course, such an abrupt and unprovoked transition, in the Spanish secretary of state, from the most cordial and conciliatory tone of friendly profession and amicable adjustment, to the most peremptory and haughty style of menace and hostility, could not but astonish and perplex the earl of Bristol. He was naturally led into various conjectures, to account for this incoherency of behaviour. At first, he imagined that the late arrival at Cadiz of two ships with extraordinary rich cargoes, containing the remainder of the wealth that was expected from Spanish America, had raised the language of the court of Madrid, added to the progress, which, it was reported, the French army was making in the king of England's electoral dominions, and the success attending the Austrian operations in Silesia. He ascribed the former soothing declarations of the Spanish ministers to the consciousness of their naval inferiority; and he supposed that those fears were now removed, or greatly abated by the safe arrival of the above ships, and by the continual flatteries of the French, who, whilst they inflamed the jealousy of Spain at the British conquests, and solicited a junction of forces to put a stop to them, never ceased assuring the Spaniards, that even the signing of an alliance between the two great branches of the house of Bourbon would intimidate England, not only upon account of its being exhausted by the present long and expensive war, but by its having felt the fatal consequences of an interruption of the Spanish trade, during the last war. But, though all these circumstances very probably co-operated in producing so great a revolution in the Spanish councils; yet the earl of Bristol was afterwards convinced, that its immediate cause was the intelligence then received at Madrid of Pitt's violent proposal in the cabinet, before he went out of office. His excellency's sentiments on this point are thus expressed in a subsequent letter to the earl of Egremont, dated Madrid, December the seventh. put; and at length the only reply, that could with difficulty be eorted, was, "That his catholic majesty had judged it expedient to renew his family compacts with the most christian king." Theu Wall, as if he had gone beyond what he intended, suddenly broke off the discourse; and no further satisfaction could be obtained. AMBASSADOR AT MADRID RECALLED. ON the receipt of these advices from the earl of Bristol, the ministry did not hesitate a moment, re. specting the line they were to pursue. They saw evidently that there was little reason to hope for any good effects from farther patience and forbearance; that the continuance of their former moderation might be attributed to timidity; and that the language of Spain would no longer permit any doubt of her hostile intentions. Not a moment was therefore lost in sending back orders to the English ambassador, directing him to renew his former instances relative to the treaty with France, and to demand a clear and categorical declaration from the court of Madrid, whether they meaned to depart in any manner from their professed neutrality, and to join in hostilities against Great Britain. These points he was to urge with energy, but without the mixture of any thing which might irritate; and he was farther authorized to signify, that a peremptory refusal to communicate the treaty, or to disavow an intention to take part with the declared and inveterate enemies of Great Britain, could not be looked upon by the king of England in any light, but as an aggression on the part of Spain, and as an absolute declaration of war. The earl of Bristol acted in strict conformity to such decisive, yet temperate instructions. gradually unfolded the purport and extent of them in two conferences with Wall, on the sixth and the eighth of December; and, in two days after, he received a letter from that minister, stating that "the spirit of haughtiness and of discord, which, for the misfortune of mankind, still reigns so much in the British government, is what made, in the same instant, the declaration of war, and attacked the king's dignity. Your excellency may think of retiring when, and in what manner, it is convenient to you; which is the only answer that, without detaining you, his majesty has ordered me to give you." He SPANISH AMBASSADOR'S MANIFESTO. THE earl of Bristol left Madrid the seventeenth of December; and on the twenty-fifth of the same month the Spanish ambassador in London received letters of recal from his court. The note, which he delivered on that occasion to the secretary of state, was somewhat in the nature of a manifesto, charg "What occasioned the great fermentation at this court, the effects of which I felt from General Wall's animated discourse at the Escurial, was notice having reached the catholic king, that the change which had happened in the English administration was relative to measures proposed to be taken against this country. Hence arose that sudden wrath and passion, which, for a short time, affected the Spanish court: as it was thought most extraor dinary here, that the declaring war against the catholic king should ever have been moved in his majesty's councils, since the Spaniards have always looked upon themselves as the aggrieved party; and, of course, never could imagine that the English would be the first to begin a war with them." But whatever impression Pitt's proposal maying the war on the pride and unmeasurable ambihave made on the minds of the Spaniards, the just. est praise was certainly due to the earl of Bristol's conduct in this delicate conjuncture. Though totally unprepared for a conference that differed so widely from all former conversations on the same subject, he replied with coolness to the invectives, and with firmness to the menaces of the Spanish minister. After refuting in the best manner what Wall had urged, he returned to his first demand, an explanation concerning the treaty. As often as a direct answer was evaded, the same question was again tion of the late secretary, and on the little respect shown to his catholic majesty, both during that minister's continuance in office, and since his resig nation. Lord Egremont's memorial in reply, dated the thirty-first of December, did not stoop to personal invectives, but proved by an exact and faithful detail of what had passed between the two courts, that Spain alone was to be blamed for all the mis fortunes inseparable from a rupture. The facts ab ready related will best show what degree of stress should be laid on the assertions of either party. NOTE TO CHAPTER III. 1 These were not mere matters of ceremony, as the tenures of sundry manors, and the enjoyment of certain rights and inheritances depended on the performance of particular services at the coronation. CHAPTER IV. War declared against Spain-Debate in the Lords-Protest on a Motion for withdrawing the Troops from Germany-Popularity of this Protest-Duty on Beer and Ale caused a tumult in LondonAmendments of the Militia Laws-An Act for Registering of Parish Children-Bill for the Extension of the Duke of Bridgewater's Canals-Account of Harrison's Time-piece and Irwin's Marine-chairAddition to the former Grants of the Commons-His Majesty's Message on the imminent Danger of Portugal-The Session closed with a Speech from the Throne-Extraordinary Change in the King of Prussia's Situation, occasioned by the Death of the Empress of Russia-Steps immediately taken by her Successor, Peter 111.-Deposition and Death of Peter III-Prudent Policy of the Empress Catherine 11-Sketch of the Prussian Operations during the Remainder of the Campaign-Victory obtained by the Allies at Graebenstein—This Action a Prelude to Enterprises, in which Gottingen and Cassel were recovered, and the French almost totally driven out of Hesse-State of Portugal when threatened by the Bourbon Confederacy-Memorial presented to the Court of Lisbon by the Ministers of France and Spain-Reply followed by a Declaration of War—Immediate and effectual Assistance afforded by Great Britain-Lord Tyrawley dissatisfied with the Portuguese Ministry, and recalledPlan of the Campaign-Progress of the Spanish Army under the Marquis de Sarria-Almeida taken, and a considerable part of the Province of Beira over-run by Spanish Troops-Good Consequences of the Count de la Lippe's Arrival in Portugal-Surprise of Valencia d'Alcantara by General Burgoyne -Another more decisive blow struck by the same General and Colonel Lee at Villa Velha.-The Span iards forced to retreat to their own Frontiers-Triumphs of Great Britain at Sea-Descent on the Island of Martinico-Surrender of the Island-Submission of the Grenades, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and other dependent Isles-Armament destined against the Havannah, its Harbour describedSiege of the Moro-The Moro stormed, and carried by assault-Operations against the Town, and its Surrender-Importance of this Conquest-Capture of the Hermione, a Spanish Register-ship-Inva sion of the Philippines designed-Celerity of the Preparations made for it at Madras-Arrival of the Squadron at Manilla-The Town taken by Storm, but saved from a justly merited Pillage-The Galleon from Manilla to Acapulco taken--The only Exception to the universal Success of the British Arms, the Failure of a private Expedition against Buenos Ayres-Summary of the Disasters sustained by Spain during her short Concern in the War-France involved in the like Calamities-Attempt to burn the British Squadron in the Bay of Basque-Newfoundland taken and retaken—A negotiation the only resource of the House of Bourbon. I WAR DECLARED AGAINST SPAIN. order, proceeded to take the speech into consideration, a motion was made for declaring it to be the T would not be very easy to point out any pe- opinion of the house," that the war then carried on riod of the history of England, in which the in Germany was necessarily attended with a great character of the nation was better supported by its and enormous expense, and that, notwithstanding government than at the opening of the year 1762. all the efforts that could possibly be made, there Calm, yet resolute; threatened by an extraordina- seemed no probability the army there, in the pay ry combination of enemies, yet prepared to resist of Great Britain, so much inferior to that of France, their perfidious efforts; the British ministry discov-could be put into such a situation as to effectuate ered no precipitation or alarm at Spain's having any good purpose whatsoever; and that the bringfinally thrown off the mask, but took the most effecing the British troops home from Germany would tual measures to revenge so daring an abuse of their candour and forbearance. A clear account of the endeavours which had been used to accommodate the disputes with Spain in an amicable manner, and of the circumstances which now rendered a rupture unavoidable, was given at full length in his majesty's declaration of the second of January: war against that country was formally proclaimed on the fourth; and, on the nineteenth, being the day to which both houses of parliament had adjourned, the king informed them of the steps, which he was obliged to take since their recess. PROTEST AGAINST THE WAR IN GER- THE Commons were unanimous in their approbation of his majesty's conduct respecting Spain, and in their assurances of steady and vigorous support to prosecute this just and necessary war. The lords agreed to an address expressive of the same sentiments; but the consideration of the speech gave rise to a debate on the most effectual means of carrying on the war, in which they discovered great difference of opinion. No complete report of this debate has been preserved; but the spirit of it may be collected from a protest, which was then entered on the journals. By this it appears, that on Friday the fifth of February, when the lords, according to enable his majesty more effectually to carry on with vigour the war against the united forces of France and Spain, give strength and security to Great Britain and Ireland, support the public credit, and, by easing the nation of a load of expense, be the like. liest means, under the blessing of God, to procure a safe and honourable peace;" which motion was strongly objected to, and the previous question carried by a majority of one hundred and five against sixteen. Seven, however, of the latter, including the duke of Bedford, one of the principal members of administration, signed a protest, expressive of their dissent from such proceedings for the follow. ing reasons: 1st. Because the main question being so true in every particular, which was assented to by most of the lords who spoke in this debate, and no argu ment being alleged that it was unconstitutional, the previous question should not, in the presen case, have been insisted on, as thereby the lords were debarred from laying before the throne their sense on a matter of this importance. "2dly. Because in the debate there was no shadow of argument used, to show the impropriety of this question being brought before the house at this time, or that it was prematurely undertaken by the lord who moved it: on the contrary it was proved by irrefragible arguments, that if the matter was right to be done, no time should be lost in bringing the British forces home during their winter-quarters, which was the only season when it could be done with safety, and without any possible impediment from the enemy. "3dly. The present situation of the war, by the additional weight of the crown of Spain being thrown into the scales against us, doth undoubtedly require, at this very critical time, the utmost frugality towards easing the nation from any unnecessary expense, and, as the present war in Germany is indisputably carried on at a great and enormous expense, and, in the general conception of mankind, without any possibility of any good being reaped from it, it seems the undoubted right of every lord of this house to submit to parliament his opinion against a longer continuance of such measures, as have already proved so detrimental to the public, by involving this nation in an additional debt of near six millions yearly, without serving any one British purpose, or even supporting with efficacy those countries for whose preservation it has been pretended these immense supplies have been granted. "4thly. A continental war carried on in Germany without allies, and at the sole expense of Great Britain, whilst this nation is involved in a war with the two most considerable maritime powers of Europe, cannot be esteemed a system of true policy; as France, let the success against her arms be ever so great, is not vulnerable from that quarter; and Spain, on account of her distance, would, doubt less, not be intimidated by the success of the British arms in Germany. "5thly. The expedience of the present continental war cannot be justified, either on the principles of its being a war for the diversion of the forces of France from the invading his majesty's dominions, or the succouring their own colonies, both of which they are incapacitated from doing, by the ruin of their naval force; neither can it be alleged as a measure calculated to support the king of Prussia, who is not at war with France, nor in danger, though the British troops should be withdrawn, of being crushed by that power, whose interest will undoubtedly restrain her from taking a step, which could only tend to the aggrandizement of the house of Austria, the ancient and natural rival of the house of Bourbon. "6thly. The present great scarcity of specie, and the low state of the public funds, render it the indispensable duty of this house to suggest to the throne every means of preventing an unnecessary profusion of the public treasure, more especially when the payments that must be daily made, and which must be done by the exportation of bullion, must unavoidably cause such a stagnation of trade and industry as may be of the most fatal consequence to this country, which can in no degree be compensated for on the ill-grounded notion that the expenses of the enemy are equally great and bur. densome to them, which is not only denied, as it can never be proved, but is moreover exploded by this undeniable truth, that France, by withdrawing her troops, can put an end to it whenever she pleases, and without any danger to herself of being attacked by an inferior number on her own frontiers on that side, and which, as she has not yet done, is a sufficient proof of the truth of this proposition. "7thly. The agreeing to the resolution proposed could be in no degree constructed as a breach of faith to our allies, or a stain to the honour of the nation, as we are bound by no treaties to keep an army in Germany, and the war on that continent seems to have been entered into voluntarily by us, without being called upon by any other powers, and most precipitately taken up again, when it had been so happily extinguished by the convention of Closter-Seven." This protest, which contained a summary of the most forcible arguments that had been urged against the prosecution of the German war, was highly and almost universally applauded by the people; and though it produced no immediate change in the measures of government, it strengthened the im pression made by the former debate of the commons on the same subject; and it showed very evidently, that, if the ensuing campaign should not put an end to the continental struggle, any farther supplies for its continuance would be obtained with extreme difficulty. TUMULT OCCASIONED BY THE DUTY ON BEER. THE other transactions in this sessions of parlia ment make so little show, when compared with the occurrences of the same period on the theatre of war, as to admit of only a few concise remarks. The operation of the act for laying a further duty on beer and ale being now felt in its fullest extent, the streets of London and Westminster were filled with tumult, vowed revenge against the brewers for exacting a higher price than usual from the publicans, and threatened to pull down the houses of any of the latter who should continue to charge an additional halfpenny for every quart of porter. The intimidated parties, under the terror of such meuaces, petitioned the house of commons; a bill was passed in favour of their request, which had the desired effect: it not only restrained the mob from committing any acts of outrage but tended greatly to abate their clamour. AMENDMENTS OF THE MILITIA AND OTHER LAWS. A GRRAT deal of confusion was also prevented by some wise and wholesome amendments of the militia laws. An exact line was drawn between those who were liable to serve, and such as were exempted from any compulsion. The former were to be chosen by ballot, as before; or otherwise the parish officers, with the consent of the inhabitants, were authorised to provide volunteers, by a rate on the parish, in proportion to that for the relief of their poor. Thus every man was obliged to pay his quota; and all parishes had it in their power to keep their useful hands at home, and to employ the idle and dissolute in the service of their country. As a check upon the cruelties, which were strongly suspected to be exercised by the nurses of parish children, a law was enacted for keeping an annual register of those infants in every parish, under the age of four, that it might always be known in what parishes the greatest mortality prevailed among these children. In this session, a bill readily passed through both houses for enabling the duke of Bridgewater to extend his canal, from Longford Bridge to the river Mersey, so as to open a communication with Liverpool. The brauches of this inland navigation have since been extended to all the manufacturing towns of the adjoining counties; and the duke lived to complete an undertaking of greater magnitude and of more national utility than had ever before been attempted by any individual. REWARDS FOR METHODS OF ASCERTAINING THE LONGITUDE. REWARDS for the discovery of the longitude had long been the object of an express law; but it was now deemed necessary to render that act more effectual by extending the benefit of it to persons who should make any satisfactory progress towards so desirable an end, though their experiments might fall short of its full accomplishment. Harrison, a clock. maker of London, had contrived a curious timepiece, which, under the direction of his son, was tried in a voyage to the West Indies, and found to succeed infinitely beyond any thing hitherto invented for the same purpose. He and his son were immediately rewarded with a grant of fifteen hundred pounds: and, the year after, he obtained from parliament five thousand pounds more, for discovering the principles on which his instrument was constructed. Irwin, a native of Ireland, had also contrived a marine chair, by means of which the immersion's and emersions of Jupiter's satellites might be accurately observed in the roughest weather at sea, and the longitude, of course, ascertained. After some satisfactory trials of this machine, five hundred pounds were bestowed on the inventor as the recompense of his ingenuity. VOTE FOR THE RELIEF OF PORTUGAL. BESIDES the other supplies voted for the service of the year, the house of commons, after a short debate, concurred in granting his majesty one million upon account, for the purposes specified in the following message, which was laid before the house on the eleventh of May, and taken into consideration on the thirteenth: 21 "His majesty relying on the known zeal and af- memorial from the courts of Vienna and Versailles ; fection of his faithful commons, and considering and, in about six weeks after, he entered into an that in this conjuncture, emergencies may arise, alliance with his favourite monarch, without paying which may be of the utmost importance, and be the least regard to the interests of his former conattended with the most pernicious consequences, if federates. He even joined part of his forces to proper means should not be immediately applied to those of his new ally, in order to drive the Ausprevent or defeat them; and his majesty also tak-trians out of Silesia, while he commanded another ing into his most serious consideration the imminent army to march towards Holstein. Sweden soon danger with which the kingdom of Portugal, an an- followed the example, or rather acted under the cient and natural ally of his crown, is threatened by direction of Russia, in concluding a peace with the the powers now in open war with his majesty, and court of Berlin. of what importance the preservation of that kingdom is to the commercial interests of this country, is desirous that this house will enable him to defray any extraordinary expenses of the war incurred, or to be incurred for the service of the year 1762; and to take all such measures as may be necessary to disappoint, or defeat any enterprises, or designs of his enemies against his majesty, or his allies, and as the exigency of affairs may require." In the debate, to which this message gave rise, Pitt supported, with becoming consistency, the resolution of the committee of supply. SESSION CLOSES. BOTH houses sat a few days longer to complete the business then before them; and, on the second of June, his majesty put an end to the session with a speech, in which he expressed the highest approbation of the zeal, unanimity and despatch, so signally manifested in the course of their proceedings. He said that his own sentiments respecting war and peace continued invariably the same, and that it gave him great satisfaction to find them confirmed by the voice of his parliament. He took notice of a late change in the government of Russia, and of its probable consequences: he mentioned the rupture with Spain, and the danger that threatened Portugal, as proofs of the wisdom and necessity of the vigorous measures which had been resolved upon: he pointed out some of the happy effects already produced by these measures, in the conquest of Martinico, and the acquisition of many other valuable settlements in the West Indies. DEATH OF THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, AND SUCCESSION OF PETER III. THE hopeless situation of the king of Prussia at the close of the last campaign has been already described. The loss of Colberg, on one side, and of Schweidnitz, on the other, left his dominions almost without a barrier; and his army was too much reduced to face any of the invaders in the open field. No resource of policy, no effort of skill or heroism could any longer be tried with the least probability of success. At this alarming crisis, the storm just ready to burst upon his head, was happily dissipated by one of those unexpected events which give a sudden turn to the fortune of nations, after all the means of human foresight and exertion have failed. His most dangerous and inveterate enemy, the empress of Russia, died on the second of January, and was succeeded by her nephew, the duke of Holstein, a prince of very different sentiments. As none, however, but tliose who were most intimately acquainted with his character and disposition, could pretend to determine whether he would abandon or pursue the system of his predecessor, the eyes of all Europe were anxiously turned towards the court of Petersburg, in order to observe the direction of his early councils. The new czar, who ascended the throne by the name of Peter III. began his reign with some very laudable and popular regulations. His foreign polí tics, in which Europe was principally concerned, seemed to be governed by the same mild spirit. He ordered a memorial to be delivered, on the twenty third of February, to the ministers of his allies, in which he declared, That, in order to procure the re-establishment of peace, as he preferred to every other consideration the first law which God prescribed to sovereigns, the preservation of the people intrusted to them, he was ready to sacrifice all the conquests made by the arms of Russia during the war, in hopes that the allied courts would, on their part, equally prefer the restoration of peace and tranquillity to the advantages which they might expect from the war, but which they could obtain, only by a continuance of the effusion of human blood. He ordered a cessation of arms, the sixteenth of March, on receiving an unsatisfactory answer to his SUCCESSES OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA. THE king of Prussia lost no time to profit by this great, and almost miraculous revolution in his favour. The load which had so long oppressed him, and against which he had borne up with astonishing fortitude, being now much lightened, he was again enabled to exert the full powers of his genius against his remaining enemies. His first object was the recovery of Schweidnitz, the next the expulpulsion of the Austrians out of Silesia; and in the attainment of these important ends he was greatly assisted by the valour and military skill of his brother, who gained a signal-victory, on the twelfth of May, over the Austrians and Imperialists near Freyberg in Saxony. By this blow prince Henry became so fully master of that electorate, that the Austrians found it necessary to withdraw a considerable body of troops from the war in Silesia, to prevent, if possible, his making irruptions into the heart of Bohemia. Marshal Daun, however, with a large army, still occupied some eminences in the neighbourhood of Schweidnitz, by which he was enabled to protect that city. But the king of Prussia, being joined by the Russian troops in the latter end of June, undertook to dislodge the Austrian general from those advantageous posts and finally succeeded. As a direct attack was found to be impracticable, the king had recourse to a variety of masterly movements, which made his adversary ap prehensive for the safety of his principal magazine, and even that his communication with Bohemia might be cut off. The cautious Daun accordingly fell back to the frontiers of Silesia, and left Schweidnitz exposed. His Prussian majesty immediately prepared for the siege; whilst different detachments of his troops, some on the side of Saxony, others on that of Silesia, penetrated deep into Bohemia, laid many parts of the country under contribution, and spread universal alarm. A body of Russian irregulars also made an irruption into the same kingdom, and there retaliated on the Austrians those cruel ravages, which, at the instigation of the court of Vienna, the same barbarous enemy had formerly committed on the Prussian dominions. Whilst the indefatigable Frederic was thus conducting, with equal spirit and ability, that bold plan of operations which unexpected circumstances had enabled him to form, he was threatened with a sudden reverse of fortune, in consequence of another revolution in Russia. Peter III. in his rage for reform, made more new regulations in a few weeks, than a prudent prince would have hazarded in a long reign. His first measures, as before observed, seemed well calculated to procure him the affections of his people; but, being of a rash and irregu lar turn of mind, he in many instances shocked their prejudices, even while he consulted their interests. DEPOSITION AND DEATH OF PETER I. AND SUCCESSION OF CATHERINE II. WHILST he was taking these steps to alienate the minds of the people in general, and especially of those bodies whose attachment it was his great interest to secure, he had not the good fortune to live in union with his own family. He had long slighted his consort, the present empress, a woman of a masculine understanding, by whose counsels he might have profited; and lived in a very public manner with the countess of Worouzoff. The dissatisfied part of the nobility, clergy, and chief officers of the army, encouraged by this domestic dissension, assembled in the capital during the czar's absence at one of his country seats, deposed him formally, and invested his wife with the imperial ensigns. She put herself at the head of the malcontents, and marched without delay in quest of her husband. He was indulging himself in indolent amusements at a house of pleasure near the sea shore, when the terrible news reached him. As soon as he recovered from the first shock, he attempted to escape to Holstein, but was seized and thrown into prison, after having been induced by the vain hope of life to sign a paper, in which he declared his conviction of his inability to govern the empire, and his sense of the distress it must be involved in were he to continue at the head of affairs. This cowardly sacrifice of his character did not preserve his life: he expired a few days after, on the sixth of July; and his sudden death excited neither surprise nor speculation, as dethroned princes have seldom been allowed to languish long in the glooms of a dungeon. Catherine II. who now assunted the reins of empire, pursued a line of conduct almost diametrically opposite to that of her infatuated husband. It was even supposed, that she would disclaim and annul the treaty concluded between the late czar and the king of Prussia, which was a very unpopular measure at Petersburgh. But fortunately for Frederic, the new empress did not think her situation sufficiently secure to engage in foreign hostilities. It is also said, that upon searching among her husband's papers for the Prussian monarch's corres pondence, she found that his majesty had disapproved of all Peter's violent measures, and had counselled him to be tender of his consort, to desist from his pretensions to Sleswick, and not to attempt any changes in the religion, or the fundamental laws of his country. Letters of this kind must have tended very much to confirm her in her pacific disposition. She accordingly declared to the Prussian minister at her court," that she was resolved to observe inviolably, in all points, the perpetual peace concluded under the preceding reign; but that she had thought proper, nevertheless, to order back to Russia, by the nearest roads, all her troops in Silesia, Prussia, and Pomerania.” And although this change from a strict alliance to a mere neutrality made no small difference in the state of the king of Prussia's af fairs; yet it must be regarded, all things considered, as an escape scarcely less wonderful than the former, especially as all the important places, which the Russians had with so much bloodshed acquired, were faithfully restored to that monarch. PRUSSIAN OPERATIONS that no prospect remained of their being able to OPERATIONS OF THE ALLIES IN GER- THE other part of the German war, which rested wholly on the support of Great Britain, was pushed with a degree of spirit and perseverance by no means inferior to those signal exertions of the Prus sian arms. The forces under prince Ferdinand being amply provided with all necessaries, and recruited to the number of one hundred thousand effective men, were the first to take the field; and soon found an opportunity of striking a blow, the consequences of which were not recovered by the enemy, during the remainder of the campaignThis did the allies the greater honour, because the French armies had also been augmented, so as still to preserve their former superiority of numbers; but their generals were changed. Marshal Broglin was recalled, and the command of the army on the Weser was given to his rival, the prince of Soubise, assisted by marshall d'Etrées; while the army on the Lower Rhine was committed to the direction of the prince of Condé. The hereditary prince was posted with a strong detachment in the bishopric of Munster, to check the progress of the latter; and prince Ferdinand in person, with the main body of his forces, lay behind the Dymel, to make head against the former, and, if possible, to strip them of their conquests in Hesse. Their numbers and the strength of their position seemed equally discour aging to such an attempt. Their infantry consisted of one hundred battalions: that of the allies was composed but of sixty. The ground, on which the French were encamped near the village of Graebenstein, in the frontiers of Hesse, had been very judiciously chosen, both for command of the country, and the difficulty of approaching them. Their centre eccupied an advantageous eminence: their left wing was almost inaccessible, owing to several deep ra vines; and their right was covered by the adjoining village, by several rivulets, and a large detachment under one of their best officers, Monsieur Castries. In such a situation, they imagined they had nothing to fear, particularly as a considerable corps of the allied army under general Luckner was employed at some distance in watching the motions of prince Xavier of Saxony; so that they thought it impossible for troops thus separated to unite in any sudden attack on their camp. Prince Ferdinand availed himself of their security. He sent proper instructions to Luckner, who leaving a party of Hessian hussars behind him to amuse the prince of Saxony, and marching full speed in the night with the rest, crossed the Weser, turned the right of the French army, and, without being discovered, placed himself upon their rear. General Sporken had orders to advance in another direction, and to charge the same wing in flank. Prince Ferdinand was to fall upon the centre; while the honour and danger of attacking their left wing were consigned to the marquis of Granby. All the necessary preparations were made with so much judgment, celerity, and good order, that the French had no intimation of the design before they found themselves attacked with the utmost impetuosity in front, flank, and rear. The right wing, under Castries, retired without much loss, and in tolerable order; but the rest of the army must have been totally routed, if Monsieur Stainville, who commanded on the left, had not thrown himself with the flower of the French infantry into a wood, which enabled him for some time to stop the career of the victors. His brave corps was a devoted sacrifice. All but two battalions were taken or cat to pieces. The other bodies, covered by this resolute manoeuvre, precipitately escaped to the other side of the Fulda, or took shelter under the cannon of Cassel. About three thousand were made prisoners, and, among them, almost two hundred officers. The loss of the allies was inconsiderable. The English, who were most engaged, had only a few men killed, and no officer of rank but lieutenant-colonel Townshend, who fell with great honour to himself, and to the regret of the whole army. His Prussian majesty, instead of being discour aged by the order sent for the return of the Rus sians, only acted with the more vigour. He attacked marshal Daun the day after its arrival, but before the news had reached the Austrian camp, and drove him, by terror, no less than force of arms, from the heights of Buckersdorf, with considerable loss. He next invested Schweidnitz in person; and obliged that much contested town, though defended by a garrison of nine thousand men, to surrender, after a siege of two months, in spite of the utmost efforts of Laudohn and Daun to obstruct his operations. The moment he found himself master of this city, and eventually of all Silesia, he began to turn his eye towards Saxony. He reinforced his brother's army in that electorate, and took some other steps which seemed to indicate a design upon Dresden. These preparations, and another victory obtained by prince Henry near Freyberg, far more decisive than the former, induced the court of Vienna to conclude a cessation of hostilities with his Prussian majesty for Saxony and Silesia. In consequence of this impolitic and partial truce, which provided neither for the safety of the dominions of the house of Austria, nor of those members of the empire that were attached to its interests, one body of the Prussian army broke into Bohemia, advanced nearly to the gates of Prague, and destroyed a valuable magazine; while another fell upon the same country in a different quarter, and laid the greater part of the town of Egra in ashes, by a shower of bombs and red-hot bullets. Some parties penetrat ed into the heart of Franconia, and even as far as Suabia, laying waste the country, exacting heavy contributions, and spreading ruin and dismay on every side. The money levied in these predatory expeditions is supposed to have amounted to a million sterling, two hundred thousand pounds of which were paid by the industrious and free city of Nuremberg. Many of the princes and states found This action, which took place on the twenty-fourth themselves obliged to sign a neutrality, in order to of June, was a prelude to a series of bold, mastersave their territories from farther ravages; and mostly, and well-connected enterprises. Whilst the others were so disabled by the late defeat in Sax. ony, or exhausted by the subsequent incursions, French, under the hurry and confusion of their late disaster, were unable to provide against sudden |