your Majefty has taken for maintaining the 
 
 ir 
 
 " ellcntial intercft of your kingdoms." 
 
 The Houfe of Commons, in like manner, addreffed his 
 Majefty in thefe words : '* We beg leave to afl'ure your 
 ** Majefty, that your dutiful and faithful Commons will 
 " vigoroufly and chearfully fupport your Majefty, in al) 
 *' fuch wife and neceflary meafures and engagemeiits, as 
 *' your Majefty may have taken, to vindicate the juft* 
 *' rights and poflcrilons of your crown, and to guard againft: 
 *' any attempt which France may make, on account of 
 *' your Majefty's not having fubmitted to her uiijuftitiablc 
 " encroachments ; and that we think ourfclves bound in, 
 •" juftice and gratitude to affift your Majefty againft infults 
 *' and attjicks, that may be made upon any of your Ma- 
 *' jefty's dominions, though not belonging to the crown of 
 *' Grent Britain, in Tefentment of the part your Majefty 
 *' has taken in a caufe wherein the interefts of this kingdom 
 •* arc'^immediately and fo cirentially concerned." 
 
 H 2 di> 
 
 
 )*./■•. *f 
 
 .*.,». !>«, 
 
 
li 
 
 
 11 
 
 [ lo^ ] 
 difappoint the defigns of France againft the 
 Britijh dominions in the Mediterranean, 
 
 A LIST of all his Majcfl:y'syZ'//»i ofwar^ or 
 Jqtiadrons of fuch fhips as were equipped 
 and made ready for fea, in the month of 
 December 1755. 
 
 rate, fhips names, guns. men. when made ready for fca. 
 
 a. Speedwel/y 8 10 70 i{{ December ij^^, 
 
 3 Newark, 80 620 4th. 
 6 Unicorn, 24 160 5th. 
 il. Peregrine, 1 2 1 2 100 6th. 
 
 5 Go/port, 44 250 8th. 
 
 6 Rye, 24 160 loth. 
 ([.Ferret, 10 14 100 I2tli. 
 fl. iSrt'y/Tg-f, 8 10 70 1 2th. 
 {[.Granado, 10 14 100 13th. 
 {[JVa/p, 8 10 70 21/1-. 
 fl. R^wg-^r, 8 10 70 24th, 
 a. Scorpio?!, 10 14 80 25th. 
 
 6 Squirrel, 24 160 28th. .^. , 
 
 4 ,5/. Albans, 60 420 3cth. 
 4 Dreadnought, 60 415 30th. 
 6 Greyhound, 24 160 31ft. 
 
 '■'■?. 
 
 A LIST 
 
[ lot ] 
 
 A LIST of fuch fliips named in the fore- 
 going lift' as were ordered to be formed 
 into, or to reinforce particular fquadrom 
 witiiin the month of £):av;;^rr, 1755. 
 
 rate, (hips names, guns. lucn. 
 
 cicftlnation. 
 
 5 Woolwich^ 44 
 
 !• Ordered 5 th Dec. 1755 
 to reinforce tiie fqua- 
 dron at the Leeward- 
 .Jlands \ 
 
 The monthly lift of the Admiralty, giving an 
 abftratt of the difpofition of the fhips, 
 ^6-. in fea pay, for the month of December 
 
 rate. 
 
 fhlps. 
 
 men. 
 
 Plantations^ 
 
 • 
 
 
 < 
 
 3 I 
 
 4 10 
 
 5 2 
 
 6 9 
 (loops 9 
 
 31 
 
 ■ 
 
 500 
 
 3345 
 560 
 
 1260 
 
 640 
 
 1 
 
 Mediterranean, 
 P. Louifa, 60— 
 
 -2 
 2 
 
 24 I 
 
 '4 3 
 6 2 
 
 . floop I 
 6 
 
 
 980 
 
 320 
 80 
 
 1380 
 
 1 
 
 " See the former 
 * See pa«^e 59. 
 
 1 
 • - 
 
 parts of this 
 
 lift, p. 58 and 
 
 H3 
 
 76, 
 
 
 i 
 
 ■ 
 
I 
 
 Eaji Indies, 
 
 [ 1^2 ] 
 
 rate. Ihips. 
 
 !3 2 
 
 4 2 
 
 6 I 
 
 Hoop I 
 
 ToWeftwardS. f^ y 
 
 ^.14 7 
 Dowm^ Vice i 9 mips •< 5 7 
 
 Admiral«S/;;/Vi> i 1 3 Hoops 6 9 
 
 I floops23 
 
 Cruifers and Convoys, larm.v. 4 
 
 Ready 4 
 
 Refitting. 41 
 
 Fitting . 15 
 
 Harbour fervice 2 
 
 At home, 
 
 S7 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 ^1 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 23 
 
 19 
 
 3 
 8 
 
 floops 3 
 
 fire fh.2 
 
 yatchs 5 
 
 lhof.fh.3 
 
 7S 
 
 men. 
 
 97S 
 660 
 
 ' 140 
 
 ' 90 
 
 186^ 
 
 3400 
 2250 
 1810 
 1420 
 1890 
 320 
 
 11090 
 
 1510 
 
 4890 
 
 12440 
 
 7335 
 720 
 
 1240 
 
 300 
 
 100 
 
 210 
 
 lOI 
 
 28846 
 
 
 h'tm 
 
 
 '1 * 
 
 ' w; *■■■-. . • 
 
 General 
 

 [ 103 ] 
 
 
 
 t. • 
 
 rate. 
 
 {hips. 
 
 men. 
 
 
 
 -I 
 
 2 
 
 I5IO 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 4890 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 33 
 
 I73IS 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 41 
 
 14570 
 
 
 
 J? 
 
 12 
 
 3090 
 
 General abftra(ft, 
 
 .6 
 
 29 
 
 4380 
 
 
 
 floops37 
 
 3000 
 
 
 
 arm 
 
 . V.4 
 
 320 
 
 .• 
 
 
 fire fli.2 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 yatchs 5 
 
 210 
 
 1 
 
 
 hof. 
 
 fli.3 
 
 ^75 
 
 lOI 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 49486 
 
 - The firft advices 'in the new year (1756) 
 relating to the armament at Tou/on^ received by 
 Lord Holdernefsy relate, that they had got the 
 twelve fhips of the line, and four frigates into 
 Toulon road : that they effedled to make believe 
 this fquadron was intended to attempt to join 
 that at Br ell : but that tht fmall quantity of p-o- 
 vifions ordered for their ufe, made it more ra- 
 tional to fuppofe it was 7iot to pajs through the 
 Streigh^s : th^t they had launched a feventy gun 
 fhip lately, had ore of 30 guns on the ftocks, 
 and were bufy on four more large fliips, which 
 were to be iBnifhed with all expedition. 
 
 This intelligence w^as fomewhat ir. alidated 
 by letters of the 6th and the 1 2th of the fame 
 
 Of January 3d, 1*756. 
 
 H 4 
 
 month. 
 
 ! : 
 
 
f: i 
 
 :>X*- 
 
 { 104 ] 
 
 month, the former of which con tradi died the 
 failing of the Toulon fquadron, and in general 
 terms declared that it could not be got ready to 
 fail fo foon as was pretended. They at lafl: limited 
 the time of its failing to the month of February ; 
 and informed that the command of the expedi- 
 tion, for which it was equipping, had been given 
 to the Duice oi Richelieu ". 
 
 The Earl of Bri/lol infoims Mr. Fox "^y that 
 repeated orders liad been fent to Toulon to careen 
 and to arm^ with the utmofl expedition, jive fliips 
 of the line to fail forthwith with five frigates 
 already equipped. But that faiiors were fofcarce 
 that they had prelTed boys ana old men, and 
 hired not only artificers but fervants to make up 
 the complements of their crews. And on the 
 3ifl, which was received by the fame packet, 
 his Lordfhip further diminifhed the flrength of 
 the Toulon armaments, by obferving that they 
 went on /lowly 5 and that the delay was occa- 
 fioned by a want of money, artillery, and timber 
 for building, &c. fhips \ 
 
 " Who, as Lord Brijiol wrote to Mr. Fox from Turin, 
 was to receive forty battalions from the interior provinces 
 of France. See his letter dated 'January 24th, received 
 February 24th. 
 
 ^ From Turin, dated 'January 24th. 
 
 " Befides, fays he, moll of the manufacturers in the 
 fouth provinces of France are at a fland, no fhips venture 
 out: trade is declining : merchants are brcakino; : no vent 
 iox goods which arc peri/hing in their warchoufes, bV. 
 
 • But 
 
 vm 
 
 
[ 105 ] 
 
 But twenty days before this lame account 
 arrived at the Secretary's office, Mr. Fox received 
 certain informations ^ from Conful Birtles^ 
 " that after many orders and counter-orders for 
 " equipping the fleet at Toulon^ a pofitive com- 
 *' mand was received by the Intendant to get all 
 " the (hips, fit for the fea, ready as foon as 
 " poflible : thdXjive frigates were ready to fail ; 
 ** that the Dukes Richelieu and Mirepoix were 
 " nominated to command in Provence, and that 
 " it was whifpered, they intended to make a 
 ** defcent from Toulon with a body of troops to 
 " furprize the ifland oi Minorca : that no em- 
 " bargo had yet been laid to detain veflels for 
 '* tranfports j but that the department of Mar^ 
 ^^ feilles had received orders to furnifh 1500 
 ** feamen for the fquadron, and that all other 
 ** maritime places on that coaft had diredlions 
 " to furnilli a number of feamen proportionable 
 ** to their trade." And then very judicioufly and 
 honeftly obferves, that the orders and counter-^ 
 orders which had been given from time to time 
 about the TovXowJieet had been with a view to 
 make the necejfary preparations to carry the plan 
 into execution with the greater fecrcjy. 
 
 In his advices of the 26th, the conful repeats 
 his apprehenfions of the French fcheme of fur- 
 prizing the ifland oi Minorca j and further adds, 
 ** he; had been told by fome, who had the bejl 
 
 y Dated Genoa y "January 17th, received February 
 
 4th. 
 
 tn- 
 
cc 
 <c 
 
 ffC 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 cc 
 <c 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 [ io6 ] 
 
 intelligence from France, that, letters received 
 three days htioxQ^Jixty battalions were ordered 
 to march into Provence^ to be commanded by 
 the Duke de Richelieu: that between flxty 
 and feventy vefTels had been embargoed for 
 tranfports: that they continued to fend to 
 'Toulon all failors, as faft as they arrived in 
 other ports -, and that the five frigates then in 
 the road were vi6lualled for three months." 
 
 Even Mr. Villettes, on January 19th writes, 
 " It is very certain that orders have been re- 
 " ceived at Toulon to fit out twelve fhips of the 
 " line, and to arm them ; and that the two firft 
 " equipped were to join the^-u^ frigates, above- 
 " mentioned." He afterwards confefTes that all 
 his intelligences confirmed the great diligence 
 ufed at Marfeilles^ and the other neighbouring 
 ports, for manning the Toulon fquadron ^ 
 
 On the 28th of January Mr. Fox received 
 from Lieutenant-General Fowke the following 
 lift of the French maritime force ; and his ac- 
 count of the French armament at Toulon, 
 
 '<• '-' * 
 
 ''Dated Bern, January 31ft, received by Mr. Fox, 
 February 24th. Though, by his letters of the 8th of 
 "January, he afliired Mr. Fox that the fame remifnefs and 
 fufpence, which he had mentioned before, ftill fubfifted with 
 regard to the naval armaments in the fouth of France, and 
 gave it as his opinion, that the late calamities, with which 
 the upper part of Provence had been afflidled lately, would 
 influence and flacken their preparations. 
 
[ 107 ] 
 
 of 
 
 \nd 
 
 ith 
 
 Ind 
 
 kh 
 
 lid 
 
 Le Fotidrcyajit, for Admiral, 80 gunr-, Guer-^ 
 
 Her, Redoubtable, Temeraire^ Couronne^ 
 
 Le&ure of j\ guns. 
 VAcbilk^ Lion, Valliant, Hercuky Conjlanf^ 
 
 Triton, of 64 guns j Tier of 50 guns. 
 Lajunon of 50 guns; RoJ'e, Gracieux, Royalle, 
 
 Minerve, Oifeau, of 30 guns -, Nymphe, of 
 
 26 guns ; Topaz, of 24 guns. 
 Two firelliips, four xebecks, four bombs, 
 
 fourteen galleys, of which only four in 
 
 condition. 
 One bark of 24 guns, having no mads. 
 Le Ferme, of 90 guns, fitted to ferve as a fort 
 
 in the middle of Toulon road, 
 JJOcean,_ on the (locks, of 80 guns 5 L'Orfee^ 
 
 now launched, of 64 guns ; UOrifamme^ 
 
 of 5c guns, at fea; La Fumeme, of 30 
 
 guns, on the flocks far advanced ; two 
 
 frigates of 30 guns, keels only, having no 
 
 timber to proceed. 
 
 To fail by firfl orders, 
 
 i2fhipsofthelineof7o/^/(5«, 7 commanded by 
 8 ditto, of Brejiy J Chevalier dii Guain, 
 
 At Br eft feven fhips of war on (locks. 
 Number of guns at Toulon 1636 pieces 
 
 of 18, 24, and 36 pounders. 
 For fortifications of town and port, 500 
 
 Remain for the marine, 1 1 36 
 
 Five frigates befides getting ready. 
 
 The 
 
■■¥ 
 
 <c 
 
 l^^- 
 
 '■,'rt 
 
 [ 108 ] 
 
 The general then continues and writes, " \i 
 " appears they work with great dih'gence and 
 ** difpatch, employing 6000 men : yet all con- 
 '" noiffieurs agree that they will not be able 
 before February or March, to fend out either 
 ** the twelve men of v»^ar ox five frigates, having 
 ** no guns on board either one or the other." 
 However he allows that the arfenal at Toulon 
 was indifferently well furnifhed with ftores, 
 except wood ; and that two Tartans had lately 
 arrived with timber from the coafts of Romagna 
 and the kingdom of Naples, He mentions a 
 report of 4000 fcamen to be furnillied by the 
 Genoefe, but thinks it improbable : affures there 
 has been a great want of money to pay the 
 workmen ; but that there had arrived at i onion 
 500,000 /. and that the trading part of Mar- 
 Jeilles were obliged to advance 40,000 /. weekly 
 to keep them on: and concludes thus; " Sir, 
 " this is genuine, and truly the real Jiate of 
 " affairs." 
 
 The Lords of the Admiralty received alfo an 
 account of the flate of the French marine ac- 
 tually armed and arming on the 20th of Janu-^ 
 ary 1756, viz. 
 
 At Brejl 2 of 80, I of 74, 2 of 70, 3 of 64, 1 
 
 3 of 50, I of 34, 8 of 30, 4 of 24, in all J ^4 
 
 At Rochfort 2 of 74, i of 70, 3 of 64, 7 of 30, 13 
 
 At Toulon I of 80, 3 of 74, 7 of 64, i of 60, ? o 
 
 4 of 30, 2 of 24, in all 3 
 At Havre 2 of 32, 2 
 
 Total 77 
 
24 
 
 i8 
 
 2 
 1? 
 
 [ 109 ] 
 
 Whereby it appears that the armament ac Toulon 
 was actually expediting to fail early in the 
 Spring : that it was not intended to pafs t&e 
 Streights ; that it vr .s to convoy an army to 
 make a defcent, probably on Minorca -, and 
 that every method for manning the fhips of war, 
 and tranlporting the land forces, was daily put 
 in execution, which indicated a fudden deter- 
 mination of the great ftroke fo long and fo often 
 threatened again ft fome part of the Britijh do- 
 minions. 
 
 In the mean time, letters from the Hague to 
 Lord HoldernefSy of the 2d oi January*^ brought 
 fre(h advices of an intended defcent to be made 
 early this year on E?igla?7d, or of an invafion of 
 Hanover y by the French; and that, with this 
 view, they were providing a great number of 
 flat-bottomed boats. 
 
 They further faid**, that the plan for invad- 
 ing Great Britaifi was propofed by M. de Belle- 
 ijle^ who offered to undertake the execution 
 thereof i but that he had been violently oppofed 
 therein bv M. Seychelles, The Marftial's plan 
 was not to attack any of tJie powers on the 
 Continent, and particularly to leave Hanover 
 quiet : but at the fame time to afTemble three 
 large armies on the frontiers of Alface^ Flanders^ 
 and LanguedoCy in order to keep the powers in 
 
 * Received on the 6th. 
 
 ^ Dated Hci^us, January lOth received February i. 
 
 Europe 
 
 M; I 
 
i^ 
 
 W' 
 
 V rS'; 
 
 m„ 
 
 ^^^. 
 
 liffl'j! 
 
 '■■■(■ 
 
 w 
 
 5' ^ 
 
 W' 
 
 - '1 
 
 m- 
 
 ' j'^ 
 
 [ "0 J 
 
 ,P,urope in awe and fufpence. Then ferioufly 
 to attempt an invalion of Great Britain or Ire- 
 landy c of both ; by getting together as many 
 vefTels as pofTible in different ports, with every 
 thing neceflary for an embarkation. And he 
 further advifed the French King, not to fend 
 out any large fquadrons of men of war, but 
 only fome light cruifers to co '^r the arrival and 
 departure of their tranfports; tO give notice of 
 the motions of the Englifi^ and to carry fupplies 
 to their colonies ; however at Brcjl lie thought 
 it neceffary to have a I'cry large fieet ready to 
 give umbrage to the Euglifi\ and to ferve as 
 occafion {hould require. 
 
 This was Bellci/It:\ planj which, our corre- 
 fpondent confeffcd was not to every body's tafte : 
 but notwithfanding, fays he, it appears, as if 
 fome part of it was already adopted, by the 
 motions of the French towards the fiotitiers on 
 all fides, and particularly to the fea coail of the 
 ocean, where M. Bellei/le and the Prince de 
 Soiibife were beginning to make their circuit; 
 being daily expedted at Dunkirk^ and from 
 thence to proceed along the co.ifl:. 
 
 At the fame office there arrived advice *" that 
 8o,ooo men were reported to be marching from 
 the inland places towards the coaft, and that 
 they were to be quartered by brigades from 
 ^Dunkirk to Se?iiis : alio that Perrier's fquadron 
 
 ^"Januayy 31!, at Lord HoUcrnejW office. 
 
 was 
 
lat 
 on 
 
 [ HI ] 
 
 was beginning to get into the road o( BreJI **, but 
 that there were, as yet, no difpofitions ' made in 
 the ports of the ocean for an embarkation. 
 
 Lord Brijlol writes from I'urvj, that 140 
 battalions were affigned to march under the 
 command of Marllial BelleiJIe, And M. V,'lletfe$ 
 from Bern \ that orders had been fent to the 
 French ports on the ocean, particularly to Breft 
 and Rochforty for fitting out all their naval force, 
 and for aflembling feven or eight hundred flaU 
 bottomed vejj'els : for, fays he, the invafion of 
 England w'Al be an eafy matter after the jundion 
 of the French fquadrons [from Toulon at Breji^ 
 to cover the paflage of their troops. 
 
 Yet Vice Admiral OJhorne, by letters of the 
 6th of this month, informs the Admiralty, that 
 Mr. yofeph Cockburn of the Hunter cutter, 
 having ventured into Breji water in his row- 
 
 *" Letters of the fame date in the faid office informed that 
 the Courageux, the Jmphion, and two other (hips of the 
 line, and two frigates, were in the road waiting for the 
 Prudent and three frigates from Rochfort, which being 
 joined, M. Perrier would fail very fpeedily. 
 
 * Other advices of the fame date, and to the fame office, 
 mention that it was confidently reported, that eighteen out 
 of forty-one fhips at Boulogne were fitting : which, with 
 r ders concerning privateers, fliewed that they had fo7ne' 
 thing in view. Letters of the 12th inform that four men 
 of war, three frigates, and three pinks were building after 
 a new method, at port I'Or'ient, to be ready in eight 
 months : and that fix frig;ates were buildiiii^ at Nanteu 
 
 ^ Sec his letters dated 19th and 31ft. 
 
 boat, 
 
i 
 
 ll;i:l 
 
 li 
 
 Vm.'J 
 
 of* '• 
 
 Ml 
 
 [ >I2] 
 
 boat, could fee only w'rie men of war, five of 
 which were as big as the Princeffa^ two of 50 
 guns, and two frnaller, and fix fail of large 
 merchant fhips, in that harbour. 
 
 Consequently, though the French afi^edled 
 to talk of, and to threaten us with, an invafion, 
 to be headed by the Pretender^ and fchemed 
 and condudled by Belleijle^ *' All perfons of 
 ** judgment (fays another intelligent correfpon- 
 dent with Lord Holdernefs's office, dated Ja- 
 nuary 2ifl:) " agreed that it was attended with 
 ** infuperable difficulties, and was only intended 
 " to alarm and dijirefs us" Which, in part, was 
 confirmed by the refolution of the French 
 court, at this time, to fend troops to Canada ^ ; 
 which, and not a fleet of flat-bottomed veflels 
 for tranfports to this ifland, were convoyed by 
 the fquadron equipped at Brcji, 
 
 So that in fa6t, there was neither power, nor 
 means, nor indeed the appearance of an em- 
 barkation fufficient to alarm England with an 
 invafion hitherto. Yet it will be feeii by the 
 difpofition of our fleets within this month, that 
 the minif^ry provided again fl the equipments 
 made by the French in the ports of the ocean, 
 and did nothing for the fecurity of Minorca and 
 Gibraltar, 
 
 s See January 31(1, in Lord Holdernefs'^ office. 
 
 A LIST 
 
 Wi 
 
[ >I3] 
 
 A LIST of all his M^jcdy's JJ:ifs ofwar^ or 
 jquadrom of fuch rfiips as were equipped 
 and made ready for fea, within the month 
 oi "January 1756. 
 
 rate, fliips n:imes. guns. men. when made ready for fca. 
 
 3 Captain^ 70 480 January ift 1756. 
 
 6 Lyme^ 24 160 5th, 
 
 3 Somerfet, 70 520 8th. 
 
 5 Pr. Edwardy 44 250 9th. 
 {[.Raven, 10 14 100 loth. 
 3 Chicheftery 70 520 14th. 
 3 Tar mouthy 70 520 14th. 
 '^N'onhuniberlamijo 120 15th, 
 3 Edinburgh y 70 480 15th. 
 3 Monmouthy 70 480 15th. 
 
 6 Arundt'ly 24 140 15th. 
 3 Vanguardy 70 520 i6di. 
 
 3 Buckifighamy 70 o^^S 17th. 
 
 4 Wind for y to 400 17 th. 
 6 Port Mahony 24 160 2 2d. 
 {[.Hazardy 8 10 70 2 2d. 
 6 ^eenboroiigh y2^ 160 23d. 
 
 3 Monarchy 74 750 24th. 
 
 4 Medwayy 60 420 24th. 
 4 Fir/lFirebrandy^ ^55 24th. 
 4 Neivcaftky 50 350 26th. 
 i[,DiJpatchy 10 14 100 26th. 
 fl. Cruifery 8 10 70 27th. 
 6 Seajordy 24 160 29th. 
 4 Nottingham^ 60 400 3ifl. 
 
 I 
 
 'ii 
 
 p> 
 
 A LIST 
 
 ST 
 
[ n4] 
 
 m 
 
 A LIST of fuch of the rtiips named in the fore- 
 going li(l^ as were ordered to be formed 
 into, or to reinforce particular fquadrons 
 within the month of January 1756. 
 
 r^tc. ihips names, guns. men. dcflinatlon. 
 
 " Rear AdmiralTbw«/6'«^ 
 was ordered the 6th of 
 Jan. 1756 to proceed 
 in her to famaica^ to 
 relieve Mr. Cotes in the 
 command of a fqua- 
 dron there. 
 
 4 Dreadnought fio £f\i< 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 3 Somerfcff 
 
 70 540- 
 
 3 Buckingham 
 
 >7^ 535 
 
 3 Swijtfure^ 
 
 70 520 
 
 3 Tarmouth^ 
 
 70 520 
 
 3 Chichejier^ 
 
 70 520 
 
 3 Lanca/Ier^ 
 
 66 520 
 
 3 Vanguard^ 
 
 70 520 
 
 3 Northumberland-, 70 ^20 
 
 3 Elizabeth, 
 
 70 480 
 
 3 Monmouthy 
 
 70 480 
 
 4 Windfor^ 
 
 60 400 
 
 4 AntelopCy 
 
 50 300 
 
 5 Komncy, 
 
 44 280 
 
 5 Go^^r/, 
 
 44 250 
 
 6 TJnicorny 
 
 24 160 
 
 i[. Ferrety ic 
 
 » 14 100 
 
 Ordered 9thy,^;7.i756 
 to proceed to the weft- 
 ward under the com- 
 mand of Vice Admiral 
 Ofborne, 
 
 ^ Sec the former parts of this lift, in the feveral months 
 of September y O^ober^ November y and D.i.embcr. 
 
 ■••'-• A monthly 
 
t ^5] 
 
 A monthly lift of tJie Admiralty, givln?: an 
 aUlraa of the difpofition of the fhips. 
 ^c. m fca pay, for the month of Jam^ry 
 
 ^iift Indies^ 
 
 PImtatiofjs, 
 
 1 60 
 
 Mediterranean, 2 50 
 
 2 40 
 
 Cruifers and Convoys, 
 
 offBreJl 
 Downs 
 
 2 
 6 
 
 32 
 
 { 
 
 6 3 
 
 6 2 
 
 floop I 
 
 3 4 
 
 4 7 
 
 6 8 
 
 floopS2^ 
 
 Larm.v. 4 
 
 men. 
 
 975 
 
 660 
 
 140 
 90 
 
 1865 
 ■ 11 > » 
 
 500 
 
 3345 
 810 
 
 1260 
 
 640 
 
 1380 
 
 i 
 
 Ready 
 
"~-1^ 
 
 n 
 
 if 
 
 Its 3 
 
 
 [ 116 
 
 '] 
 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 rate. 
 
 (hips. 
 
 men* 
 
 
 
 fl 
 
 2 
 
 15^0 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 4890 
 
 Ready, or line 
 
 44 
 
 3 
 
 26 
 
 13920 
 
 Refitting under 50 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 19 
 
 7285 
 
 Fitting 
 
 " ^ 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 1030 
 
 Harbour fervice 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 1400 
 
 
 
 iloOpS 2 
 
 150 
 
 At home, 
 
 
 fire 
 
 ih.2 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 yatc 
 
 hs5 
 
 210 
 
 
 
 _hof.fh.3 
 79 
 
 lOI 
 
 
 30596 
 
 
 
 -I 
 
 2 
 
 I5IO 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 4S90 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 'J 
 33 
 
 ^7315 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 4 
 
 41 
 
 14570 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 3120 
 
 General abflrad, 
 
 ■ 
 
 6 
 
 29 
 
 4380 
 
 
 
 floops38 
 
 3080 
 
 
 
 arm. 
 
 v.4 
 
 320 
 
 
 
 fire fli.2 
 
 100 
 
 ' 
 
 
 yatchs 5 
 
 210 
 
 
 
 hof. 
 
 fli.3 
 
 lOI 
 
 176 49596 
 
 Tut month of February increafed our h'ght 
 into the armament at I'oulon. For, letters of 
 thQjfxiby arrived ' at the Amniralty from Mar- 
 
 ' On the 25th February, 
 
 I 
 
 fdlksy 
 
[ 117] 
 
 feilles, with advice that they were very hard at 
 work on the twelve fliips at Ttulon ; that eight 
 more were ordered to be fitted for fea j that 
 preparations were making to embark 25,000 
 men, with a train of artillery, and that it was, 
 according to the general report, defigned againft 
 Minorca, 
 
 Letters of the 13th, from the fame port ^ 
 confirmed this report, adding, that the fhips 
 were hove down, and that they were to convoy 
 forty battalions. Confal Birtles writes alfo 
 from Genoa^ that they wrought with fuch dif- 
 patch, that they would be ready to put to fea 
 by the middle of March in two fquadrons ''j one 
 for America 5 the other againft Minorca, Capl. 
 Edgecombe at Leghorn, affures their Lordfliips 
 that the French fleet at Toulon was then fitting 
 out in earneft, and that it was thought to be 
 intended to furprize Minorca, 
 
 The advices in Lord Holdernefs^ office cor- 
 roborated the preraifes. For, they wrote from 
 the Hague^, that 30,000 men were ordered to 
 embark on the coaft of Provence to make an 
 attempt upon Miiiorca : which this correfpondent 
 obferved was no very difficult undertaking : and 
 another writes that this report might be very 
 true confidering the peifon from whom it came. 
 
 's. 
 
 ' Rccqlvcd March 2d. 
 
 '^ Or a fham in order to divide the Englijh fleets, 
 
 ' tthrmry loth, received on the 14th. 
 
 I 1 
 
 Sir 
 
WW 
 
 h 5' 
 
 [ii8] 
 
 Sir Benjamin Keene, by letter to Mi. Fox^ 
 dated February 24th, hath this remarkable 
 fentence : — '* The uneafinefs I feel comes from 
 ** the approach of an intended attack on his 
 ** Majefty's dominions in the Mediterranean.-^ 
 " I mean tlie ifland of Minorca in particular : 
 *' being forced to this idea by repeated accounts 
 " of numbers of troops aflembled at Mar jet lies ^ 
 " and on the coails of the Mediterranean^ to be 
 " eafily tranfported in fmall ve/Tels under the 
 " convoy of twelve capital (hipi ready to fail 
 " from Toulon "." 
 
 This intelligence gained fo much credit, that 
 Mr. Villetfes, on the 2d of February, wrote from 
 Bern, that orders had been publifhed every 
 where by found of trumpet for failors to repair 
 to Toukny evcii upon the coafls of RoufJhn and 
 Languedoc, to mann the fliips ready , and that 
 they continued to work on the twelve fliips with 
 the fame adivity -, but that he believed they had 
 neither failors nor cannon enough to fit them 
 
 m 
 
 This gentleman on the 14th of the fame month wrote 
 to r'eneral l-inkeney, in tliis form: *' The great number 
 *' of troops afTembled in and about Marfe'dlei^ and coafts of 
 *' the Mediterranean, feem to me too ftrong indications of 
 *' the place they intend to attack. The facility, collection 
 *' of fmall vcfTels and tranfports, and the readinefs, which 
 *' great part of the Toulon fquadron is in to fail, to prote6t 
 *' and to co-operate v/ith them, whilft his Majefty's fqua- 
 " dron in that fea is fo much inferior, give me the ftrongeft 
 *' iipprehenjions, that they intend to furprize and attack 
 '* Minorca, 
 
 out. 
 
 II 
 
 w 
 
[ "9] 
 
 out. However, by his next letters of the 4th 
 of the fame month, he allowed that they either 
 by chance or connivance, got a great many 
 Genoefe failors. 
 
 He remarks that the thirty battalions, faid 
 to be marching into Prow;^^^ were 30,000 men, 
 and that 18,000 loads of corn had been pro- 
 vided for their fubfiftence. He complains that 
 the French court changed their opinions [he fhould 
 have faid gave their orders under fuch difguife'] 
 that it was impoffible to fix on any thing : but 
 that it then feemed to him that five Ji 'gates were 
 to fail by themfelves, to be followed after by 
 four {hips of the line, and that eight others 
 would fail afterwards. On the twenty- third he 
 confirms the march of troops for Provence : 
 mentions ninety carpenters arrived at Toulon 
 from Genoa ; orders to take up fourteen TFeJi- 
 India merchant (hips to be fent to the faid port. 
 •—Yet this gentleman was unwilling to apply 
 thefe preparations as intended againft Minorca, 
 He rather chofe to infinuate that they were 
 made to intimidate the neighbouring powers, in 
 order to facilitate an invafion or defcent on 
 Great Britain or Ireland. , 
 
 ■m 
 
 Consul Dick at Leghorn on the i6th of 
 February gives advice of fifty or fixty tranfports 
 taken up for the troops in Provence -, and con- 
 cludes that the motions of the Frejich threatened 
 feme dangerous enterprize, 
 
 I 4 Lord 
 
f 120 ] 
 
 
 
 
 
 iLt 
 
 w 
 
 i 
 
 Lord Brijiol at ^urin writes on the 2 1 ft of 
 February ", that repeated orders had been fent 
 to Toulon to haflen the workrpen : that five 
 frigates had been all ready fome time, but were 
 ordered not to fail till the twelve ftiips of the. 
 line fhould be thoroughly equipped -, that then 
 they had orders to fail together, with 35,000 
 men for Minorca : that it was the opinion of 
 moft intelligent people that they would be ready 
 to put to fea about the beginning of April -, but 
 that he could not believe they would all he 
 completely equipped by that time, becaufe he 
 had the fulleft alTurahces, from thofe who had 
 been on the fpot, that there was not cannon 
 fufficient to equip the twelve Ihips of the line 
 in the port of Toulon. However he allows that 
 there did begin to appear fome preparations for 
 fitting a great number of tranfports and a train 
 of artillery ; and that a great number of work- 
 men did daily pafs through Islce from Genoa 
 to Toulon °. 
 
 Consul Birtles at Genoa mentions the hiring 
 of Genoefe workmen, and that upon his re- 
 monftrance againft their entering into the fervice 
 of France^ care had JDcen taken to put a ilop to 
 
 * Received on the 8th of March. 
 
 « Sec his letters of the 21 ft of February ^ received Msrch 
 8th, and 28th of February, received March 15th. Conful 
 Birtles fixes the train at twenty four pieces of heavy cannon, 
 J 3,000 cannon balls, i^c, 
 
 i that 
 
[ 121 ] 
 
 that fd-ieme. He likewife writes that the arma- 
 ment of the fleet of five frigates and twelve fliips 
 of the line went on with great vigour, fo as to 
 be ready for fea by the middle of March : that 
 an embargo was laid on all veflels to carry the 
 projeds into execqtion : that every thing was 
 getting ready for the embarkation of the troops 
 and the traip j and that it was talked there would 
 be pj^rt of the embafkation difpatched to jime- 
 n'cay and the other againfl Minorca : which was 
 generally believed ; though he would not pretend 
 to affirm it pofitively. .^ ? 
 
 But what this wary gentleman wanted in 
 pofitivenejsy was amply fupplied by the intelli- 
 gence received from Captain Harvey of the 
 Phcenix at Mahon, who, in his letters ^ to the 
 Admiralty^ acquaints their Lordifhips that 25,000 
 French were quartered on the coatt of Provence ^ 
 that twelve men of war would be ready within 
 the month to fail from Toulon with Jive frigates, 
 and that k was publickly talked and believed in 
 France^ and other parts, that moji certainly an 
 embarkation was intended againft Mifiorca, 
 
 P Dated February yth, received March 6th. Next day, 
 the fame gentleman wrote to Lieutenant General Fowkcy 
 informing him with the fame defign againft Minorca j and 
 declaring his belief of it. He acquainted him that there 
 had been a council of war, and refolutions taken to prepare 
 for a defence : but adds, we can do nothing if you do not 
 fpcidily fend us fame beef. And further, that the garrifoji 
 iuas then in gnat dijlrefs^ 
 
 Consul 
 
'ir 
 
 ii= 
 
 
 
 [ 122 ] 
 
 Consul Banks at Carthagenn^ having firfl 
 advifed ^ that fix frigates had failed about the 
 latter end of laft month for the Levant j that 
 confiderable bodies of tioopc were in motion, 
 merchant men taken up, and other difpofitions 
 were making, which indicated an approaching 
 embarkation, or fome other great enterprize, 
 under convoy of all the King's fliips, to the 
 number of twenty-fix, fit to go to fea j he 
 concludes that a Trench report prevailed in Epain 
 that the aforefaid fquadron had put to fea with 
 tranfports having on beard 20,000 men, to be 
 landed on Minorca, 
 
 ■ General Blakejtey himfelf was fo convinced 
 of the truth of thefe concurring advices, that 
 on the loth of February, he wrote a letter ' to 
 Mr, Fox, in which he exprefi!es himfelf in thefe 
 tqrms : — " I can't be too early in acquainting 
 you. Sir, that by different informations from 
 France and Spain, there is great reafon to 
 " believe the. French intend very Shortly to make 
 " an attack upon this ifland. It is publickly 
 ** talked of at Marjcilles and Barcelona, and 
 " founded upon an order for 25,000 men to 
 " march immediately to the fea coaft of Pro- 
 " vence, — Large boats built at Toulon to contain 
 *' fixty men each, and one twenty- four pounder: 
 ** twelve fail of the line ahjblutely ready to put 
 " to fea in this month ; and five frigates ready 
 
 'i February 25th, received A'larch i^tb. Capt. Edgecomht 
 on the 27th, received Alarch 15th, confirms the fame. 
 ''Dated Minorca, Fibruary icth, received March 6th. 
 
 " vie- 
 
 c< 
 
 c< 
 
o 
 
 :e 
 
 in 
 
 ibt 
 
 [ 123 ] 
 
 *' vidnallcd, and faid to be under failing or- 
 *' ders." 
 
 €C 
 <C 
 (C 
 C( 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 <( 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 <c 
 
 <( 
 tfc 
 
 " In confequence I've called a council of war; 
 producjd the informations, which were con- 
 firmed by a letter to the fame purpofe, di- 
 rected to Captain Harvey of the PbamXy 
 prefent commiflion officer in this port. And 
 we were unanimoufly of opinion, that con- 
 fidering who thefe informations came from, 
 and the reports every where about, which 
 feemed to tally with them, this ifland ought, 
 with the greatefl fpeed, to be put in the bed 
 ftate of defence it can ; — and I am accord- 
 ingly applying myfelf to every meafure I think 
 for the fafety and defence of this place '. ^ ,, 
 
 * On the 6th of February he wrote to Mr. Dick, Conful 
 at Leghorn^ to furnifh him with looo barrels of beef with 
 the greateft difpatch, not being able to gain a fupply at 
 Gibraltar, Lieutenant General i^(jwi^ excufed himfelf in 
 this manner : " It is a fatisfaition to hear that Capt. Lloyd 
 ** of the Chejierfield, with provifions, was feen off Mahon, 
 " — Capt. Beard is taking in further fupplies j and will, 
 *' I hepe, be fliortly with you. — By two merchant fhips 
 *' from off the IJle of Wight, I hear, two fquadrons of our 
 *« fleet are ready, and expedl to fail on the firft or fecond 
 '* of this month, having been detained by contrary winds. 
 *' — And as the miniftry mujl be under fome apprehenjions 
 ^^ for you, I am perfuadcd one of thofe fquadrons is intended 
 " for your protecSlion and afliftance, and am in daily hopes 
 " of its appearing. — We have here in the naval fl:oresy?Af 
 *' months provifions for 4000 men, and I propofed fending 
 " about twenty tons in this veffel, but, on confulting with 
 *' Capt. Beard, he declined giving an order for it ; and as 
 " to our garrifon, provifions are unluckily too Jhort to fpare 
 *' any i unlefs youviieceffity were greater than hope it is." 
 
 Thus 
 
[ '24 J 
 
 r 
 it 
 
 II I 
 
 Thus you find that there was certain intelli- 
 eencc of the adlivity with wliich the French 
 had refumed the fitting out of their 'Toulon 
 fquadron : of a powerful army, a train of ar- 
 tillery, and of tranfports for their embarkation : 
 that they would be ready to put to fea about the 
 beginning of April at farthefl : that it was 
 generally believed to be defigned againft Minorca: 
 and that this was the opinion of all correfpon- 
 dents in France and Spain^ and of the com- 
 manders of our ihips and tranfports in the Me^ 
 diterranean» 
 
 However, the letters from the Hague feem 
 to have worked more efFed:ually on the Britijh 
 miniftry, and alnioft to have driven the Toulon 
 armament from their regard.— They were full 
 of the excellive preparations of all kinds making 
 on the coaft of the channel for an invafion : as 
 the marching of feveral regiments to "Normandy 
 and Brit any ', or order for forty battalions to 
 quarter on the coafts, and to (lore all the forti- 
 fied places with ammunition and provifions. 
 They further fajd, that the court of France had 
 in moft partf approved Bclleijle\ plan, which 
 was to affemble 100,000 men between Cher^ 
 bourg and Dunkirk^ in order to give equal uur 
 eafinefs to the fouth and nsxell parts of England^ 
 and oblige them to fcparate their forces j and to 
 order twelve fliips of the line, and twelve frigates 
 to be equipped at Brejl^ to facilitate an embark- 
 ation 
 

 [ 125 ] 
 
 ation of 600 fail of tranfports, each to carry 
 100 men, to be piloted by fmugglers of Kent, 
 SuJfeXy and Hampfiire^ to three different at- 
 tacks j two of which to be only feints, the real 
 one to be in the weft of England, and com- 
 manded by the Marfhal in perfon. Who an- 
 fwered all the objedtions made to this plan by 
 infifting, that it was feafible in a frefh fouth 
 eafterly wind, a dark night, a fog, or a ftark 
 calm : becaufc, in any ofthefe cajcs^ the Englijh 
 fleet could not come to prevent their pafTage, fo 
 that the fchemc was allowed to be praSiicahky 
 notwithftanding the formidable ^Qcioi Efigland\ 
 
 I N the fame office advices " were received 
 that fixteen frigates would be ready in a month 
 2X. Brejl for fervice: that 100,000 men were 
 marching down to the coafts of France, and 
 there were actually at Dunkirk one hundred and 
 forty veflels of different fizes, twenty belonging 
 to the Dutch not rigged, and four for privateers. 
 They alfo mentioned a great convoy of ammu- 
 nition and provifions fent to Calais, and other 
 preparations at Douay : that M. Belleijle was 
 
 * See Letters of the 6th and icth oi February, in Lord 
 Holdernefs's office from the Hague, one of which alfo re- 
 lated a proje6t for tranfporting of as many troops aspoffible 
 to America, and in order to facilitate the fame, to fit out 
 a great number of privateers, that by diftrefling the mer- 
 chants, they might occafion fuch a difperfion of the Britijh 
 navy, as might give the French men of war an opportunity 
 to proceed for America with greater fecurity. 
 
 " February ifl and 2d. 
 
 ex- 
 
i 126 ] 
 
 expelled at Dunkirk at the head of 1 3 5 bat- 
 talions difpofed between that and Bayonne, and 
 that an embarkation was talked of in a very 
 raging manner ; as ahb an army to marcli into 
 the Low Countries. And further, that orders 
 were arrived to fend all the Ihips to Brefl as 
 fitted, which was expeded to be done by the 
 fourth oi March j and that twelve fliips, belong- 
 ing to tlie Kajl India company, were taken up 
 for tranfports. 
 
 Other advices ^ to the faid office gave an 
 account of preparations for a vafl: projcdl: to 
 appear all at once : of bilanders prefTed at Lifle^ 
 to carry ammunition to Dunkirk^ &c. of which 
 three loaded with pallifadoes, were arrived at 
 Dunkirk : of a number of troops aflembling in 
 Lower Normandy, and of a battalion of the 
 royal artillery at Boukg?2e, and of another at 
 Havre, deftined for embarkation, befides a large 
 quantity of warlike ft ores filing off from Doway^ 
 &c. and of a report that there would be col- 
 lected in the ports of Britany and Normandy^ 
 about 600 flat- bottomed boats to be made ufe of 
 for a defcent -, and that the Pretender kept near 
 at hand, had been at Verfailles fome time, and 
 
 Ik Ml 
 
 M ■ 
 
 m I 
 
 "^ Of the 6th, 7th, 9th, 14th, 20th, 25th, and 27th of 
 February. Mr. Barnham alib on the loth informs Mr. 
 Amyand, that great warlike preparations were daily making, 
 and that a furprifing quantity of gunpowder had been 
 brought to Calais in thirty fiat- bottomed boats, and that 
 more was coming by way of their canals. 
 
 ex- 
 
 
[ 127 1 
 
 expcded to be joined by numbers at his land- 
 ing. 
 
 They alfo remarked that the train of artillery 
 was large, confined of mortars, bombs, and all 
 materials for forming a fiege j throwing up en- 
 trenchments, and fortifying a camp : that a 
 number of waggons had been provided : that 
 Havre and Bre/i were the porto to aflemble and 
 embark ; and that from fomc particular circum- 
 ftances it might be concluded, that the French 
 miniftry wns determined to execute Belleijle*s 
 plan, though they were certain to lofe all the 
 veflels fent and rifque their whole kingdom: 
 but that they hoped by their number of boats, 
 and fuperiority of fire from the heavy cannon 
 they were to carry, they might form a fafe 
 palTage, notvv^ithftanding they fhould meet with 
 the Englifi fleet \ 
 
 February 24th. The letters to the faid office 
 informed that the French were refolved to in- 
 vade, and even to facrifice half of their kingdom 
 to be revenged ; that the preparations of offence 
 and defence were immenfe, and the train of 
 artillery was prodigious : that they threatened, 
 in cafe they could land their whole force, to 
 m Tch diredly to Lo?idon : but that fome engi- 
 neers were of opinion, and the battering train, 
 and the Ihips ordered to affemble at Brejl and 
 
 "Advices in Lord Holdernefs\ office, Feb, yth, 1756. 
 
 i-'oulOTt 
 
ll 
 
 
 9 ''«i 
 
 [if :^l 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 [ 128] 
 
 ^ouldrt^ cohfirttled that it was intended fifft to 
 fccure Port/mouth ^ 
 
 Sir Benjamin Ktefie writes to Mr. /^* his 
 fentimcnts on this invafion in the fame letter by 
 which he informed him of the defign againlt 
 Minorca: " From the number of troops, fays 
 he, " afTcmbled on the French coafls, that are 
 ** ncarcft to his Majefty's dominions; the ex- 
 ** tenfive command and adtive inveterate fpirit 
 of Marfhal Belleijle : his difcourfcs, when a 
 prifoner, that with a regim.ent of Urcffim he 
 ** would undertake to march from one end of 
 ** England to the other ; and from the naval 
 *' preparations at Breji to co-operate with the 
 ** troops, It is evident that h is the refolution of 
 " the court of Verjailtes to attempt a defcent on 
 Great Britain, The expence is made. They 
 have not troops to cope with us at fea : and 
 the great and falutary meafures taken by his 
 ** Majefty by his preventive treaties, have left 
 ** no door open, nor even a poffibility of em- 
 ** ploying their formidable army on the Con- 
 ** tinent. This therefore is the only means left 
 " them for pouring forth their wrrtth againft us, 
 ** And what will they lofe but men ? whom 
 
 y Other letters of the 25th fay, no doubt the French 
 King is ferioujly rtfolved to invade England. Agreeable to 
 this advice the Admiralty the fame day was informed, that 
 a mafter of a veffel belonging to Rotterdam, who had left 
 Caen on the 20th, reported that troops were cantoned about 
 Cape BarJIeur, to be in readincfs to invade the Britijh 
 dominions. 
 
 " they 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 iC 
 
 
f 129 ] 
 
 •* they can well fpare, in cafe they (liould be 
 *' dilappointcd in their attempt." 
 
 Vet if wc attend to the following intelli- 
 gehce, it will be found that all thefc prepara- 
 tions were no other than feints, on the part of 
 France 'y and that Sir Benjamifi^s fpeculations 
 and terrors, about an invafion of Great Britain^ 
 were fufficient to weigh with the Britijh mini- 
 flry, fo as to confine their armaments entirely to 
 home fcrvice. For, the leaft attention to the 
 hatUre al all thefe intelligences, concerning an 
 invafion, will find that there was not near the 
 Jame certainty of a refolution to make a defcent 
 on Great Britain^ as there was on Minorca, 
 
 The advices of the 6th of February^ which 
 reported that fome imagined a defcent would 
 aiSiually take place, delivered it as the more 
 probable opinion, that the French only made a 
 fhew of a defcent to alarm, and to make England 
 more watchful of their own coalls, while they 
 t ran/ported troops to America. 
 
 The bugbear of three fquadrons fitting out 
 at Breji was known on the firft of February^ to 
 amount to no more than a fquadron under M. 
 Perrier to fail to St. Domingo , another under 
 M. Beaufremonty to guard the coafts j and the 
 third under M. Confans, to proted: their colonies. 
 Sf) that nothing could be feared from the naval 
 power of France in the channel *. 
 
 *In Lord Holderncf%\ office, February ift, 1756. 
 
 K Th£ 
 
L 130 ] 
 
 ir 
 
 The very pretence of employing 100,000 
 troops in an expedition of this K.ind, might have 
 convinced that it was not fcrlcus j fuch a nume- 
 rous army {landing in need of more vefTels and 
 ncceffaries than the i-^ingdom of France could 
 furnifii. But obferve wiiat they thought, who 
 tranfmitted the intelligence of thefe motions : — 
 " It is believed, fays one \ that their motion to 
 «' the fea coaft is nothing but an qff'cBed parade 
 <* of marches and counter-marches :" or, as an- 
 other *" of the fame date, " An army 10 fkreen 
 " their own coafls from a defcent, and to inti- 
 «f midate England" 
 
 On the 6th of February It was alTured, that 
 neither armament, nor embarkation was ordered. 
 Mr. Barnham liimfelf writes to Mr. Amyandy 
 on the 28th, that he had learned the fame day 
 from Calaisy that the troops ordered from the 
 interior parts of France to the fea coafts had 
 received counter-orders : and that every thing 
 for the prefcnt, feemed very quiet at Calais, 
 And the Lords of the Admiralty wvre informed 
 by letters of the 24th, that Capt. Whitwell of 
 the Roebuck, iiad looked into the port of Havre ^ 
 and alfo examined the crews of two SpaJiiJh 
 fnows from thence ; and that from what he 
 could lee and learn, there were neither troops 
 nor vcfL^iS of any fort collecfting in that port ; 
 
 ^ Fchruuvy ifl, in Lord Holdemefs^ oiBce. 
 ^ Ditto, and letters of the 14th ditto. 
 
 3 
 
 that 
 
 \\i 
 
 
rt • 
 
 [ 'S" ] 
 
 that all repo'-ts of fjch armaments were falfe, 
 and that, including two frigates on the ftocks 
 ready to be launched, and two others of 30 and 
 40 guns fent from Brefl a few days before to be 
 refitted, there were in that port no more than 
 fourteen or fixteen fail of (hipping. 
 
 Is it not, therefore, very extraordinary that 
 his Majefty was advlfed to fend a melTage to 
 the Houfc of Lords, on the 23d of this month, 
 lignifying, " That he had received repeated 
 " advices from different places and peifons, that 
 "ad fign had been formed by the French court 
 *' to make an hoflile invafion upon Great Bri- 
 " tain or Ireland; and that the great preparations 
 " of land forces, fhip;, artillery, and v/arlike 
 *' ftores, were then notoriouliy making in the 
 ** ports of France, oppolite to the Bri:ljh coafls, 
 " left little room to doubt of the reality of fuch 
 *' a defign : that he had not only augmented 
 " his forces by fea and land, to put his kingdoms 
 " into a pofture of defence j but that he had 
 '* ordered tranfports to bring over hither a body 
 " oiHeJJian troops, in order further to ftrengthen 
 ** himfelf." Without taking the leaft notice of 
 the advices concerning the hoflile invafion of 
 Minorca -, repeated with greater certainty, and 
 from perfons of greater credit than a Dutch 
 fkipper ; or of any meafures taken by his mi- 
 niftry for its defence. . • ' . 
 
 hat 
 
 K 
 
 Ir 
 
[ 132 ] 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 It is true there appears an order in the Waf 
 office^ dated the 3d of February ^ for all the 
 abfent officers from Minorca, except General 
 Hujke, to repair to their ports. But there was no 
 paflage provided for them till the fixth oi April, 
 when they failed with Admiral Byng. And not 
 a fhip fent to the Mediterranean^ as you will 
 fee by the following lifts '. 
 
 A LIST of all his Majefty's fhips or fquadrons 
 of fuch fhips as were equipped and made 
 ready for the fea within the mondi of 
 February 1756. 
 
 Jate. fhips names, guns. men. when made ready for fea. 
 il. %///, 8 10 70 3d February 1756. 
 £i. Swan, 10 14 100 5th, 
 {[.Happy, 8 70 70 5th. 
 £i. Ranger, 8 10 70 6th. 
 
 4 Hampfljire, 50 300 7th. 
 
 5 Roebuck, 44 220 7th. 
 
 6 Squirrel, "4 160 loth. 
 
 3 Intrepid, 64 480 nth. 
 
 4 Tork, Co 420 I ]th. 
 6 Winchelfea, 24 160 iith. 
 
 6 Sheernefs, 24 160 13th. • 
 
 {[. SaltaJJ:), 10 14 100 13th. 
 
 a.JVaJp, 8 10 70 14th. 
 
 fl. Peggy, 810 70 1 5th. 
 
 2 Rafnillies, 90 750 16th. 
 
 '■ See the former parts of thefe lifts In the months of 
 SepUmher, O£iobir, November, December, and 'January. 
 
 3 larible. 
 
oi" 
 
 rate, fliips names, guns. 
 
 3 Terriblcy 70 
 
 11. SwalloWy 14 14 
 
 3 Cambridge , 80 
 
 ih Hound, 10 14 
 
 3 Torbav, 74 
 
 3 Culloden, 74 
 
 3 Orford, 70 
 
 3 Revenge, 70 
 
 4 Roc he ft er, 50 
 
 3 Ipfwich, 70 
 
 4 Dunkirk, 60 
 
 5 Ludlow cap le,/^^ 
 {[, Bonnetta,io 14 
 
 4 ^;, 50 
 
 5 Ambufcade, 44 
 
 6 X/W, 24 
 
 [ ^33 ] 
 
 men. when made ready for fca. 
 
 615 19th February 1756. 
 
 100 20th. 
 650 2lft. 
 100 2lft. 
 700 25th, 
 600 25th, 
 520 25th, 
 480 25th. 
 350 25th. 
 480 26th, 
 420 26th. 
 250 26th. 
 
 80 27th. 
 350 28th, 
 250 28th. 
 160 29th, 
 
 A LIST of fuch fhips named in the foregoinf? 
 lift as were ordered to h^ formed into, or 
 lo reinforce ^mxzwXzx fquadrom within the 
 ?i)onth of February 1756. 
 
 tatc. f ;>:r names, guns. men. 
 
 dellinatlon. 
 
 3 Captain, 70 480 
 
 3 Edinburgh, 70 480 
 
 4 Medway, 60 420"^ 
 4 Newcajile, 50 350 
 
 "Ordered 17th 1756 to 
 accompany the Hamp- 
 yZ'/r^andoutwardbound 
 Eaji India fliips 100 
 leagues into the fea, 
 and then to return to 
 Spithead, 
 
 •K 3 2 SL 
 
■ft" 
 ■If 
 
 m 
 
 11 ff 
 
 [ 134 ] 
 
 rate, fhlps names, guns. men. •• 
 
 deftination. 
 
 2 jS*/. George^ 90 750 
 
 3 Monarchy 74 715 
 3 Orfordy yo 520 
 3 Cullodetiy 74 600 
 3 Norihumherland^ 70 520 
 3 Captain^ 
 
 3 Edinburgh^ 
 
 4 2or/^, 
 4 Dunkirk^ 
 4 Medivay^ 
 
 4 Neivcafik, 50 350 
 {[.Swan, 10 14 100 
 
 The Jdmiralty informed 
 that fix fail of French men 
 of war had failed from 5r£/?, 
 ordered Sir Edward Hawke 
 on the '27th of February to 
 put to fea immediately with 
 this lt|uadron ; but he was 
 detained till the 12th of 
 March by contrary winds : 
 , on which day he failed with 
 70 480 . the Kajl India fhips to con- 
 yo ^ /^O < voy 150 leagues wcftward 
 / ' ^ i.':U/})ant. He was then or- 
 ^ ' *red to return to Cape Or- 
 DO 4^*-* I ttigal, and cruife in the bay 
 60 420 to prevent Fr^«f/j (hips put- 
 ting to fea from Breji or 
 Rochfort, or to intercept the 
 forefaid French fquadron ; 
 which his inftrudlions di- 
 re<5led to be the principal 
 ^obje£i of his attention. 
 
 A monthly lijl of the Admiralty^ giving an 
 
 ^^ abftradt of the difpofition of the fhips, 
 
 fife, in fea pay, for the month of February 
 
 rate. fhips. men. 
 
 2 
 
 ,..-, J 
 
 ' ly/'-f/l'' 
 
 Eaft Indies i 
 
 I *.t .( ■ hi^'. 
 
 I •-. • • 
 
 975 
 660 
 
 140 
 
 90 
 
 1865 
 
 Pto- 
 

 [ i3i 
 
 ?] 
 
 
 
 
 rate. 
 
 flilps. 
 
 men. 
 
 
 r3 
 
 4 
 Plantations^ <^ 5 
 
 I 
 II 
 
 3 
 
 500 
 
 3760 
 
 810 
 
 
 \ • 
 
 6 
 
 1 1 
 
 1580 
 
 
 • 
 
 Jloopj 
 
 L2 
 
 640 
 
 
 ■ ■ ■ *• 
 
 
 11 
 
 7290 
 
 
 ' • I 60 f 
 Mediterranean^ 2 50 J 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 9bo 
 250 
 
 
 I 44 1 
 
 6 
 'floop 
 
 3 
 I 
 
 460 
 80 ■ 
 
 
 •> 
 
 
 8 
 
 1770 
 
 
 Convoys and Cruifers, 
 
 r 1 
 
 14 
 
 7^''S 
 
 
 Vice Adm. 7 ' n ^ 
 
 Vice Admiral 1 7 
 5*w/VZ?, Downs ) 1 3 
 
 4 « 
 
 5 4 
 
 6 9 
 
 floops23 
 ariii.v. 4 
 
 2700 
 1030 
 1420 
 1920 
 320 
 
 
 ..-. ''■■ 
 
 
 62 
 
 14605 
 
 l' 
 
 
 "i 
 
 2 
 
 1510 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 4890 
 
 
 At Home, 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 17 
 18 
 
 4 
 
 93<^5 
 1030 '^ 
 
 
 6 6 
 floops 4 
 firefh. 2 
 
 940 
 
 350 
 
 100 
 
 
 1 
 
 yachts 5 
 Lhor.fh.3 
 
 , 68 
 
 210 
 100 
 
 25266 
 
 
 « 
 
 K4 
 
 
 General 
 
 ■ ! [ 
 in 
 
r 136] 
 
 if 
 
 mr 
 
 ■ 
 
 rate. fhlps. 
 
 men. 
 
 ; 
 
 ^I 2 
 
 2 7 
 
 15 10 
 
 4890 
 
 
 3 34 
 
 180^5 
 
 
 4 42 
 
 14870 
 
 
 5 ^2 
 
 3120 
 
 General abflradt, •< 6 30 
 
 4540 
 
 
 floops38 
 
 3080 
 
 * 
 
 arm. v. 4 
 
 320 
 
 
 fire fli.2 
 
 100 
 
 
 yatqhs 5 
 
 210 
 
 
 ^hof.fli.3 
 
 lOI 
 
 
 179 
 
 50796 
 
 E m 
 
 The time of a(f]:ion drawing nigh, and no 
 preparations pf a fleet, nor army made by the 
 Englijh, to oppofe the grand enterprize i^hder- 
 taken at Toulon-, the Duke of RichelieUy at Lyons^ 
 on the road to take the command of the em- 
 barkation, openly declared its deftination was 
 again ft Minorca and to befiege Mahoji-, of which 
 M. Villettes did not fail to give advice ^ 
 
 This fame gentleman alfo, within the courfe 
 of this month, tranfmitted fuch other advices, 
 as might be fufficient to put the Marfhal's de- 
 claration out of all doubt. For his letters of 
 the firft relate, that the whole marine at Mar^ 
 Jellies was in motion: that befides the Weji India 
 (hips in laft month's account, twenty others, 
 
 ^ Dated Bern, March 1 3. 
 
 I burthen 
 
 «« ; i*'. 
 
[ ^7 1 
 
 burthen 2000 quintals, were taken up: that 
 the prcfs fox fe amen was very briik: that troops^ 
 artillery^ bombsy powdery &c, were continually 
 arriving in that neighbourhood : and that, as 
 they were carrying on an armament in the 
 neighbo, ring provinces of Spain, with greater 
 adivity, he did not doubt but the two courts had 
 Minorca and Gibraltar in view ^. 
 
 He particularly obferved that GallaJJioniere 
 was arrived to command the fleet : that [even 
 Ihips of the line and Jive frigates were actually 
 in the road': that they were (hipping 6000 
 bombs, 30,000 weight of bifcuit^: t\\2X twelve 
 fhips of the line and^-u^ frigates would be ready 
 to fail by the beginning of April " : that four 
 gal lies, four xebecks, and feven or eight other 
 vefTels, fit for fuch a fervice, were ordered to 
 attend the fleet, and to carry the aqimunition, 
 amongft which he numbers for the land fervice 
 2500 oxen, 6000 riations of hay, 6000 fafcines, 
 1000 barrels of gunpowder, 12 cannon of 36 
 
 " Concluding, ** In thefe circumftances, it will be very 
 ** difficult for the Englijh to prevent their being taken ; 
 " particularly Mahotiy * which is not ftrong on the land 
 " fide, and where they cannot fend an army capable of 
 *' preventing an invafioti." 
 
 ^ Before ihefirft of March, the date of his letter. 
 
 ^Letter ofyWarr^Sth. 
 
 ^ Letters of March 8th and 13th, viz. the Foudroyant, 
 peirced for 100, armed with 90 guns ; five of 74 guns, 
 three of 64 guns, and three of 50 guns ; frigates, one of 
 38 guns, one of 30, two of 24, and one of 20 guns. 
 Letter of J/«;y-6 24th*. 
 
 pounders. 
 
m 
 
 If. 
 
 U 
 
 if t 
 
 It V- 
 '- SI 
 
 'V, 
 
 iP 
 m 
 
 I 138 ] 
 
 pounder 2 ' of 24 pounders, 8 of 12 pounders ; 
 8 irorta rf j? inches; 6 of 8 inches, bcfides 
 petards, lUi es, &c. that there had ifTued a pro- 
 clamation for mafters of merchant fhips, cap- 
 tains, clerks, and cadets, to appear to ferve on 
 board the King's fliips; that cloth had been 
 bought at Marjeilles for 350 tents, and orders 
 ifTued for fixty tranfports : that on the twenty- 
 fecond they had adually got teti fhips of the line 
 in the road, and two more would be ready in a 
 week : that at Toulon a. furprizing number of 
 hands were employed, and every thing was put 
 in practice to haften the works, and to arm the 
 fleet, which did not require much time : that 
 on the 26th they had completed the loading of 
 fhe tranfports, and had taken up more : that 
 they ftripped the fea and the land and the iflands 
 of their artillery and ammunition, to arm the 
 fleet at Toulon: that all thefe fl:eps left no room 
 to doubt, but that an attack would be made on 
 Mahon ; and that M. Richelieu was to fet out 
 next morning from Mar/Lilies to Toulony and the 
 whole fleet and embarkation of 23 battalions of 
 foot, and one of artillery, would be in readinefs 
 to fail on the fifth of ulpYil, every thing iince 
 the Marflial's arrival, being pufhed on with the 
 greateft hurry \ 
 
 ^ Letters of the 8th, 13th, 22(1, 24th, 26th, and 29th. 
 
 This is the true ftate of the intelligence received by 
 M. Villettes from Marjeilles and Toulon : but in moft of 
 his letters, that conveyed thefe fa6is to his principals in 
 England he has endeavoured to put a quite different inten- 
 
 These 
 
 .* ^*> 
 
 
 iH. 
 
 •II ■ 
 
[ 139 ] 
 
 These fads were confirmed from every 
 quarter, in the mofl cfTcntial points. Lord 
 'Brijlol from I'lirin writes, [March 6th'') to Mr. 
 
 tion to all the French armament than thar appearances 
 could warrrj.t. 
 
 At one time {March ift) he thinks it not mpojfthle^ that 
 under the pretence of attacking Mahon^ the French were 
 making thefe great preparations to take pofl'clfion of Corfica^ 
 in order to be nearer Italy. At another {March 8th) he 
 adds, that notwithftanding all thcfe orders, and the feeming 
 preparations for tranfporting of troops, for their landing, 
 and for a fr j, they, who watch things clofcly are of 
 opinion^ that the whole is but Ti feint to oblige the Englijh 
 to fend troops and a ftrongfquadron into the Mediterranean, 
 and leave their own coalts expofed : Nay, fays he, 
 (March 1 2th) all this nolfy march of troops will end in a 
 camp to be formed this Summer in the neighbourhood of 
 Marfeilles. — Then he fliifts the fceneof a6tion from Corfica 
 to North America. — " The armament at Toulon (he thinks 
 •' on March I2th) feems rather intended for an expedition 
 *' to Canada than Minorca., if they can deceive the vigi- 
 *' lance of the Englijh in th?' M.diterranean^ or the ocean, 
 *' to fend a convoy thither, becaufe the twenty fhips taken 
 into the tranfport fervice, are all Malorje perfectly ac- 
 quainted with the feas of North jlmerica^ and ftronger 
 than thofe oi Provence^ which were rejccied." And not 
 able to invent any other dcftinatlon, this gentleman 
 returns to his former expedient of fliewing the imprac- 
 ticability of fitting out the fleet, &c. as reported. On 
 the 19th he writes, that they ftiJl were in great want of 
 cannon; were forced to employ joiners, not fit for the 
 work, inftead of carpenters ; and that they had not failors 
 to half mann their fleet, except fent out of the weji : and 
 that, after all, it appeared to him, tiie preparations were 
 carried on in a manner, one wouK! imagine, rather to 
 frighten than to hurt the Englijh : for that " he much 
 " doubted whether the fleet would (ail out of Totilon, or 
 f* not." March 19th, 24th, 2nd 26th. 
 ^ Received March 20th. 
 
 FOXy 
 
 C( 
 
 (( 
 
 <( 
 
I'li 
 
 i. 
 
 t 
 If 
 
 l>ji t'i; 
 
 «f 
 
 [ 140 ] 
 
 Fox, ** I have juft heard there arc e/evcfj fliipg 
 *^ on the point of failing out of Toulon, three 
 ** frigates of 24 guns, one of 30, one of 50, and 
 ^* fix (hips of the line, carrying 70 to 76 guns; 
 ** two other large fhips fitting out with great 
 ** expedition, but complement of failors on 
 ** board each very defedlive, notwithftanding 
 ** they have prefled fuperannuate men and young 
 " ufelefs boys. There are twenty-two battalions 
 ** of infantry, and two battalions of artillery, 
 ** quartered on the coaft of the Mediterranean ; 
 ** and the report of an invafion being intended 
 ** on the ifland of Minorca is very flrong ; of 
 ** which I have given notice to the commanding 
 ^* officer at Mahon" On the 13 th ' he men- 
 tions forty tranfport fhips hired for an embark- 
 ation, and an order for more to be taken up : 
 that 1000 failors and upwards had been fent 
 from Genoa for the fleet at ^fotdon, and that 
 Marfhal RtcbelieUy Duke de Mirepoix, and other 
 general officers were arrived in Provence, On 
 the 20th ■" he writes, that the French were fitting 
 out all the gallies and xebecks in the ports of 
 Provence-y were loading a large fhip with fafcines, 
 and that they were preparing every thing necef- 
 fary for carrying on a fiegc. And on the 27th " 
 his Lordfhip inclofed the following lift of the 
 fhips in Toulon, three of 74 guns, four of 64, 
 one frigate of 24, and of 20 in the road 5 thrc? 
 
 "I u 
 
 ' Received j^pn'i 26, 
 P Received Jpril 7th. 
 "Received JpriJ 13th, 
 
 of 
 
 /.*■ 
 
 Mi' 
 
of 
 
 [ •4< 1 
 
 of 30 giins Pdiled to convoy viduallcrs : in the 
 dock one of 80 guns, lower tier brafs, two of 64, 
 and one of 50, which three waited for cannon: 
 three of fifty guns, and one of 46, remained in 
 port, having no cannon at ail : one of 80 guns, 
 one of 40, one of 50, and one of 36 could not 
 be finiflied in a great while for want of timber 
 and artillery. 
 
 Consul Birfles from Genoa advifes on the 
 6th of March ", that fourteen large (hips of 300 
 tons, and encreafed '' a few days after to nineteen, 
 were freighted at Toti/wi for three months on 
 account of the governmcnt,which mounted from 
 20 to 24 guns each : that an embargo had been 
 laid on 160 fmall tartans: that the greateft pre- 
 parations were making at Marfeilles and Toulon^ 
 and coaft of Provau<' for an embarkation that 
 ever was known : that at T^oidon they worked 
 inceflantly on the large fliips, being fupplied 
 with (hipwrights and carpenters from Naples : 
 that five frigates of 24 to 50, and eight (hips 
 from 70 to 76 guns were got into the road, and 
 would be completely manned in a few days, 
 failors arriving daily from all parts : that twenty- 
 two battalions were cantoned near Toulon : that 
 25,000 of wheat were arrived from Lan^ 
 
 guedoc J and that they made no fecret of their 
 deiign, and publickly talked of making a defcent 
 on Minorca ''. He by the fame packet gave ad- 
 
 • Received March 2 2d. 
 
 P Letter of the loth. 
 
 ** Letters of March 6th and loth, received Jpril 2d. 
 
 vice 
 
I'; ' 
 
 
 [ '42 ] 
 vice alfo of the arrival of (iaUdf/ioniere^ and of a 
 report that part of this embarkation was dcligncd 
 for America 'y and concludes' his intclHgencc 
 in this month with an acccjunt, that they had 
 taken up more lliips for tranfports -, and that at 
 Toulon were three Ihips of 74 guns, four of 60 
 to 64, three frigates of 30, one of 24, and one 
 of 20 in the road to be joined in three or four 
 days by the Foudrcyant of 80 (which in otlier 
 lifts has been crroncoufly called a 90 or 100) 
 guns, two others of 64, and one of 50 getting 
 ready with great difpatch, only waiting for half 
 their guns : befidcs five others in total want of 
 cannon, four frigates and an 80 gun fliip on 
 the flocks, which will require time for want of 
 timber and artillery. 
 
 Consul i?j«y('j, 2X' Carthogena \vi Old Spain ^ 
 after mentioning 120,000 men in the fouthern 
 provinces of France ready to march, befidcs a 
 grand train of artillery, ftores, &c preparing for 
 the coafl: of the Mediterranean^ and that they 
 were bufy in building a particular fort of fiattifli 
 vefTcls to carry one guii of 26 pound-ball, and 
 companv of Ibldiers, beiides feamen ; adds that 
 he expedled the fleet would fail with the tranf- 
 ports from Toulon about the end of next month ; 
 that it was to be augmented by fix more fhips 
 of the line, and eighteen vefTels to be fitted out 
 as frigates, and that he that very day had feen a 
 letter from an officer of diftindtion at Paris, 
 
 
 Letter of Ald'ch 27t!i, received Jpril 13th. 
 
 wno 
 
 ;s.. uf 
 
 :> 3'' 
 
[ '43 ] 
 
 who (w'ld that great preparations in tiie fouthern 
 parts would continue with great vigour till the 
 middle of ylpri/^ when they would begin fuch 
 operations as would greatly lurprize all Europe*, 
 
 Consul Miliar at Barcelona^ by letters of 
 the fame date informed, that it was looked upon 
 in Spain as very certain that the defign of all 
 preparations making on the Mediterranean coalls 
 were againfl Minorca : that they continued to 
 work with vigour on their (hips at Toulon : that 
 twenty-two battalions were arrived in that neigh- 
 bourhood, and exped:ed to be augmented to 
 forty battalions : that forty fhips more had been 
 ordered for tranfports, fo that they had ow 
 *aken up above loovefTels: that they embarked 
 lafcines, gabions, and other neceffaries for a fiege ; * 
 and that, though only vi?2e capital fhips were yet 
 got ready to put to fea on account of the diffi- 
 culty to get feamen, he believed the other (hips 
 would be ready by the 1 5th of ApriL 
 
 Sir Benjamin Keene on the 2 2d of March ^^ 
 wrote to Mr. Fox^ that not with ftanding the 
 want of French failors, which had retarded the 
 embarkation, it was intended t® be put in exe- 
 cution the beginning of next month, twelve 
 capital fliips, and fix frigates, being already in 
 the road at Toulon: and that Mr. Millar had 
 
 » Letters dated 24th of March, I'eceived Jpr'il 29th. 
 ' Received y^pril yth, with a letter, from the Conful at 
 Barcelona^ inclofed, to the faaae effedl, 
 
 received 
 
m 
 
 [?' :; 
 
 '?• 
 
 
 9-' 
 
 I'M- 
 
 iv; . 
 
 
 
 If / 
 
 f- 
 
 [144] 
 received a letter from General Blakeney; witb 
 advice dated the 5th of March, that they were 
 ready to fail, and every thing prepared for an 
 embarication ; and again on the 24th, that the 
 Toulon fquadron was to be joined by eighteen 
 merchantmen capable of mounting upwards of 
 20 guns, and then fitting out at Toulon, 
 
 The certainty of this expedition had already 
 gained belief in Holland, tor, though the letter^ 
 of the 1 2th of March ", gave credit to the vague 
 report of the French miniilry's defign on Corjica : 
 they mention for certain, that afterwards they 
 would endeavour to make themfelves mafters 
 of Port Mahon. And on the 2 2d and 26th "^ 
 they confirm the embarkation from Toulon for 
 Minorca^ to be commanded by M. Richelieu, 
 
 Consul Dick at Leghorn y in his advices to 
 Mr. Fox on the 8th of March % informs that 
 the French were taking up 1 5,000 tons of fhip- 
 pingat Toulon for tranfports, and 100 tartans to 
 be ready on the 1 5th : that twenty-two battalions 
 were to embark, which fome people ^apprehended 
 were defigned againft Minorca, but that his in- 
 telligence faid for Corftca : that fix frigates and 
 fourteen (liips of war were ready to fail j and 
 that they expected fourteen large merchant- 
 fliips ^ from Marfeilles for carri,ige of bombs, 
 
 " Received on the .14th of March. 
 ., ■* Received Jpril 2d. 
 ^ Received 22d. 
 y Letter dated 15th Murch^ received Jpr'il 2d. 
 
 am- 
 
I '45 ] . 
 ammunition, &c. and looo oxen, &c. from 
 Aries: that the army was encreafed to tventy- 
 fivc battalions, 800 matrofles, one company of 
 miners, and a company of pioneers ready to 
 embark. 
 
 I SHALL conplude thcfe advices with the in- 
 telligence fent to the Lords of the Admiralty^ 
 which, in the courfe of this month, informed 
 their Lordfliips that mofi believed the embarka- 
 tion making at Toulon was intended againfl M;- 
 norca ' ; that eight more fliips were to be added : 
 and that the garrifon of Mahon expeded hourly 
 to be attacked '. They alfo had the following 
 lift of the ftate of the marine on the 21ft of 
 March ij^^ 2X Toulon, 
 
 Vaifieaux en mer, le Pamone 30 can. relache en 
 Rochfort Vaifteaux ^n armament, le Foudroy- 
 anty 80 can. le Couronne, 'Temeraire^ Redoubt^ 
 able^ Guerrier^ 74 can. le Content^ Triton^ 
 Sage^ Orphie^ 64 can. le T/Vr, Hippotomane^ 
 50 can. la Junon^ 40 can. !a Rofe^ 30 can. le 
 GracieuXy Nymph ^ TopaZy 24 can. Pleiade, 
 26 can. en tout 17 vaifTeaux le cfcadre de 
 M. de la Gallqffioniere, 
 
 Vaifleaux en etat, le TieSfor^ 74 can. Vallimf^ 
 Achilky Hercuk 64 caa. Orifiamme, 50 can. 
 en tout 5. 
 
 • Capt, Edgecomh^%\etxeToi March 7th, rec^ivedy/^r//5lh. 
 
 *Capt. Edgecombe*^ letter dated Mahmy March 24th 
 received April 27, he adds, that the g rtrtifon was as much 
 upon its guard and in as good conditio ii for defence as pof- 
 Cble, cmfidtring our fttuatioriy and weaknefi of the garrifon. 
 
 L VaiC 
 
I ft: ' 
 
 il 
 
 [ 146 ] ' 
 
 Vaiileaux hors de etat, le Ferme, 74 can, ai?j- 
 
 douber^ I'Ocean^ Centaure^ Souvermny 74 can. 
 
 V rOifeauXy Mhierve, 26 can. fur les chantiers: 
 
 le Protedleur, 74 can. Faiitafquey Modejie, 64 
 
 can. A mettre fur les chantiers, en tout 9. 
 
 By which accounts it appears that the French 
 had a formidable fleet in the pcJrt c-^ToulfMy and 
 that every tneafure was tried to put it iiito a 
 condition to flrike fome great blow in the Me- 
 diterranean. ; .. ;>. 
 
 V >i 
 
 p 
 
 14 A 
 
 'li:' '. 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 %W 
 
 s v;- 
 
 I A. 
 
 .Id'- 
 
 I-?* 
 
 The Inteliigence concerning the equipments 
 at Breji and Rochforty and the appearances of an 
 invajion^ amounts to no more than, at BreJi fix 
 {hips of the line were gone into the road : that 
 thefe were to be augmented to a fleet of twenty- 
 two (hips of the line and ten frigates, under the 
 command of M. ConJianSy fome of which to be 
 fitted to tranfport 6000 troops for Canada : that 
 M. Perrier had failed Feb, 1 9, with four fhips 
 of the line and three frigates, and a convoy of 
 T^x frigates for St. Domingo^ : that the equip- 
 ment at J5r^,^ went on brilkly, and nine fhips 
 would be foon ready at Rocb/ort to join Conjians : 
 that M. dAubigny^ failed from Breji with the 
 Trudent and t\yo frigates for the Wejl. Indies % 
 and that the f!ate of \}ci^ French marine at Breji 
 and Rochfort was exadt according to the follow- 
 ine lifls : ^*'?^.>»i -■ ••;* '■';^' 
 
 I. 
 
 r"* Letter in Lord Holdernefs''s office, March 7 th. 
 
 • .^^^etter in Lord Holdernefi'soS^QQ, March 22d. 
 
 
 Vaif-.- 
 
 y 
 
[ 147 I 
 
 VaifTeaux en mer, por! de Br e fly le Courageuxy 
 74 can. P rot hie, 64 can. Amphion, Aigle^ 50 
 
 • can. Fleur de Lis, 30 can. Emeralde, 28 can/ 
 conmmandes par M. Perrier Chef d'efcadre, 
 pour St. Dominique. La Comefe, Blonde^ 
 Bruney Amethyfte, 30 can. partis de Havre 
 aller a Br eft: La Ihetis, Cumber} and, 24 can» 
 a Nantz. \J Anemone^ 24. can. en Croifiere : 
 La Mutine, Galathee, Heroine , 24 can. en rade, 
 en toutc 16. .... 
 
 Vaifleaux en armament, Le Soleil Roy at y le 7(?- 
 , nanty 80 can. la Super be, 70 can. Defenfeur, 
 74 can. Bei72faifanty SphinXy 64 can. -^rc ^;? 
 „ C<?/7, 50 can. De I'efcadre de M. le Comte 
 DE CoNFLANS. Lc Heros, 74 can. lllufire 64, 
 Leopard 60, Sirene, Licome, Sauvage 30 can. 
 deftines au tranfports des munition pour 
 I'Amerique', h Concorde 30, Amaranthe 12 
 can. pour aller chautier M. le C^mte de 
 AiGULLON, en tout 15. 
 
 Vaiffeaux hors de etat, YLitrepide, Conquer anf, 
 ' Sceptre, Magnijiquey Algonque'r,y i^C2in. North- 
 umberlandy 68 can. a redoubler en total. La 
 Dragon, 64 can. Diademe, Zodiacque, Mino- 
 taur e, 74 can. Bclliqueux, Celebre, 64 can. fur 
 
 , les chantiers. Le P.oh*ifte, Solitaire, 64 can. 
 un a Nommer, 74 can. a metter fur les chan- 
 tiers au Havre pour Br eft, en tout 17. 
 
 VaifTeaux en mer, port de Rochfort, le Prudent, 
 74 can. Atlante, 34 can. Zephir, 30 can. a Isi 
 Martinique. Yj Aiguillon, 46' can. Fide lie et 
 
 L 2 
 
 J9i^ 
 
 rnnone* 
 
I if 
 
 1. 
 
 ¥•' 
 
 h 
 
 >5 I 
 
 [ h8 1 
 Hermlone 26 can. Frippone, 24 can. Vakur, 
 26 can. 2iVlJle Royahi en tout 8. 
 Vaifleaux en armament, le Due Bourbon, 80 can. 
 Dauphin et ^/^^ 70 can. Hardi 66 can. 
 Jnjiexibky Etoile, Caprideux, 64 can. Diane, 
 30 can. les 8 Vaifleaux deftine a r enforcer 
 M. Confanu 
 
 VaifTeaux hors d'etat, le Florijfant^ 74 can. en 
 radant Glorteux 74 can. Raifonable 64 can. 
 fur les chautiers : Frofiance^ ct Surprize, ^o 
 can. a contrain. 
 
 By which it appears, there was nothing to 
 fear from the naval power of France on the part 
 of the ocean or channel j and that, notwithftand- 
 ing the report of a powerful convoy to be fitted 
 out at Br^y^and Rochfort, to favour an invafion, 
 it could not be poflible that they, who believed 
 this ftate of the French marine to be true, could 
 think it neceflary to negledl every other fervice 
 of their country to wait the motions of fo de- 
 fpicable a gafcoynade. 
 
 Neither can I think that the following ad- 
 vices relating to an invafion of Great Britain 
 and Ireland, were deferving of greater attention. 
 For, though the Earl o{ Holdernefs was informed 
 by letters of the 2d of March, that it Vi2i%faid a 
 camp would be formed for 40,000 men between 
 Dunkirk and Boulogne-, and that thirty-two 
 tranfport (hips were taken up at Boulogne, and 
 fixty more were cxpedted in March to be c ^- 
 corted by the Blune and Blonde frigates from 
 < Havre: 
 
Id 
 a 
 
 n 
 p 
 d 
 
 » 
 
 r H9 ] 
 
 Havre*: though it was faid that 500 flat- 
 bottomed boats were to be tranfported from 
 Havre to Rouen , in twelve ihlps : and that a 
 confiderable train of artillery had paflfed Soiforis, 
 in the way to Havre, Calais, and Rochjbrt, 
 Though the whole nation was put into a panic 
 with an account ' that five flat-bottomed boats 
 of forty- five feet long and ten feet wide, wereo« 
 the /locks to conquer this ifland ! and that all the 
 fhips in the ports of Calais, Gravetine, and Dun- 
 kirk, had been meafured to know how many 
 people they could tranfport : though twelve by- 
 landers were arrived at Calais with cannon, 
 bombs, and balls, and numbers of feamen were 
 fent daily from thofe ports to Breji ' ; tho* it was 
 reported that the embarkation would be fupported 
 by all the King's fhips at Brejl, Rochfort, &c, 
 and that the faid embarkation would be under- 
 taken as foon as poflible, at Bre/l: though a 
 great quantity of bifcuit^ was fent down to 
 Normandy and Britany for the ufe of the tranf- 
 ports after landing in England-, and a plan had 
 been made for forming a camp almofl as flrong 
 as a fortified town : and though Mr, Barnham 
 was informed on the loth oi March, that 600 
 bomb-fhells were brought into Calais, and that 
 
 ^ See the lift of the marine at Breji^ and letter received 
 2d March. Alfo letter dated March 9th, Mr. Villettes mul- 
 tiplied this account to the number of 7 or 800 fla^ bottomed 
 vdlds. See advices y^ww^ry 31ft, received F^^rw^ry 24. 
 
 " Letter to ditto, March 7th. 
 
 ^ Letter to ditto, i^i^vnV; 8th. ' ' 
 
 8 March 22d. 
 
 L 3 fixty 
 

 
 I '5° ] 
 
 fixty cannoneers, and more troops were expeded ; 
 the miniftry were well affured ^ that notwith- 
 ftanding this mighty warlike preparation, he 
 could not learn that they were taking any ftep$ 
 to encreafe iht'w JJAppin^ at Calais^ which at that 
 time was very confiderable : that the pretended 
 flat-bottomed boats were only pontoons of a new 
 conftrudtion *, made eafy for ftowage in a (hip : 
 that the reports of the arrival of flat-bottomed 
 boats at Dunkirk and (^Mais ^txtfalfe '', there 
 being only forty-eight veflels of diflx;rent fizes 
 and nations in thofe ports : that part of the 
 troops afl!embling were defigned to embark for 
 Canada ' : that an expedition againft England 
 could not be near at hand, becaufe there mufl:be 
 time for the arrival of artillery "" : and that there 
 could be no trujl given to the French reports " : 
 that the bombs, ^c. arrived at Calais were laid 
 up** 5 the talk of an invafion diminiflied and dif- 
 couraged by the court ; and tl\at fince the requi- 
 fltion of the Heffians and Dutch^ and other wife 
 meafures taken by the Britijh court, perfons of 
 rank, who expeded to be employed in that expe- 
 dition, grew every day more uneafy, and doubtful 
 whether it would be attempted •* : that there were 
 on the jth o^ March no more iifhing boats at 
 
 ^ See Mr. Barnha:n^s\tit.evtQ Mr. Amycmd^ March loth, 
 jecelved Af<r/r£-Z> nth. 
 
 ' Letter to Lord Holdernefs^ March 7th. > ^ Ibid. 
 
 ^ Ibid. March 9th. "^ Ibid. March 14th and 15th. 
 « |Ud. March <8th. « Ibid. p Ibid. March ift. 
 
 Havn 
 
Havre than ufual, and no JJat-hotfomed-hoats^^ 
 with which the Englifi mini dry affedled to be 
 fo much frightened. 
 
 In this fituation what did the Britijh miniftry 
 do ? They had certain intelligence that there 
 was a real armament at Toulon of twelve men of 
 war of the line, five frigates, &c. ready to convoy 
 a powerful army, openly acknowledged by the 
 enemy to be defigned againfl: Minorca : and they 
 could not be ignorant of the diftrefs Mahon 
 was in for want of a fufficient garrifon, miners, 
 pioneers, &c, and the danger of its falling a prey 
 to fo powerful an attack, for want of a fuperior 
 fleet to cover the ifland from fuch an attempt ; 
 yet all this could only procure an order on thd 
 8th of March for ten (hips of the line to hold 
 themfelves in readinefs for the Mediterranean : 
 which fquadron was, on the i ith of the fame 
 month put under the command of Admiral JBv«^, 
 with an order for him to take on board the Earl 
 of 'Effingham^ General Stuart^ and other officers 
 and private men, ordered to their refpedtive pofts 
 and corps at Minorca and Gibraltar, But the 
 equipping of thofe ten (hips ' was attended with 
 
 ^ Capt. Saiimarez, of the Ludlow Caftle^ ofF Havre-t 
 received the 9th. He further faid, that he flood in as near 
 as poffible in a cutter, and faw eight fail, four of whic^ 
 were large fhips and ready for fea ; and was informed by ^ 
 liftierman he took on the coaft, that they were two frigates 
 of 26 guns ordered to convoy two others to Brc/i. 
 
 "■ The Ramillies of 90 guns, the Culloden of 74, the 
 Buckingham^ Captain^ and Revenge ^70 guns, the Trident 
 and Intrepid of 64, the Lancajler of 66, the Kingjion and 
 Defiance of 6c guns, 
 
 L 4 fuch 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
[ 152 ] 
 
 fuch diredions that their departure was delayed 
 till the fixth of April, for want of men * 3 Mr. 
 Byng being directed to haften the fitting up the 
 Sterling Cajlle, and to complete her complement 
 of men in preference to any other ihip; and not 
 to meddle with the men ou board the Naffhuy 
 Torbay, Eljrx\ Prince Frederick y and Greyhound, 
 tliey being wane d, fnys Mr. Cleveland, on the 
 mojt preljingjervice\ 
 
 How they In power managed in rec?;ard to the 
 motions ot the Fmich on the coaH: ol the ocean 
 and channel, tiiough they were allured they had 
 
 
 ^1. 
 
 I'm k-i 
 
 i 
 
 if 
 
 1 
 
 IP- 
 IS .).v 
 
 
 f 
 
 • As will more fully appear by thefe extracts from Ad- 
 miral Byng\ letters to Mr. Cleveland. 
 
 Jpril ill, ready for failing in every refpcft except want 
 *' of men ; will take 336 men, now the regiments are all 
 *' on board, to complete them. My own Ihip wants 222, 
 '* 183 of them being lent to the Ludloiu Cajilc. The 
 •' Trident had 78 lent to the Hampton Court., and Tilbury^ 
 " which fhips we are likely to meet with — will make a 
 " great hole in the Trident's company. Expciil hourly 
 *' Ludlow Cajile and Inirepide j when arrived hope we (hall 
 •' find men to complete. 
 
 '* Jpril 3d, Intrepid^ Ludlow Ca/lle, and Cambridge 
 " came but yefterday to Spithead. — Ordered men imme- 
 *' diately. — Hope to fettle to day to be able to fet fail to 
 <« St. Helen's. 
 
 ' " Jpril 4th. Wind W. — Difappointed to find the /n- 
 <* trepid fhort of complement, though brought out 261 
 *' firpernumaries, fhe wanted 150 to complete her own 
 •* complement." 
 
 ' * To cruife oW Cherburgh to try if they could not intercept 
 four frigates, and forty merchantmen drove in there from 
 Havre^ by the Windjor : which could not be fo prefling as 
 the relief of Minorca. " . i ' - 
 
 notnlng 
 
 :] 
 

 
 [ 153 ] 
 
 nothing to fear from their pretcnces,will be feeti 
 not only by their importation of a foreign army 
 of HeJJians and Hanoverians at a very great ex- 
 pence, and by a great augmentation of a ftanding 
 army, encamped in different parts of the king- 
 dom, but by the following lifts^ where you will 
 find, that our greatefl and almofl whole flrength 
 by fea was fo ftationed, as to ferve no other pur- 
 pofe than to watch the uncertain rumour of an 
 invafion of Britain^ with a few fifhing or flat- 
 bottomed boats, which upon a more ftridl en- 
 quiry were found to be pontoons. 
 
 A LIST of all his Majefly'syZ)/)>j ofwar^ or 
 jquadrom of fuch fhips as were equipped 
 and made ready for fea, within the month 
 oi March 1756. 
 
 rate, fliips names, guns. men. when made ready for fea. 
 
 fl. Swift, 
 
 3 Grafton^ 
 
 4 Defiance, 
 4 Kingjlon, 
 
 4 ^^g^^^ 
 6 Seajord, 
 
 8 
 
 10 70 \{k J^/'jrch 17 S^* 
 
 70 520 2d. 
 
 60 400 2d. 
 
 60 420 2d. 
 
 60 400 3d. ^ 
 
 24 160 3d. , . 
 
 fl. Granada, ro 14 100 3d. 
 armed vefTel Maryland Planter, 16 6 80 6th. 
 
 4 Sutherland, 50 350 8th. . , 
 
 3 Ejjh., 70 480 9th. ; 
 
 4 Weymouth, 60 420 loth, 
 
 5 Dover, . .^ 44 250 loth. , , 
 ^, Otter ^ 10 14 80 10th, 
 
 ikir^v. 
 
 fl. Ferrety 
 
 1 
 

 ;ii 
 
 m < 
 
 S' 
 
 rate, fhips names, guns. 
 
 11. Ferrety lo 14 
 n.F/jf, 8 12 
 
 fl. Savage, 8 10 
 n.^f>^, 8 10 
 
 3 P. Frederick^ 70 
 
 3 Sferlingcafileyjo 
 
 4 Anjon, 60 
 
 3 Invincible, 74 
 
 4 Harwich, 50 
 4 Antelope, 50 
 6 DealCaJile, 24 
 
 3 Trident, 64 
 
 4 Falmouth, 50 
 4 Affifiance, 50 
 11. 1%, 10 14 
 3 Lancajler, 66 
 6 Greyhound, 24 
 6 Gibraltar, 24 
 6 Unicorn, 24 
 6 Sheernefs, 24 
 
 1 154 ] 
 
 men. when made ready for 
 100 Ilth. 
 
 70 iith. 
 
 70 nth. 
 
 70 13th. 
 
 480 14th. 
 
 480 14th. 
 
 420 20th. 
 
 720 20th. 
 
 300 20th. 
 
 300 20th. 
 160 20th. 
 
 500 22d. 
 350 25th, 
 350 25th. 
 80 25th. 
 
 520 27th. 
 
 160 27th. 
 
 140 28th, 
 
 160 28th. 
 
 160 29th. 
 
 fea* 
 
 A LIST of fuch fhips named in the foregoing 
 lift as were ordered to be formed into, or 
 to reinforce particular fquadrons. 
 
 rate, fliips names. 
 
 3 Somerfet, 
 3 Vanguard, 
 
 3 Chichefter, 
 3 Ipfwich, 
 
 guns, men. 
 
 deflination. 
 
 70 C20 ^ Ordered 2d March 1756 
 ^ ^ s to be added to Sir Edward 
 
 70 520 {, Hawkers fquadron. 
 
 Ordered March 8th 1756 
 
 to be under the command of 
 
 Sir Edward Hawke, inftead 
 
 •of the Culloden and Captain, 
 
 4 Ante-- 
 
 70 520 
 70 480 
 
 li 
 
 

 [>ssl 
 
 rutc. (hips names, guns. men. dcflinatuMU 
 
 C Capt. Gayton of the Ante- 
 lope ordered Hth March 1756 
 to proceed oft' cape Barjictir^ 
 and cruUe. On the i8th 
 Windfor and Eagle to cruife 
 
 «( between 5<:/7/y and Ujhant^ 
 and the latter hetWQGnlfJhant 
 and the ^^ c/ Dafs \ and 
 4>r// I ft Zi'rt^/^ to Plymouth 
 for reinforcement goin» to 
 ^Sir Edward Hawke, 
 
 4 Antelope^ 
 4 Windfor^ 
 4 £^^/<?, 
 
 50 
 60 
 
 60 
 
 300 
 400 
 400 
 
 2 RamillieSy 
 
 3 Buckingham^ 
 3 Culloden^ 
 3 Captain, 
 3 Revenge, 
 3 Tridenty 
 3 Itancaftery 
 3 Intrepid, 
 3 Kingjlon, 
 3 Defiance, 
 
 90 
 
 70 
 
 74 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 64 
 66 
 
 750 
 
 535 
 600 
 
 480 
 
 480' 
 
 500 
 
 520 
 
 64 480 
 
 60 400 
 
 60 400, 
 
 > 
 
 Ordered March 8th 1756 
 to be fitted for the Mediter- 
 ranean, and on the nth of 
 the fame month to be under 
 the command of Vice Ad- 
 miral Byng. 
 
 4 -5^^> 54 
 
 6 Centaur, 24 
 
 land planter, J 
 il, Di [patch, I o 1 4 
 2 Cuttters 
 
 4 Falmouth^ 50 
 
 6 Greyhound, 24 
 
 il. Ferret, 10 14 
 2 Cptters, 
 
 350 
 160 
 
 So<! 
 100 
 
 u i. 
 
 1 8th March 1756, Capt. 
 Gayton of the Aatelope, then 
 cruifing of Barfieur, was 
 dircded to take thefe fhips 
 uncicr his command, and 
 cruire with them from Havre 
 to dc la Hairue, and follow 
 any orders Vice Admiral 
 t*^W//^fhouid fend hira. ,. 
 
 350 r Ordered i%th March 1756 
 I 60 ) *'*^ proceed to join the Eagle 
 
 *\ off the Ip ofBafs, and cruife 
 100 i^ith her between that ifle 
 
 vand UJI)ant. 
 
 3 T^orbay^ 
 
■ t, 
 
 • V 
 
 t 156 ] 
 
 rate, ftlps names, guns. men. dc/linatlon. 
 
 f Ordered 23d il/tfrr/^ 1756 
 to cruife off Cher burgh un<itt 
 
 3 Torhay^ 
 
 3 ^^^» 
 
 4 Antelope^ 
 
 6 Gibraltar^ 
 H.Firref, jo 
 
 70 700 
 
 Capt. Keppell't and on I'd 
 70 4bO ^^;-y/ two former were or- 
 50 3 OO*^ dercd to proceed to Plymouth 
 
 24 160 
 14 100 
 
 3 Grajton, 70 520 
 
 4 hottingham^ 60 400 .( 
 6 Nightingale y 24 140 
 
 to join the reinforcement 
 going to Sir Edwcrd Howke 
 under the command of Rear 
 Admiral Holbourne. 
 
 Capt. Holmes ordered 29th 
 March 1756 to proceed to 
 A/cr/A America with thefc 
 Ihips, jind take upon him 
 the command of the (hips 
 employed there. 
 
 The monthly lift of the Admiralty giving 
 
 .« an abftradt of the difpofition of the iliips, 
 
 t5c. in fea pay, for the month of March 
 
 1756, 
 
 rate, fhips. men- 
 
 Eaji Indies^ 
 
 975 
 660 
 
 140 
 
 90 
 
 Jamaica, { \ ^^^^^ 
 
 Platiiaiiom, 
 
 Leeward J/L^nds | ^Q^p 
 
 Nova Scotia, \\^ 
 
 6 
 
 1865 
 
 f3 I 
 
 4 12 
 
 500 
 3760 
 
 .5 3 
 
 <6 12 
 
 floops 9 
 
 810 
 
 1740 
 640 
 
 36 
 
 7450 
 
 To 
 
 * V 
 
m^ 
 
 [ ^57] 
 
 Convoys and Cruifers, 
 To Ltjhoft, 
 
 St. Helena, 
 
 B^e/i*s fq'iadron, 
 
 Sir Edward Hawke, 
 
 Off Breft, 
 
 Dowftsy Vice Admiral ) 
 
 Smith, S 
 
 Cork^ 
 At home. 
 
 At home. 
 
 I 60 
 46 above 50 
 12 under 
 
 General abftradl, 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 23 
 
 4 
 8 
 
 floops 6 
 
 firelh. 2 
 
 yachts5 
 
 Jiof.fh.g 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 2L 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 34 
 42 
 
 II 
 
 35 
 
 floop39 
 arm.v.4 
 firefh. 2 
 yachts 5 
 .hof.fli.g 
 
 men. 
 : 770 
 
 4415 
 3960 
 
 1720 
 
 1850 
 
 320 
 
 2450 
 4140 
 12145 
 5510 
 1030 
 1280 
 
 5»9 
 
 ? 
 
 100 
 210 
 
 lOI 
 
 2747^ 
 
 2450 
 
 4910 
 
 • X8035 
 
 14870 
 
 284a 
 
 5340 
 
 3170 
 
 320 
 
 , 1, 210 
 
 lOI 
 
 d.5234^' 
 The 
 
 
 
.,13 ■ 
 
 
 . The intelligence from the Hague, in y^r//, 
 jrfFed:ed much to difcountenance the reality of 
 the French defign againfl Minorca : - for, tho' 
 the writer was conflraincd by the general re- 
 port, to acknowledge that the French boafted 
 much of their refoludion to attack that iiland^ 
 he would perfuade, that this attack was not 
 near fq ready as they would have it believed j 
 er, tiMt thofe preparations at Toulon were calcu- 
 ktcd only to d-ivide the forces of England^ and 
 to get an opportunity to fend forces to Ame-' 
 riea*. 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 The advices in Ibrd Holdernefs's office of 
 the 2d of this month, confirm the dengn a- 
 gainft Minorca^ adding, by way of fpeculation, 
 that the French intended to take advanta'i'e of 
 the liege of Mahon, to facilitate their invafion of 
 Engla?td, Others of the 9th relate, that the 
 duke de PJchlietc publickly declared he was go- 
 ing, with twenty eight battalions and fourteen 
 Hiips to befiege Port Mabon, and thofe of the 
 aSth .brought an account of their defcent on 
 Minorca, 
 
 
 ' Si^ Benjamin Kee?2^ on the i3thvvriteSs that" 
 die French hoped' to take Minorca by a coup de 
 
 ^•Received Jprif lA\ alfo 13th, received 16th. Yet 
 Ifetto's from the kme place of the i6th advife, that they 
 <^qpsd£ted to put t<> ^ by the 10th : and thofe of the 27th, 
 ^St: t\ie Toulon fteet had met with a ftorm on the 13th, 
 aWd wiesithered it pretty well. 
 
 ' *•' ^i' main 
 
mmm 
 
 I M9 ] 
 
 matn^ before the arrival of Admiral Byng : and 
 *' that their iket confifting of three hundred fail 
 had put to fea on the loth. » 
 
 This u'as confirmed by lord Bri/ioly who 
 writes from Turi7i on the 24th of April, that 
 the French fleet fet fail on the tenth, drove back 
 on the ek'venthy out again on the twelfth, with. 
 orders in cafe of feparation, to lofe no time in 
 making Minorca j and that the marftial RichUeu 
 expedled to meet in three days with the whole 
 fleet, carrying twenty four battalions, and one 
 of artillery -, each battalion containing thirteen 
 Companies of forty men each 
 
 Consul Birtles mentions (April 3d and 15th) 
 that they had immenfe quantities of provifions 
 on board of thirty two large merchant {hips, 
 befides four thoufand (heep, and one thoufand 
 two hundi'ed live oxen, to be ufed in drawing 
 cannon, and then to be flaughtered : five thou- 
 fand new tents : furnaces for heating cannon 
 fhot ; one hundred horfes for officers j all ma- 
 terials for a fiege : bricks for ovens : and that a 
 Swedifi fhip faw the French fleet of feventeen> 
 fhips of war, and one hundred and thirty three 
 tranfports, only nine leagues from Minorca on 
 the feventeenth. That he was on board admi- 
 ral GallaJJioniere, and was informed that eighty 
 five tranfports were then mifljng''. 
 
 ^^ Letters from Genoa, Jpril 28th, received May 17th, • 
 * April 19th. '■ ' , 
 
 3 Lieu- 
 
[ i6o] 
 
 f 
 
 Lieutenant general Fowke, on the twenty 
 ninth and thirtieth, inclofed a lift of the fqua- 
 dron'^, and informs, that the Fre?ich landed at 
 Cieutadella, from eleven to fifteen thoufand 
 men, from about one hundred and fixty vefTels 
 on the eighteenth, and reached Mahon on 
 the 2oth. 
 
 Consul Miller 2X. Barcelona {^priliyth) re- 
 lates that the whole fleet confifted of three 
 hundred fail j that it put to fea on the loth^ 
 and that the garrifon of Mahon had marched 
 into Fort St. Philips with a Refolution to 
 defend it. 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 Mr. Villettes begins (^April 2d) his Advi- 
 ces in this Month, with an Account of the 
 embarkation } and allows, that if one may judge 
 by the appearances of the Expedition againft 
 Mahon^ it will not fail meeting with fuccefs; be- 
 caufe the garrifon was weak^ and h\itfew fhips 
 on that ftation: and alfo declares [April 7th) 
 that the general opinion was, that the 'Toulon 
 equipment was defigned againfl Mahon : yet he 
 
 y Viz. one of 80 guns, three of 70, five of 64, two of 50, 
 three of 30, and two of 24. Conful Banks made them 
 twelve men of war, five frigates, two xebecks, four gallies, 
 two galliots, four bombs, 233 veffels with fquare fails 
 carrying 18,000 land forces, and fifty larger veffels with 
 ftores and provifions : Conful Banks remarked that they 
 fiiipped a great deal of battering artillery, and 4000 barrels 
 of powder. 
 
 I aflfedls 
 
50» 
 lem 
 
 llies, 
 
 Ifails 
 
 rith 
 
 |:hey 
 rrels 
 
 ids 
 
 [ i6i ] 
 
 affcdts to dlfcover fome other Intention : firjl^ 
 that their defign was to provoke the Englijh to 
 fend a ftrong fquadron up the Mediterranean^ 
 in order to put it between two fires, that, at 
 Breji^ being upon the watch to follow it j or 
 to improve the opportunity by invading England^ 
 in its ablence. Secondly, he is very confident 
 that this expedition was againfl Italy, either with 
 an intention to fecure Corfica, or to take pof- 
 fefTion of Villa Franca, or Cagliari, to prevent 
 England's retiring thither, or to fall unexpededly 
 on Tiijcany, to engage a war on the continent. 
 But Mahon is certainly not the true object of the 
 prefent expedition — probably the fleet ma/ 
 fleer that way, and carry the appearance of an 
 invafion, but it will only be to cover better this 
 defign, and they will not ftay long. Thus, this 
 gentleman perfevered in deflroying by his chi- 
 merical glofles all the plain intelligence he re.- 
 ceived from time to time concerning Minorca 5 
 and fhewed that he was as obflinate in his un- 
 belief of the mofl certain tokens and declarations 
 againfl that iiland, as the Antediluvians were to 
 the voice of Noah, perfuading them to provide 
 againfl the judgments hanging over their heads; 
 and when there was no room left for conjec- 
 ture, he winds up all with an if. " If (fays 
 he) the Englijh are deceived in thinking 
 the projed againfl Mahon was but a feint ; 
 the old officers of the French troops did not 
 think other wife, and gave very good rcafons 
 for it. The event has fliewn that they were 
 
 M ** equally 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 fc 
 
 <c 
 
 <« 
 
M t 
 
 u 
 
 f' '■ 
 
 1^ 
 
 Li 
 ■A 
 
 .'4 
 m ; 
 
 
 M'o' !' 
 
 11 y 
 
 [ lC'2 ] 
 
 " equally mlAaken," A pretty excafc ! acknow- 
 ledges that all his conjcdurcs were wrong : but 
 comforts himfclf that he had err'd by giving cre- 
 dit to the deceitlul commc.its of the enemy's offi- 
 cers, in contempt of the moll glaring appearancef. 
 
 If we now turn our attention to the appear- 
 ances of an in'.afion of E>>p-!nJi(]. they will 
 vanilli, as in the former intelliscnces. The firft 
 advices of this fort in I^ord Holdernriss office, 
 mention an embarkation talked q>^ 2X Dunkirk ; 
 and thatfach fliips of war as were not appointed 
 to convoy the embarkation for Caiiada^ would 
 be employed to faciiitate an invafion : that 
 there were as many fljips in the port of Dun- 
 kirk^ Calais^ and Boulogne^ as might carry four 
 thoufand men ; and ten (l:iips in the road of the 
 JJle de Dieu : that cannon, &c. were fent to 
 Havre ; fifteen thoufand mufl<:ets to Dunkirk, 
 and feveral camps of ten thoufand men each, 
 would encamp on the coafls of the channel 
 in Mc:y, in fuch a manner, as to be able to join 
 in a few days ^: that it was believed there would 
 be a fericus attempt to land a great ?iumber of 
 troops in England ov Irela?id. And in the ad- 
 vices to the admiralty, we find the colled:or of 
 Wells tranfmitting ihe information of one ya7}2es 
 Gardner^ mafler of the Friends Adroenture from 
 'Rotterdam^ who faid, that on Sunday, April 
 1 1 th, ten leagues from land, he fell in with the 
 
 ^ See letters dated 2d, ytb, 13th, i6th, and igthofyZ/mV. 
 
 GlafcoWj 
 
[ l(>^ 
 
 :> 
 
 ] 
 
 tiie 
 
 Glafcow, o^GhifconVy Robert S/(/ry xn^ilQX^ \\\\:> 
 informed him that he left Havre on the 8th in- 
 ft:int, and that the French were at that time- 
 embarking troops, fome of whJch he ad;ually 
 fiiw going on board ; but did not fay what 
 number of tranfports were in that harbour. . - 
 
 But certainlyall this mufl amount to nothing, 
 when the very fame authorities aflured that 
 the Hiips in the ports of Dunkirk^ Sec. were, for 
 the chief part unrigged \ That there appeared 
 no difpofiticns for an invafion o^Englafici^: that 
 the French were in a moll terrible fituation ; 
 their finances difordered, councils divided, &c'', 
 and that after the refokuion of tranfporting 
 ten tnoufand ILmoverians^ they had judged an 
 invalion impradlicable. 
 
 FI o w E V E R, notliing more was done this 
 month tov/ards the defence of Mhmrce^ only 
 Admiral Byiig made ihift, after almoil: a wliole 
 month fpent in equipping his fquadron, to fail 
 with ten fliips of the hne, having OU' board one 
 regiment, loo recruits, and forty-two officers 
 belonging to the four regiments at Minorca \ A 
 delay, which cannot' be well accounted for, con- 
 
 ^ Letter in Lord Hoichrncfs\ office, ^^pril 2d. 
 
 ^ April 9th, ibid. 
 
 "= /jpril 7th, ib:d. i .•.,."' " 
 
 ^ Ap7'il 20th, ibid. ' ' " "* " • 
 
 '^ He was joined at G'lhruliV by two fnips of the line aiid 
 five frigates under Mr. Ec!gecc:::bc^ and 270 foldlcrs ironi 
 the garrlibn at Glbvaliar. 
 
 ;^'"^'- V - ■ ■ M 2 fiderin 
 
 or 
 
H7 ' 
 
 f'l' 
 
 !. . 
 
 
 tit r ', 
 
 fl: 
 
 k m. 
 
 m 
 
 fit 
 
 vfl! 1, 
 
 [ 164] 
 
 fidering the flate and condition of the fliips in the 
 feveral ports of thefe kingdoms at the time of 
 Admiral By rig's departure from St, Hcilcns. 
 
 420 351 
 
 fhips. fliips. men born, muftcred. 
 
 Deptford, 3128 fitting ") 
 
 2 24 I fit. upon ftocks > 9 
 . 6 arm. vef. Hoops yachts, J 
 
 Woolwichy I I fitting 
 4 I fitt 
 
 fl^;htting 
 
 4 688 448 
 
 Chatham, t i 
 
 Sheerfiefs, 2 i guard (hip 1 
 4 3 2 fit. I fitting I 
 
 6 3 fit' ing, fit.& refitting > i o 
 jfl. 2 I wants I fit 
 armed veflel i fiitins; 
 
 237 139 
 
 1515 1207 
 
 Dealy 
 
 5 2> 
 il. I J 
 
 fit 
 
 4 1133 loii 
 
 Port/mouth, i i 90 refitting] 
 
 2 2 90 fitting I 
 2 80] 
 
 3 I 8o}>fit >26 9050 7080 
 
 74 
 
 J 2 — 70 to 50 ^moftly fit. 
 5 — 44 to 20 jand fitted j 
 
 ')," 
 
 Plymouth, 
 
Plymouth, 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 2 
 2 
 I 
 
 fhlps. 
 
 70 
 60 
 
 [ 165 ] 
 
 fhips. men born, muftcrcd. 
 
 > 
 
 50 
 
 44J 
 
 fit, all 
 but one 
 under re- 
 pair 
 
 M3 3315 2766 
 
 2 24^61 all but one. 
 I 20 >floop wants 
 
 3 11. J cleaning 
 Of the Line 3 3 
 
 Total 67 16358 13002 
 
 A DELAY and weaknefs to which Admiral 
 Bymg attributed his inability to relieve Mahon : 
 and we may juftly complain forgiving xh^French 
 an opportunity to land, and to flrengthen them- 
 felves on the ifland of Minorca, while we had 
 fo ftrong a fleet in readinefs to fail, and kept 
 inadlive at home; except y^-u^" fhips of the line 
 ordered April i (t. under Admiral Holbourne to 
 join Sir Edward Hawke in the Bay. 
 
 In confequence of this meafure, from this 
 fatal hour, every packet and exprefs brought 
 fome advantages gained by the enemy, who had 
 no force to curb tht:ir operations. For, Com- 
 modore Edgecombe was glad to retire with fafety 
 to Gibraltar, and the garrifon of Fort St, Philip 
 did not exceed 2400 effedlive men ^ and about 
 100 of the train of artillery, when the fiege 
 
 *■ Thc^ men thrown in by Mr. Edgecombe made them 
 2600 eft*e6tive men in all. 
 
 M 2 com- 
 
'I' 
 
 : 1; ' 
 
 hi' 
 
 ? 
 
 fe 
 
 
 1* * 
 1^ ' 
 
 [ i66 ] 
 
 commenced. And tlic handle which Mr. Byjig 
 made of the wcabicfs of liis fqundron to cxcufc 
 his not attempting to raile the ilcgCj or to re- 
 hevc Fort St. Philips docs not require a repe- 
 tition in this plice, it being 'io fidly let forth in 
 his T/7^7/ai]d Di fence. 
 
 The French having got, by tliis means, pof- 
 i^^ion of all the open country and towns on 
 il//;;or<:-^, without the lofs of a man, Lord Brijhl 
 informed that the French were nvaking great 
 preparations for another embarkition at 'Toulon 
 -of eight battalions, with a great increafe of am- 
 munition and ftores, and alfo to augment GaU 
 laJjloniere\ fqudron with five men of war and 
 one frigate getting ready at Toulon^ where they 
 p'-efTed iiiilors of all nations. All v.'hich was 
 confirmed by Conful Biriles^ Coniul Dick^ and 
 Mr. Vilkttcs^ Vv-ho adds that tlie towns (in 
 Provence and Languedoc) had been (o (Iript of 
 their cannon, ^c. in order to fupport the expe- 
 dition an;ainfl: Minorca, iliiit 6 coo men fup- 
 ported by a fquadron of fifteen men of war 
 would be more than fiuTicient to take them ail 
 in eight dayi5, rivyithout coming to a fiege ; and 
 that this cxpc/Ji;tioa .would coft upwards of i 20 
 millions. ' -i^i.M 
 
 
 But all this did not fpirit up any further ar- 
 mament than hvQ fhios of the line with one 
 regiment, and i 00 of the train, moRiy miners 
 from Neivcaftle^ raifed for the purpofe, fcnt to 
 
 J reinforce 
 
t '6; ] 
 
 reinforce A', liniral By fig : which did not arrive 
 at Gibraltar, Iicforc his return from the inglo- 
 rious adion of tlic 20th oi i\'fa\\ and the lur- 
 render of Fort St. Philips, 
 
 Might not therefore the impartial reader 
 of tile foregoing intcnigence and accounts, in- 
 rtead of adherliv^ to tijc rcfoki lions recited at 
 the bcginiing of thii pamphlet, difcovcr, with 
 greater Certainty, 
 
 TiT/\T fo early as the 14th of -4^r// i 7 5 5, 
 ten lliips of the line were ordered to be equip- 
 ped at "Joidon^ and that from the 25th o{ Au- 
 giijl 17^5, they went on equipping a fleet 
 without iiitermifiion, till the feige of Minorca 
 was over, which fleet by undoubted advices to 
 the admiralty in September 1755, ^^^^id confiil- 
 of tvveh'e (hips of the line ready to put to fea 
 in two moijtfis, and {<:^\*t\\ more of the line 
 would be ready in the fpring, and none of the. 
 fubfequent accounts ever made the T^oidon fleet 
 lefs than twelve fliips of the line, but moO: of 
 the intelligence made them more againfl the 
 fpring. 
 
 I ■ 1 
 
 That {o early as the 27th o^ Aiiguft ly^^y 
 Conful Banks of Carthngena^ advifed Sir Iho' 
 mas Robif'ijon of the arrival of one hundred and 
 eighty battalions in RQujIillon defigned .againil, 
 Minorca^ which advice, added to all reports 
 and fufpicion;;, founded upcn a variety of cu'- 
 ■„ .: cum- 
 
 wmtk 
 
r i6s ] 
 
 cuinftances,wns confirmed by letters from C )nriil 
 Bi'rtles o^Gtfwa, dated tlie 17th and 26th of 
 ynniiary\ and reo'ived by iMr. Fox on the 4th 
 and 1 ith of Fehruan\ «ind by all the following 
 advices from all parts relative to the dcltination 
 of the armaments in tlie Ibuthern provinces of 
 France, 
 
 I 
 
 in 
 
 m 4 
 
 That notwlthflanding thefe advices after 
 hoflilities had commenced even in Europe-, 
 there being but four incompleat regiments and 
 one company of the artillery in Minorca^ forty 
 two officers of which were abfent ; there being 
 but two men q{ war of the line and five fri- 
 gates, under Mr. Edgecombe in the j. diter- 
 rciJieaUy and the garrifon fliort of provifions for 
 a fcige ; neither flores, ammuniton, provifions, 
 officers belonging to the garrifon, recruits, for 
 the four regiments ready raifcd, or miners, or 
 any additional troops were fcnt to the ifland, 
 nor our fquadron in the Meditcrraneaji aug- 
 mented, until Admiral Bw7 (ailed on the 6th 
 of April I 7^6, with no more fliips of the line, 
 than, by the moft early and autnentick intelli- 
 gence, the government were fure would fail 
 from ^ou'oiu even if Mr. E^dgecoTube's fquadron 
 joined Mr. Byng ; wliich was quite uncertain ; 
 and without any more troops tnan what be- 
 longed to the four regiments of the garrifon, 
 except one r-^giment, who were to ferve as ma- 
 rines in the fleet, and an order for a batallion to 
 be taken on board at Gibraltar, which could 
 - --- not 
 
[ i69 ] 
 
 not be undcrftood by a council of war there, 
 and was not obeyed. See Byng's Tryal and 
 Defence, 
 
 That Admiral OJhcrne with thirteen (hips 
 of the line and one frigate, who failed to con- 
 voy a fleet of merchantmen the '^oth oi January 
 and returned the i 6th oi February i 756, might 
 and ought to have gone to Minorca, confidering 
 the expos'd lituation it was in, and the for- 
 wardnefs of the enemy's preparations at lou^ 
 Jon, and that Great Britain^ in fparing thefe 
 Ihips, for this fervice, could not be inlultcd nor 
 injured by the fixteen iliipb then fitting out at 
 Bre/i or Rocbjort (part of whicii by the intelli- 
 gence the government had, could not be ready 
 till May) hecaufc, exclullve ot Mr. O/borne'% 
 fleet, there were ready to put to fea eight fhips 
 of the line, and twenty three frigates, and 
 thirty two of the line, and five frigates fitting, 
 and verv near readv ; nor fliould we in the 
 leall: degree have provoked an invafion, by 
 fending of this fleet to the Mediterrariean^ as 
 the enemy had not at that time made any prepa- 
 rations to execute fuch a fcheme j except march- 
 ing troops to the fta-coafl: ; and by all the in- 
 telligence, received to this time, the French 
 court had rejected every [>lan for that purpofe 
 as imprn(fticable, and mernt only to alarm and 
 difl:refs England^ by ordering troops to the fea- 
 coafts. ... ., . , 
 
 That 
 
[ 170 ] 
 
 L!_ 
 
 Pi 
 
 That before Admiml liaivke failrci for tlic 
 "Bay the 27th oi' February^ with fourteen Hiips 
 of the hue and une frigate, the government Iiad 
 advice that d'ylubigfiy failed the 30th of yamuiry 
 with one /hip of the hnc anci two frigates for 
 Martinicoy and that the fix men of war, they fent 
 H<aWv after, failed the 19th of February for 
 Domingo ; conlequcntly no profpccfl of Mr. 
 Hawker intercepting them by criiifnig in the 
 Bay fo long after their departure. And by the 
 departure of tiiole two fquadrons, there remained 
 but eleven (hips of the line at Bre/l and Rocbfort 
 in diflrefs for cannon, as Du Guays fquadron was 
 obliged to be laid up in order to furnilh the nine 
 fhips failed as above with part of the cannon they 
 wanted : the attention to which eleven fliips in 
 port, by thii' fleet of Mr. HawkcSy when by the 
 intelligence they could not be ready till Mny, 
 and Minorca was in the utmoll danger, is molt 
 abfurd ; efpecially as ihcy were not defigned to 
 cover an embarkation again ft Great Britaiti, but 
 by repeated accounts, received before Mr. Flawke 
 failed, were bound to Canada with 6coo troops: 
 intercepting of which was by no means an ob- 
 jedl of any confequence in comparifon with the 
 prefcrvation of Minorca, And if it had been, or 
 this fquadron was to have covered the landing 
 of troops in this kingdom, we had by this time 
 fo many (liips; belidcs Mr.Ha^iVkes fleet, ready j 
 that his whole fleet might have been fpared, 
 with fafety to his country for the fecurity of 
 ". ., r - Minorca, 
 
t '7' ] 
 
 Mimrca^ and another fufficieiit font xwioiht Bay 
 before the tk'ct for Canada vvoulJ have failed. 
 But liovv amazing is it, that notwitiiflanding this 
 fituation of affairs, inftcad of yet i'ending any 
 fiiccoiirs or protcdion to Minorca^ they, on the 
 8th of Tl/tf/r/', fend two lliips of the line and 
 three frigates off Cape Barjlcuf\ to intercept a 
 coadini.'; convoy only; on the i ith of March ^ 
 two of the line to the Wiji Iml'ics,^ and on the 
 I 9t!i two of the hne to 'North America^ wjiere 
 they were infuflicicnt either to protect or acquire 
 any material objed: : On the 23d o^ March two 
 of the line and three frigates off Cherbtirgh to 
 intercept the above coafting convoy alfo, and on 
 the firfl oi ylpril five of the line (chree of which 
 returned from watching the coafting convoy) 
 under Ilolboume to reinforce Ilawke in the Bay, 
 when he was already much too flrong for the 
 fleet bound to Canada, fome of them being only 
 armcs en jlutc, and not expedted out till May, 
 All of which (hips might have been added to 
 Mr. Byrig^ fqnadron without endangering Great 
 Britain, according to the government's own ap- 
 prehen lions of an invafion at that time.j for if 
 thefc fliips could be fparcd abroad for the above 
 fervices, they certainly might for Minorca : and 
 then Mr. Byng's fquadron would have been 20 
 of the line and fix frieates. But inftead of add- 
 ing the above flaips to Mr. Byngs Iquadron they 
 fent him with only ten of the line, and even 
 dcnyed him a frigate that he petitioned for to 
 repeat hisfignals, (fee his Letter to the Admiralty) 
 
 not- 
 
■■■■N 
 
 rami 
 
 tU 
 
 i?:' 
 
 [ 17- ] 
 
 hotwithftandlng there v; a in port then, exclufivc 
 of his fleet, leventeen of the hne and thirteen 
 frigates ready for Tea, and eleven of the Hne and 
 iiireteen frigates fitting: great part of which might 
 Olio have been fent with him. : for (here was no 
 aiinamcnt a*" that time at Bre/l or Rocl]fhrf, but 
 that ddigned for Ca?mda : nor was there any ne- 
 ceflity to keep one fourth of them at home to 
 oppofe a ?y armament in the Fre?7ch ports upon 
 the Channel 'y for there was not one man of war 
 in them, and by authentic accounts, no more 
 f'Jps or boats of all nations at Diinkhk^ Gra'-oc^ 
 Hne, Calais^ and Boii/o^?ie, than could poilibly 
 tranfport more than 6000 men, nor at Havre 
 and Dieppe do more than common 5 nor was 
 there at any one time during the alarm, of an 
 invafion, any more (Lipping, or any preparations 
 for an embarkafi on, except meafuring the veffels 
 to know how many men they would carry. 
 So that the danger of an, invalion cannot cxcufe 
 the long negledt of Minorca^ no: the fendiog of 
 fu infufficient a force at laft. 
 
 That it appears chat the fquadron of his 
 Majeil:y's fliips in the Mediterranean in the be- 
 ginning of December i 'j^z^ confifted of one fliip 
 of 60, two of 50 guns, four frigates and o:ie 
 floop and nq more, and that the garrifon of F^'V 
 St. Philip, in the faid moiith of December ac- 
 cording to the laft returns made on the 3jfl of 
 'Juh iJSS confified of 2860 men, officers in- 
 cluded, and no more, and that after thac time no 
 I ^ fliip 
 
 
T 
 
 [ 173 ] 
 
 iliip or fhlps of war whatever were Tent to re- 
 inforce the faid fquadron, nor any recruits, nor 
 reinforcements whatever to the faid garrifon till 
 the failing of the fquadron under Admiral Byngy 
 on the 6th of April 1756. That it appears that 
 a greater number of Iliips of war could have been 
 fent into the Mediterranean, than thofe fent on 
 the 6th of ^r/V 1756. 
 
 That on the 30th of March i 756, and 
 not before, orders were ' given for raifing a 
 company of miners, and on the 7th of May, in 
 a Jetr.r from Mr. Fox, being after the com- 
 mencement of the feige of fort .S*^. Philip's, di- 
 re'^ions were given for fending three more ba- 
 talions, for the reinforcement of that gar- 
 rifon. 
 
 That it appears that the repeated advices 
 received by the government, of the beginning, 
 progrefs, and defti nation of the fleet, equip- 
 ping at Toulon in the years 1755 and 1756, and 
 that the not fending an earlier and ftronger na- 
 val force to the Mediterranean than that which 
 failed under Admiral Byng (notwithfbnding as 
 above) were fome of the principal caufes of the 
 lofs of Minorca. 
 
 That it appears that the delaying to fend 
 any reinforcement of troops to the ifland of 
 Minorca, till the departure of Admiral Byng on 
 the 6th of April 1 756, the fu.ffering the ofli- 
 
 cers 
 
 
 ■^ 
 
T 
 
 T 
 
 I i?4 ] 
 
 cers bejonging tothe gamfon, to continue nb- 
 fcnt from thi'ir pDf]:s, and the not giving nny 
 orders for raifing miners fcr t!ie dcf^i-nce of 
 fori St, Philip, till the .30th of March 1756, 
 are fome of the principal caufes of the lois of 
 Minorca, .i 
 
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