A Museum for Young Gentlemen and Ladies Part 3

At the meeting of the Parliament, the reasonableness of engaging in a war upon the Continent was taken into consideration, and admitted. Liberal supplies were granted, to enable the army, now collected in the King's Hanoverian dominions, to act with vigour, in conjunction with the King of Prussia. Supplies were also granted to his Prussian Majesty.

A spirit of enterprise now seemed to animate all ranks of people. A body of British forces was sent into Germany, under the command of the Duke of Marlborough, to a.s.sist Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick and the Hanoverians; and who afterwards behaved with great bravery.

The English fleet in the mean time invaded France, and burnt the French shipping at St. Malo's. It then moved towards Cherburgh, but was obliged by the weather to return home.

On the 1st of August, 1758, the fleet under Commodore Howe, with the transports, again set sail for Cherburgh. They landed with little opposition from the French, and entered the town. Immense sums had been there laid out upon the fortifications, and the harbour was one of the strongest in Europe. The work of all this labour and expence [sic] was now totally destroyed by the English, who found more difficulty in demolishing than in conquering the place. All the ships in the harbour were burnt, and a contribution raised upon the town.

On the 16th of August, the British fleet and army having remained in France unmolested for ten days, set sail for Cherburgh, and carried off all the bra.s.s cannon and mortars taken there.

The English troops landed again in the Bay of St. Lunar, in the neighbourhood of St. Malo, but found it impracticable to make any impression upon the place. While the troops were ash.o.r.e the Commodore found himself obliged, from the danger of the coast, to move up to the Bay of St. Cas, about three leagues to the westward; while the army marched over land to the same place, where they all embarked, except the last division, consisting of the grenadiers of the army, and the first regiment of guards. These were attacked by the Duke d'Aiguillon, Governor of Brittany, at the head of twelve battalions, and six squadrons of regulars, besides two regiments of militia, against whom, though they made a most gallant resistance, about six hundred of them were killed, and four hundred taken prisoners, not being able to reach the boats.

The English had already made themselves masters of Senegal and Goree, in Africa; and though they had now lost Minorca, yet they remained victorious in the Mediterranean, and continued to ruin the French marine.

Towards the end of the year, a squadron of nine ships of the line, with sixty transports, containing six regiments of foot, was fitting out for the conquest of Martinico. But tho' a conquest of that island was judged, after a slight attempt, to be impracticable, they achieved the more important reduction of Guadaloupe.

On the 28th of July, the Hereditary Prince was detached with six thousand men to cut off the enemy's communication with Paderborn.

And on the 29th, Prince Ferdinand advanced from his camp on the Weser, leaving a body of troops under w.a.n.genheim, on the borders of that river.

The next day was fought the battle of Minden, as glorious to the English, as those of Cressy and Agincourt had been to their ancestors. The centre of the French was entirely composed of horse, who attacked six English regiments, supported by two battalions of Hanoverian guards. These sustained the whole shock of the battle, and, to the amazement of the German General himself, obtained a compleat victory. The French lost seven thousand men, and the English twelve hundred.

The French were greatly disappointed in their views by sea this year. Thurot, a marine freebooter, with three ships and a considerable body of land forces, landed in Ireland, and alarmed the people of Carrickfergus. Putting to sea again, he was met by three British frigates, of a force inferior to his own, and after a severe encounter he was killed, and his ships led in triumph by the English commanders to the Isle of Man.

A grand fleet was intended to invade England, under Marshal Conflans and the Duke d'Aiguillon; but this fleet was ruined by Admiral Hawke on the 20th of November.

In the year 1760, Lord George Sackville was tried by a court-martial for his conduct in the battle of Minden, and declared incapable of serving his Majesty for the future in any military capacity whatever; he was however afterwards raised to the highest civil employments, being secretary of state to George III. and having a considerable share in those unfortunate councils, which severed for ever thirteen provinces from the crown of England. On the 5th of May, Lawrence Shirley, Earl Ferrers, was hanged at Tyburn for the murder of Mr. Johnson, his steward. On the 25th of October, between seven and eight o'clock in the morning, died King George II. in the 77th year of his age, and the 34th of his reign. He had risen at his usual hour, called his page, drunk his chocolate, and inquired about the wind, as if anxious for the arrival of foreign mails; soon after which he fell speechless on the ground, and being laid on his bed, expired in a few minutes.

GEORGE III. grandson of George II. and eldest son of the late Frederick Prince of Wales, succeeded to the throne, and was proclaimed King on the day after the death of his grand father. He was married on the 8th of September, 1761, to his Queen, Charlotte, Princess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, and they were solemnly crowned together on the 22d of the same month.

The war was still carried on betwixt France and England, in Germany, when Augsburgh was pitched upon by both parties as a proper place to negociate [sic] a peace in; and, with respect to the disputes in America, Mr. Bussey was named by the French Court to repair to London, as Mr. Stanley was by the English to treat at Paris.

The former of these offers a memorial to the British minister, importing that the King of Spain apprehended a new war, unless the British court would make satisfaction to Spain for ships taken under Spanish colours; permit the claim of Spain to a share in the Newfoundland fishery; and destroy the English fortifications in the bay of Honduras. This put an end to the negociation.

The French and Spanish courts now entered into a Family Compact, in which the two Sicilies were included; the most extraordinary treaty which this age can produce; it being a consolidation of the rights and interests of the two crowns and their subjects in all respects, but those relating to the Spanish American commerce.

Mr. Pitt, the British minster, gained intelligence of the family compact, and made strong remonstrances at the council-board for an immediate declaration of war against Spain, which were not relished. On this Mr. Pitt resigned.

The flota arrived in the bay of Cadiz, and the Spaniards resolved on a war with England.

January 2, 1762, his Britannic Majesty's proclamation of war against Spain was published in London. And the King of Spain proclaimed war against England on the 16th of the same month.

The French and Spaniards insisted upon the King of Portugal's taking part in the war against England. He declined the invitation, and vindicated his alliance with England.

The Spanish army marched towards the frontiers of Portugal, and all commerce between the two kingdoms was prohibited. And war was declared by the King of Spain against that kingdom on the 15th of June.

Many English officers repaired to the a.s.sistance of the King of Portugal, and were followed by large supplies of troops, artillery, arms, provisions, and money.

A small army of English and Portuguese take the field. Count La Lippe is sent over to command them. Brigadier Burgoyne surprizes [sic] Valenca d'Alcantara in Spain, and destroys one of their best regiments there. A sejeant [sic] and six men only engage a Spanish subaltern with twenty-five dragoons, unbroken, kill six of their men, and bring in the rest prisoners, with every horse of the party. Soon after Brigadier Burgoyne and Colonel Lee surprize the Spanish camp at Villa Vehla; and the Spaniards are obliged to leave Portugal, and to make winter quarters in their own country.

On the 12th of August, his Royal Highness George Augustus-Frederick, Prince of Wales, was born.

The English take Martinico and Granada from the French, and the city of Havannah, in the island of Cuba, from the Spaniards. This induces both powers to think of peace, for which a negociation was set on foot; and the negociators on all sides having adjusted the points in dispute between Great Britain and Portugal on the one side, and France and Spain on the other, a definitive treaty was signed at Paris on the 10th of Feb. 1763; by which peace was once more restored to Europe.

By this glorious war, England acquired the large and extensive province of Canada, East and West Florida, in America, together with several large and valuable islands in the West Indies; among which is the island of Granada, one of the most extensive and important colonies belonging to the empire. This island, which produces pine-apples, oranges, citrons, and all the most delicious tropical fruits, is beautifully interspersed with an infinite variety of rivers, which, with the warmth and salubrity of the climate, render it the most pleasing situation between the tropics; it is the residence of a number of rich planters and merchants, who have acquired large fortunes therein, and live in the greatest splendour and hospitality. It is not improperly called the Princess of the isles of the Western world.

From the year 1763 to 1774, England felt all the blessings of peace; agriculture and commerce were improved and extended; the polite arts, such as painting and sculpture, were patronized by his Majesty, and a royal academy inst.i.tuted for the purpose, in the year 1768. We might call this the Augustine age; and Great-Britain promised to its posterity universal empire. But the colonies of North America revolted from their allegiance to Great-Britain in the year 1775, and formed a congress, under the t.i.tle _The Congress of the Thirteen United Provinces_, which a.s.sumed all the powers of government; in the following year it declared the States of America independent of the crown and parliament of Great-Britain. The government of France a.s.sisted them against the forces of this nation both by sea and land; and Spain also declared war against this country, as a diversion to its arms in favour of America. Holland also became a party in the cause, to humble a nation which had arrived to such a pitch of greatness; and the general struggle at last terminated in the peace of 1783, in which the government of Great-Britain acknowledged the Americans to be independent; in consequence, the provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia only remain to us, of all our immense possessions on the continent of America.

This country, in the year 1787, began to arm in favour of the Prince Stadtholder of the Seven United Provinces, who had been driven from his palace by a French party; but that business was terminated by their submission to the Duke of Brunswick, who entered Holland, and restored the former government. The Spaniards dispossessing our settlers at Nootka Sound, in 1790, was made the pretext for equipping a formidable armament; and though the difference with the Spaniards was speedily settled by negociation [sic], the jealousy entertained of the French Anarchists occasioned our Government to keep the country in armed preparation; till the indignation universally excited by the decapitation of the unfortunate French King, and the invasion of Holland by the armies of the French Republic, caused us to enter into that war, whose wide-extended fluence has deluged the continent of Europe with blood, tumbled the papal throne in ruins, dethroned the Kings of Naples and Sardinia, the former of whom is however yet struggling for his rights, annihilated the ancient Republics of Venice, Genoa, &c. &c.

extinguished the authority of the House of Orange in Holland, endangered the very existence of the House of Austria and the Germanic Empire, and by the invasion of the Egypt and Syria, has even alarmed the Sultan of the Turks for the safety of his capital, whilst the hardy bands of Russia have been called forth into action both to defend her former inveterate foes, and to wrest the cla.s.sic ground of Italy from the gripe [sic] of the modern Vandals, the French! Yet amid all this carnage, the horrors of the war, if we except the enormous expenditure attending it, have scarcely been felt in this country; two attempts of invasion by the enemy have been frustrated; the captured fleets of France, Spain, and Holland, have been triumphantly brought into our harbours; our own Colonies and distant settlements have been secured, many of the most important of those of the enemy have been taken; and the India Company has established its power, by the complete conquest of the kingdom of Mysore, Tippoo Sultaun having fallen in defending hispalace at Seringapatam. But it is a remarkable feature in this war, that after so sanguinary a contest for seven years, Peace appears, at the close of the year 1799, more distant than it did at its commencement.

THE HISTORY OF THE _PRESENT STATE OF ENGLAND._

_Its Situation._

SOUTH-BRITAIN, that is, properly speaking, ENGLAND and WALES, is situate in the Atlantic Ocean, between two degrees east, and six degrees odd minutes western longitude, and between 49 degrees 55 minutes, and 55 degrees 55 minutes north lat.i.tude; and being of a triangular figure, is bounded by Scotland on the north; the German sea, which separates it from Germany and the Netherlands, on the east; by the English Channel, which divides it from France, on the south; and by St. George's Channel, which separates it from Ireland, on the west. It is 525 statute miles in length on its west side, 345 on its east side, and 340 on its south side, nearly in straight lines; and about 100 only across the north.

_Its Air_.] Is much warmer here than in the Netherlands and Germany, tho' under the same parallel; and, unless in the fens and marshy grounds, it is for the most part very healthy.

There are very few mountains; the highest hills, however, are in Wales, and in the west and north of England. The rest of the country consists of moderate hills and vallies [sic], woodlands, pasture and meadow grounds; extensive corn fields, and plains which feed numberless flocks of sheep, horses, and other cattle. Though the largest oxen, horses, and sheep, are to be met with in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire; yet the finest breed of horses for running and hunting are produced in Yorkshire. And besides there are a great number of royal forests, chaces, and parks, which afford plenty of deer and other game.

_Its Soil_.] Is either clay, or gravel, or sand; the clays produce excellent wheat and beans; the gravel and sand, rye, barley, peas, and oats; and of late years the light lands have been improved, and rendered as valuable as the clays, by sowing them with turnips, clover, saintfoin, &c. but more particularly in wet years; a wet season, however, by no means agrees with the clay. In such years, for the most part, there is a great scarcity of wheat; but then, to compensate for that deficiency, there is a plenty of pasture and other grain.

_Its Trees_.] The timber that grows in England is oak, ash, elm, beech, and hornbeam. The walnut-tree is particularly used in cabinets, and other curiosities of the like nature. But besides these, there are a great number of other trees, which, though they do not fall, indeed, under the denomination of timber, serve for shade, ornament, and inferior uses.

In Kent there are extensive orchards, the trees whereof produce abundance of cherries. In Devonshire and Herefordshire likewise are vast quant.i.ties of apple-trees, the produce whereof makes far better cider than any other county whatever can boast of.

_Its Plantations_.] In Kent, as well as Worcestershire, Surrey, &c. are large plantations of hops; and in divers other counties, of flax and hemp.

In Ess.e.x and Cambridgeshire are large plantations of saffron; and in Bedfordshire there are large fields of woad or wad, for the use of dyers.

_Its Rivers_.] Its princ.i.p.al rivers are, 1. The Thames, 2. The Medway. 3. The Trent. And, 4. The Severn.

The Thames, on which the two cities of London and Oxford stand, runs generally from west to east. This river is navigable for ships as high as London, which is one of the largest ports in the world.

The Medway unites with the Thames near its mouth, and receives the largest men of war as high as Chatham; where, if we except our own a.r.s.enals at Portsmouth and Plymouth, are the finest docks, yards, and magazines of naval stores, in Europe.

The Trent runs from the south-west to the north-east across England, and divides it into north and south. When united with other streams near its mouth, it is called the Humber, which discharges itself into the German ocean.

The Severn rises from North Wales, and, running for the most part south, falls into the Irish sea. On this river stand the two cities of Worcester and Gloucester.

_Its Contents_.] In England and Wales there are 52 counties, 2 archbishoprics, 24 bishoprics, 2 universities, 29 cities, upwards of 800 towns, and near 10,000 parishes; in which are about seven millions of people.

There are scarce any manufactures in Europe which are not brought to great perfection in England.

_Its Const.i.tution_.] England is a limited monarchy; the power of making and altering laws, and raising taxes, being lodged in the King, Lords, and Commons.

_Its Administration of Justice_.] This is the business of the courts in Westminster-hall, viz. the Court of Chancery, the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer; the courts of the respective corporations, the sheriffs, and other inferior courts; the last resort, in all civil cases, being to the House of Peers.

_Its Ecclesiastical Government_.] Is in the archbishops and bishops, who administer justice in their respective courts by their chancellors, officials, archdeacons, and other officers.

_Of the Convocation_.] Whenever a parliament is called, the King always convokes a national synod of the clergy, to consider of the state of the church.