10. Under what pretence did France assist Spain? 11. What was the feeling of the people at the approach of the war 12. What did admiral Vernon assert in the house of commons ? 13. Relate the success of this expedition. 14-17. Describe the proceedings of the squadron under commodore Anson from its sailing to the taking of Paita. SECTION III. But what are wreaths in battle won? Which man too oft mistaken pays To the vain idol shrine of false renown. - Anon. 1. (A.D. 1740.) Soon after, this small squadron advanced as far as Panama, situated on the isthmus of Darien, on the western side of the great American continent. The commodore now placed all his hopes in taking one of those valuable Spanish ships which trade from the Philippine islands to Mexico. Not above one or two at the most of these immensely rich ships went from one continent to the other in a year; they were, therefore, very large, in order to carry a sufficiency of treasure, and proportionably strong to defend it. 2. In hopes of meeting with one of these, the commodore, with his little fleet, traversed the Pacific Ocean; but the scurvy once more visiting his crew, several of his men died, and almost all were disabled. In this exigence, having brought all his men into one vessel, and set fire to another, he steered for the island of Tinian, which lies about halfway between the new world and the old. 3. In this charming abode he continued for some time, till his men recovered their health, and his ship was refitted for sailing. Thus refitted, he set forward for China, where he laid in proper stores for once more traversing back that immense ocean, in which he had before suffered such incredible dif ficulties. 4. Having accordingly taken some Dutch and Indian sailors on board, he again steered towards America, and at length, after various toils, discovered the Spanish gal leon he had so long and ardently expected. This vessel was built as well for the purpose of war as for merchandise. It mounted sixty guns and five hundred men, while the crew of the commodore did not amount to half that number. 5 However, the victory was on the side of the English, and they returned home with their prize, which was estimated at three hundred and thirteen thousand pounds ster. ling, while the different captures that had been made before amounted to as much more. Thus, after a voyage of three years, conducted with astonishing perseverance and intre pidity, the public sustained the loss of a noble fleet, but a few individuals became possessed of immense riches. 6. In the mean time the English conducted other operations against the enemy with amazing activity. When Anson set out, it was with a design of acting a subordinate part to a formidable armament designed for the coast of New Spain, consisting of twenty-nine ships of the line, and almost an equal number of frigates, furnished with all kinds of warlike stores, nearly fifteen thousand seamen, and as many land-forces. Never was a fleet more completely equipped, nor never had the nation more sanguine hopes of success. Lord Cathcart was appointed to command the land-forces; but he dying on the passage, the command devolved upon general Wentworth, whose abilities were supposed to be unequal to the trust reposed in him. 8. 7. When the forces were landed at Carthagena, they erected a battery, with which they made a breach in the principal fort, while Vernon, who commanded the fleet, sent a number of ships into the harbour to divide the fire of the enemy, and to co-operate with the army on shore. The breach being deemed practicable, a body of troops were commanded to storm; but the Spaniards deserted the forts, which, if possessed of courage, they might have defended with success. The troops, upon gaining this advantage, were advanced a good deal nearer the city; but there they met a much greater opposition than they had expected. 9. It was found, or at least asserted, that the fleet could not lie near enough to batter the town, and that nothing re mained but to attempt one of the forts by scaling. The leaders of the fleet and the army began mutually to accuse each other, each asserting the probability of what the other denied. At length, Wentworth, stimulated by the admiral's reproach, resolved to try the dangerous experiment, and ordered that fort St. Lazare should be attempted by scalade. 10. Nothing could be more unfortunate than this undertak ing; the forces marching up to the attack, the guides were slain, and they mistook their way. Instead of attempting the weakest part of the fort, they advanced to where it was the strongest, and where they were exposed to the fire of the town. Colonel Grant, who commanded the grenadiers, was killed in the beginning. 11. Soon after it was found that their scaling ladders were too short; the officers were perplexed for want of orders, and the troops stood ex posed to the whole fire of the enemy, without knowing hov to proceed. After bearing a dreadful fire for some hours with great intrepidity, they at length retreated, leaving six hundred men dead on the spot. 12. The terrors of the climate soon began to be more dreadful than those of war the rainy season came on with such violence, that it was impossible for the troops to continue encamped; and the mortality of the season now began to attack them in all its frightful varieties. To these calamities, sufficient to quell any enterprise, was added the dissension between the land and sea commanders, who blamed each other for every failure, and became frantic with mutual recrimination. They only, therefore, at last, could be brought to agree in one mortifying measure, which was to re-embark the troops, and withdraw them as quickly as possible from this scene of slaughter and contagion. 13. This fatal miscarriage, which tarnished the British glory, was no sooner known in England, than the kingdom was filled with murmurs and discontent. The loudest burst of indignation was directed at the minister; and they who once praised him for success he did not merit, condemned him now for a failure of which he was guiltless. 14. (A. D. 1741.) The minister, finding the indignation of the house of commons turned against him, tried every art to break that confederacy, which he knew he had not strength to oppose. The resentment of the people had been raised against him to an extravagant height; and their leaders taught them to expect very signal justice on their supposed oppressor. At length, finding his post untenable, he declared he would never sit more in that house; the next day the king adjourned both houses of parliament for a few days, and in the interim sir Robert Walpole was created earl of Orford, and resigned all his employments. 15. But the pleasure of his defeat was but of short duration; it soon appeared that those who declared most loudly for the liberty of the people, had adopted new measures with their new employments. The new converts were branded as betrayers of the interests of their country; but particularly the resentment of the people fell upon Pulteney earl of Bath, who had long declaimed against that very conduct he now seemed earnest to pursue. 16. He had been the idol of the people, and considered as one of the most iliustrious champions that had ever defended the cause of freedom: but allured, perhaps, with the hope of go verning in Walpole's place, he was contented to give up his popularity for ambition. The king, however, treated him with that neglect which he merited; he was laid aside for life, and continued a wretched survivor of all his former importance. Questions for Examination. 1-4. Relate briefly the further proceedings of the squadron under commo dore Anson till the capture of the rich Spanish galleon. 5. What was the result of this enterprise ? 6. What other operations were undertaken? 7-9 Describe the particulars of the siege of Carthagena 10, 11. What causes rendered it unsuccessful? 12. What was then the situation of the English troops? 13. What was the consequence of this miscarriage? 14. What was the minister's conduct? 15 Did the conduct of his successors render them favourites of the people } On whom particularly did the public resentment fall? 16. In what lignt had Pulteney formerly been considered by the people? SECTION IV. By turns each army gains the vantage ground, The cannons roar, and carnage spreads around. - Duncan. 2. (A. D. 1740.) THE emperor dying in the year 1740, the French began to think this a favourable opportunity for exerting their ambition once more. Regardless of treaties, particularly that called the Pragmatic sanction, by which the reversion of all the late emperor's dominions was settled upon his daughter, they caused the elector of Bavaria to be crowned emperor. Thus the queen of Hungary, daughter to Charles the Sixth, descended from an illustrious line of emperors, saw herself stripped of her inheritance. and left for a whole year deserted by all Europe, and without any hopes of succour: 2. She had scarcely closed her father's 's eyes, when she lost Silesia, by an irruption of the young king of Prussia, who seized the opportunity of her defenceless state to renew his ancient pretensions to that province, of which it must be owned his ancestors had been unjustly deprived. France, Saxony, and Bavaria attacked the rest of her dominions; England was the only ally that seemed willing to espouse her helpless condition. Sardinia and Holland soon after came to her assistance, and last of all Russia acceded to a union in her favour. 3. It may now be demanded what cause intermeddle in those continental schemes. Britain had to It can only bo answered, that the interests of Hanover, and the security of that electorate, depended upon nicely balancing the dif ferent interests of the empire; and the English ministry were willing to gratify the king. 4. Accordingly the king sent a body of English forces into the Netherlands, which he had augmented by sixteen thousand Hanoverians, to make a diversion upon the dominions of France, in the queen of Hungary's favour; and by the assistance of these the queen of Hungary soon began to turn the scale of victory on her side. 5. The French were driven out of Bohemia. Her general, prince Charles, at the head of a large army, invaded the dominions of Bavaria. Her rival, the nominal emperor, was obliged to fly before her; and being abandoned by his allies, and stripped of even his hereditary dominions, retired to Frankfort, where he lived in obscurity. 6. (A.D. 1743.) The French, in order to prevent the junction of the Austrian and British forces, assembled an army of sixty thousand men on the river Mayne under the command of marshal Noailles, who posted his troops upon the east side of that river. The British forces, to the number of forty thousand, pushed forward on the other side into a country where they found themselves entirely destitute of provisions, the French having cut off all means of their being supplied. 7. The king of England arrived at the camp while his army was in this deplorable situation; wherefore he resolved to penetrate forward to join twelve thousand Hanoverians and Hessians, who had reached Hanau. With this view he decamped; but before his army had reached three leagues, he found the enemy had enclosed him on every side, near a village called Dettingen. 8. Nothing now presented themselves but the most mortifying prospects. If he fought the enemy, it must be at the greatest disadvantage; if he continued inactive, there was a certainty of being starved; and a retreat for all was impossible. The impetuosity of the French troops saved his whole army. They passed a defile, which they should have been contented to guard: and, under the command of the duke of Grammont, their horse charged the English foot with great fury. They were received with intrepidity and resolution; so that they were obliged to give way, and repass the Mayne with precipitation, with the loss of five thousand men 9. Meanwhile the French went on with vigour on every side. They projected an invasion of England; and Charles, |