I.

"and advantageous trade with the Spaniards in PART "America." The fquadron being completely fitted out, and ready for failing, on the 1ft of·· August, the admiral delivered inftructions to the 1739. feveral captains, whereby they were required and directed, " Upon coming up with any Spanish "fhips or veffels, either by fignal for chafing "from the admiral, or otherwife, to ufe their "utmost endeavours to take, fink, burn, or "otherwise destroy them. And for the better "encouragement of the officers and feamen to "do their duty, the admiral ordered the cap"tains to affure them, that his Britannic ma

66

jesty would have a regard to the rewarding "their fervices in the diftribution of the prizes "to be taken from the Spaniards; and that as "there might be speedy occafion for the fqua"dron entering upon fervice, the captains were "ordered daily to exercife their men, both to

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great guns and fmall arms, fo as to give them "all the experience they were able, for ena

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bling them fuccefsfully to put his majesty's "orders in execution; and for that purpose they "were directed to give the strictest orders in "their respective watches, to be careful in mak"ing fail in due time, to keep the whole fqua"dron together, and not hazard the lofing

66

company, by their negligence." The next day the admiral, with the whole fquadron, failed from Portsmouth, and being at fea, on the 10th gave inftructions to the feveral captains, "That in "cafe of lofing company by chafing or any "other accident, they were to take notice, that "the place of general rendezvous was from ten "to fifteen leagues, N. N. W. from Cape Fi"nifter."

THE

CHAP.

THE admiral having reafon to think, that the Azogues fhips which were expected in old Spain, from the West Indies, might have receiv1739. ed directions to put in at the Coruna; on the

II.

15th dispatched Capt. Covil Mayne in the Lenox, together with the Elizabeth and Kent, under his direction," To cruize in fuch station of Cape "Finifter, as with regard to the wind he should

66

judge moft proper, for intercepting the faid "Azogues fhips in their return from the West "Indies to the Coruna or any other part of "Gallicia that the captain might meet with any "certain intelligence of their being intended for; "and for that purpose to continue there cruiz"ing for thirty days, after which in case they "fhould or fhould not meet with the Azogues

fhips, they were to return to Spithead or "Plymouth, and to wait there for further orders from the lords of the admiralty;" but these ships made their arrival from the Havanna, at St Andero the day Admiral Vernon failed from Plymouth. The fame day the admiral ordered Capt. Legge in the Pearl, "To proceed "and cruize between Lifbon and Oporto for the fpace of one month, for the protection of the British trade on that coaft; and then to "call in at Lifbon, where after a stay of ten days, "if neceffary, he was to convoy fuch trade as were ready to fail with him to the downs." THE fquadron was now reduced only to the five fhips defigned for the Weft Indies; and with thefe the admiral arrived at Madera on the 22d of Auguft, where having taken in the neceffary quantities of wine, and water, for the ufe of the fquadron, and also a store of wine for the hofpital in Jamaica, on the 29th the admiral delivered further inftructions to the several

captains,

captains, "That in cafe of feparation by very CHAP. "bad weather, or any other unavoidable ac"cident, they were to make the beft of their

..

II.

way to English Harbour on the island of An- 1739. "tigua; and waiting there three days for the

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admiral, or further orders from him, and

receiving none in that time, they were in "their way, to look for him at Old Harbour in "Monferrat, and at Back Stairs in the island of "St Christopher's; and neither meeting the "admiral, nor orders from him there, they "were to proceed directly to Port Royal in

Jemaica, and wait there for his further orders." The fame day the admiral dispatched a letter to Commodore Brown at Jamaica, directing him "To give out his orders immediately for hav"ing all his majesty's fhips at that ifland, put in "condition to proceed to fea with the admiral "as foon as poffible;" and the fame night the fquadron failed from Madera. On the 2d of September the admiral detached the Norwich for Barbadoes to deliver a packet from the duke of Newcastle to the prefident of that island; with orders" To use his beft diligence for procuring "the most experienced pilot he could meet "with there for the coaft of Caraccas, and to "endeavour to inform himself as particularly "as he could, from the agent of the fouth fea "company there, or others that might have "frequented it, what were the ufual times for "the fhips loading there, what were the ports "they frequented, what fortifications they had "for the fecurity of their refpective ports; and "in general to get the best intelligence he could "of all particulars relating to the course of the Spanish trade." VOL. I.

E

ON

PART ON the 20th of Auguft, his Catholic maI. jefty published a manifefto vindicating his con

duct in regard to the late convention; at the foot 1739 of which was annexed his majefty's reafons for

not paying the 95,000l. pursuant to the ftipulation, therein particularly charging the crown of Great Britain with contravening most of the articles in the convention: and letters of marque and reprizals were alfo granted to the Spaniards against the crown and fubjects of Great Britain.

ON the 23d of September, Admiral Haddock took the St Jofeph, a rich Spanish ship bound from the Caraccas, of 800 tons and 77 men; and on the 3d of October the fame admiral took another rich Caracca fhip of 280 tons; the value of the two prizes amounting to feveral thoufand pounds; and alfo took many other fhips of leffer value.

Now the British lyon rouzed from his apathy; the whole nation was fired with a spirit of refentment, well becoming the noble sentiments of a free, brave, generous and injured people; an univerfal abhorrence of the Spanish barbarity to their fellow fubjects, filled the breast of every honeft Englishman with indignation, and they loudly called for revenge.

His Britannic majefty, refolving to gratify the unanimous defire of his fubjects, on the 19th of October figned a declaration of war againft Spain; which on the 23d was proclaimed, to the inexpreffible fatisfaction, and amidst the loudeft acclamations of his fubjects, in which no prince ever did an act of greater popularity.

On the 15th of November the parliament affembled, when his majefty went to the house of peers, and opened the feffion with a moft gracious fpeech; importing, "That the present posture

"of

"of affairs, had obliged him to call them to- CHAP. "gether fooner than had been ufual of late II.

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years, to have their immediate advice and "affiftance at that critical and important con- 1739. juncture. That he had in all his proceedings "with the court of Spain, acted agreeably to "the fenfe of both houfes of parliament; and "therefore made no doubt but he fhould meet "with a ready and vigorous fupport in that just

and neceffary war, which the repeated inju

"ries and violences committed by that nation "upon the navigation and commerce of his "majefty's kingdoms, and their obstinacy and "notorious violation of the moft folemn en66 gagements, had rendered unavoidable. That " he had augmented his forces by fea and land,

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pursuant to the power given him by parlia66 ment; which he had done with all the mo"deration that the fecurity and defence of his "dominions, the protection of trade, and the "neceffary means of diftreffing and annoying "his enemies in the moft fenfible parts would "admit: but as these services would be various "and extensive, they must inevitably be at"tended with great expences and fome incon"veniencies; which he affured himself, would "be fuftained with fatisfaction and chearfulness, "in pursuing fuch measures as the honour and "intereft of his crown and kingdoms, and the "general refentment of an injured and pro"voked nation, had called upon him to under"take. And as in the profecution of the war 66 a number of foldiers to ferve on board the "fleet might be requifite, he had judged it proper that a body of marines fhould be raif56 ed, and had directed the estimates for that " purpose to be prepared and laid before the "house

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