and more than ever in amity with England. A numerous army in the British pay, fresh and ready to enter upon action in the fpring. The Dutch formidably armcd, and almost ready to join the Auftrian allies. While the Turks, immoveable against the feducements of France, continued their faith to the queen of Hungary, and thought of nothing but their own prefervation against the attempts of Perfia.

Such was the fituation of public affairs at the clofe of the year 1742; it was therefore with the highest fatisfaction, that every lover of mankind furveyed the alterations that had lately been produced in the ftate of Europe; and every Englishman might well express a more immediate and particular pleasure to obferve his country rifing again into it's former dignity, to fee his own nation shake off dependence, rouzing from inactivity, covering the ocean with her fleets, and awing the continent with her armies; bidding defiance once more to the rapacious invaders of neighbouring kingdoms, and the daring projectors of univerfal dominion; once more exerting her influence in foreign courts, and fummoning the monarchs of the west to another confederacy against the power of France, their universal enemy.

CHA P.

CHA P. II.

The refolution of his BRITANNIC majefty and the BRITISH parliament to fupport the queen of HUNGARY: oppofition thereto: the HANOVERIAN troops continued in BRITISH pay. His majefty clofes the feffion of parliament; and makes a grand military promotion, when the DUKE of CUMBERLAND is appointed a MAJOR-GENERAL. His majefty appoints a REGENCY, and embarks for HOLLAND, with his ROYAL HIGHNESS the DUKE; their arrival at HAN OVER; and the fituation of affairs upon the continent.

The ftate of the military forces of AUSTRIA and FRANCE for the campaign of 1743. The declaration of his PRUSSIAN majefty against foreign troops enter, ing GERMANY; and the refolution of the STATESGENERAL to affift the queen of HUNGARY with

.20,000 men,

WHE

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HEN the house of Bourbon was thus diminished of it's power, it's alliance rejected, and it's influence difregarded, the British parliament affembled, on Nov. 16, 1742, and his majefty went to the house of Peers, where he opened the fecond feffion, with a speech to both houses, importing, "That he had, in pursuance of the repeated advice of his parliament, taken fuch a part as appeared to him moft conducive to the fupport of the house of Auftria, and to the reftoring and fecuring the balance of power, by affembling the British, Hanoverian, and Heffian troops in Flanders, in order to form fuch a force, in conjunction with the Austrian troops, as might be of fervice to the common cause in all events; and he doubted not, but he fhould have the af fiftance of the parliament, in the fappert of thofe neceffary measures. That the magnanimity and firmness of the queen of Hungary, notwithstanding fo many nume

rous

rous armies fent again.ft her; the refolute conduct of the king of Sardinia, and his ftrict adherence to his engagements, though attacked in his own dominions; the ftop which had been put to the ambitious defigns of the court of Spain in Italy, to which the operations of his fleet * in the Mediterranean had fo vifibly contributed; the change of affairs in the North, which had appeared by the public requifition made by Sweden, of his good offices, for procuring a peace between Rufa and that crown; and the defenfive alliances agreed upon, not only between him and the Czarina, but alfo between him and the king of Pruffia, were events which could not have been expected, if Great Britain had not fhewn a seasonable spirit and vigor in the defence and affistance of it's ancient allies and in the maintenance of the liberties of Europe, as well as of it's own true and lafting intereft."

The next day, both houfes of parliament prefented very dutiful and loyal addrefies to his majefty; expreffing their approbation of the meafures he had taken for the fupport of the queen of Hungary, and the restoration of the balance of power t. But when the motions were

*Vice-admiral Matthews blocked up the conjunct fquadrons of France and Spain in the port of Toulon part of his fleet fooured the coaft of Catalonia, where they bombarded the towns of Mataro and Palamos: while commodore Martin compelled his Sicilian majeffy to fign a neutrality, and recal the Neapolitan troops from the Spanish army in Italy.

The lord's particularly reprefented to his majesty, "That the good effects which the vigor exerted, under his authority and influence, in affifting their ancient allies, and maintaining the liberties of Europe, had already had

upon the affairs of the queen of Hungary, upon the conduct of feveral powers, and the ftate of Eu rope in general, were visible to all the world. That it was with the utmoft fatisfaction they observed them, and relied on his majesty's known care and attention to the public welfare, to purfue and improve them and they could not but entertain well-grounded hopes, that fo great an example, and a fteady perfeverance in the fame measures, would infpire the like fpirit and refolution into other powers, equally engaged, by treaties and common intereft, to take the like part."-The commons represented,

made

made for thefe addreffes, they met with a vigorous oppofition. before they paffed in the affirmative; which was occafioned by the influence of the difgufted members, who had promoted another oppofition to the new ministry.

The amount of the national debt was 48,915,000 L and though it was fo confiderable, the grants met with little oppofition: they amounted to 5,912,000l. and the fupplies exceeded that fum by 650,000l. However, when the estimates for the 16,000 British troops in Flanders came to be confidered, the granting the supply for that fervice was vehemently opposed; and it was infifted, that those troops ought to be recalled home and disbanded; which must have been a very impolitic kep, and would have circumvented every hope of fupporting the queen of Hungary: but this oppofition was overruled, and 534,700l. were granted for the maintenance of thofe troops in Flanders, for the year 1743; as alío the fum of 647,800l. for the fupport of 23,600 men at home; and 206,2501. for the maintenance of 11,550 marines; befides, 2,08c,opol. for the fervice of 40,000 feamen.

"That as they thought the fupport of the house of Auftria, and fecuring the balance of power, were infeparable from the true intereft of the British monarchy; they defired, in the ftrongest manner, to exprefs their grateful fenfe of the early care taken by his majefty in forming fuch an army in the Low countries, as might be of fervice to thofe great and defireablé ends and as they were fatisfied, that a force fufficient for that purpofe, could not have been fo readily affembled, as by his majefty's fending a body of his elec

toral troops, together with the Heffians, to join the British and Auftrian forces in thofe parts; they were determined, chearfully and effectually, to fupport his majesty, in all fuch meafures: affuring his majefty, that they would, with the greatest alacrity and readiness, grant fuch fuppiies as fhould be tound neceffary for perfecting the great work, in which his majefty was engaged; for profecuting with vigor the juft and neceffary war with Spain, and for maintaining the honor and fecurity of his maiety and his kingdoms.”

When

When the members in the oppofition perceived their own debility to atchieve any thing by dint of strength, they began to try what they could effect by artifice. It was infinuated, that the first principles of the British policy, however long maintained, were erroneous in themfelves; and, that confidering the former immenfe expences of the nation, the little fruit that was reaped from them, and the probability of being ftill from time to time engaged in new quarrels, it was worthy inquiry, if it was not proper' to enter upon a new fyftem. That it was vifible the nation could never make any acquifitions upon the continent, to reimburse their expences; and that they had therefore, confumed themselves only for the benefit of other powers. That the British navy was a fufficient protection for them against the whole world: that the regular troops which thofe views obliged them to maintain, would prove the ruin of their liberties; and the vast taxes produce the ruin of their trade: fo that it was thrown out as a doubt, fit for the nation to comfider, whether it was not better to leave the rest of the world to fhift for itself, as well as it could; and for Britons to intrench within their own natural boundaries, take their chance, and defend themselves. This was a doctrine inconfiftent with all fenfe and reafon, and contrary to the universal principles of policy, by which the British nation had been governed from the conquest to that time. It was a doctrine of the greatest danger; because it is an invariable maxim, that whoever becomes mafter of the continent, muft in the end obtain the dominion of the fea.

The miniftry, towards the clofe of the laft feffion, ̧ had contracted for 16,000 Hanoverians, to be taken into