affects to discover some other intention: first, that their design was to provoke the English to fend a strong squadron up the Mediterranean, in order to put it between two fires, that, at Breft, being upon the watch to follow it; or to improve the opportunity by invading England, in its abfence. Secondly, he is very confident that this expedition was against Italy, either with an intention to fecure Corfica, or to take poffeffion of Villa Franca, or Cagliari, to prevent England's retiring thither, or to fall unexpectedly on Tuscany, to engage a war on the continent. But Mahon is certainly not the true object of the prefent expedition-probably the fleet may fteer that way, and carry the appearance of an invasion, but it will only be to cover better this defign, and they will not ftay long. Thus, this gentleman perfevered in deftroying by his chimerical gloffes all the plain intelligence he received from time to time concerning Minorca and fhewed that he was as obftinate in his unbelief of the most certain tokens and declarations against that island, as the Antediluvians were to the voice of Noah, perfuading them to provide against the judgments hanging over their heads: and when there was no room left for conjecture, he winds up all with an IF. "If (fays "he) the English are deceived in thinking "the project against Mahon was but a feint; "the old officers of the French troops did not "think otherwise, and gave very good reasons "for it. The event has fhewn that they were M “equall "equally mistaken," A pretty excuse! acknowledges that all his conjectures were wrong: but comforts himself that he had err'd by giving credit to the deceitful comments of the enemy's officers, in contempt of the moft glaring appearances. If we now turn our attention to the appearances of an invafion of England, they will vanish, as in the former intelligences. The first advices of this fort in Lord Holderness's office, mention an embarkation talked of at Dunkirk; and that such ships of war as were not appointed to convoy the embarkation for Canada, would be employed to facilitate an invafion that there were as many fhips in the port of Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne, as might carry four thousand men; and ten fhips in the road of the Ile de Dieu: that cannon, &c. were fent to Havre; fifteen thousand mufkets to Dunkirk, and several camps of ten thousand men each, would encamp on the coafts of the channel in May, in fuch a manner, as to be able to join in a few days: that it was believed there would be a ferious attempt to land a great number of troops in England or Ireland. And in the advices to the admiralty, we find the collector of Wells tranfmitting the information of one James Gardner, mafter of the Friends Adventure from Rotterdam, who faid, that on Sunday, April 11th, ten leagues from land, he fell in with the * See letters dated 2d, 7th, 13th, 16th, and 19th of April, Glafcow, Glafcow, of Glafcow, Robert Story mafter, who informed him that he left Havre on the 8th inftant, and that the French were at that time embarking troops, fome of which he actually faw going on board; but did not fay what number of transports were in that harbour. BUT certainly all this must amount to nothing, when the very fame authorities affured that the ships in the ports of Dunkirk, &c. were, for the chief part unrigged. That there appeared no difpofitions for an invafion of England: that the French were in a moft terrible fituation ; their finances difordered, councils divided, &c. and that after the refolution of transporting ten thousand Hanoverians, they had judged an invafion impracticable. HOWEVER, nothing more was done this month towards the defence of Minorca, only Admiral Byng made shift, after almost a whole month spent in equipping his fquadron, to fail with ten fhips of the line, having on board one regiment, 100 recruits, and forty-two officers belonging to the four regiments at Minorca. A delay, which cannot be well accounted for, con * Letter in Lord Holderness's office, April 28. с April 9th, ibid. April 7th, ibid. April 20th, ibid. He was joined at Gibraltar by two fhips of the line and five frigates under Mr. Edgecombe, and 270 foldiers from the garrifon at Gibraltar. M 2 fidering t fidering the state and condition of the ships in the 2 24 1 fit. upon stocks Woolwich, II fitting 6 I 1. Sfitting Chatham, I I Sheerness, 2 1 guardship 1 4 3 2 fit. I fitting. 6 3 fitting, fit.& refitting 10 1515 1207 fl. 2 I wants I fit armed veffel fitting A DELAY and weakness to which Admiral Byng attributed his inability to relieve Mahon : and we may justly complain for giving the French an opportunity to land, and to ftrengthen themfelves on the island of Minorca, while we had fo ftrong a fleet in readiness to fail, and kept inactive at home; except five fhips of the line ordered April 1 ft. under Admiral Holbourne to join Sir Edward Hawke in the Bay. IN confequence of this measure, from this fatal hour, every packet and exprefs brought fome advantages gained by the enemy, who had no force to curb their operations.. For, Commodore Edgecombe was glad to retire with fafety to Gibraltar, and the garrifon of Fort St. Philip did not exceed 2400 effective men', and about 100 of the train of artillery, when the fiege The men thrown in by Mr. Edgecombe made them 2600 effective men in all. M 2 com |