6

appearances entirely vanished, when, in compliance with the express inftructions of the English Court, the Ambaffador in peremptory terms demanded the categorical anfwer required in the last letter of the Earl of Egremont, declaring, in conformity to the orders he had received, that a refusal, and even a delay of fatisfaction would be deemed an aggreffion on the part of the Court of Madrid, and regarded in no other light than as an abfolute declaration of war. "I cannot," fays the Earl of Bristol in his official dispatch, "defcribe the furprise M. Wall expreffed at hearing this-he only brought out thefe words, What is to follow? You have then orders to withdraw from hence?' Upon the Ambaffador's acknowledgment that fuch were his inftructions, General Wall defired him for greater precifion to put in writing what he was ordered to demand, and, repairing to the palace of the Buen Retiro, he returned, after a fhort interval, an answer from his Catholic Majefty, in which the Ambaffador is told, “that the fpirit of haughtinefs and difcord which dictated this inconfiderate ftep, and which for the misfortune of mankind ftill reigns fo much in the British Government, is what made in the fame inftant the declaration of war and attacked the King's dignity-Your Excellency may think of retiring when and in the manner convenient to you, which is the only anfwer his Majefty has VOL. I. directed

E

directed me to give." Orders were fent from Madrid to the Count de Fuentes instantly to leave the Court and Kingdom of England, delivering first a Memorial to the Ministers of the King of England, in which the war that the Spanish and English nations were about to plunge into, is attributed to the pride and immeasurable ambition of him who lately held the reins of Government in Great Britain. If," faid the memorial," his Catholic Majefty excufed himself from making the explanations required, it was to manifeft his just resentment of the infulting manner in which the affairs of Spain have been treated during Mr. Pitt's Administration, who, when the juftice of his Catholic Majefty's claims had been incontrover tibly proved, gave as his final anfwer, that he would not relax in any thing till the Tower of London was taken fword in hand.-If the refpect due to Royal Majefty had been regarded, explanations it was affirmed might have been had without difficulty. The Minifters of Spain might have faid frankly to thofe of England, what the Count de Fuentes by the King's exprefs orders declares publicly-That the faid treaty is only a convention between the Family of Bourbon, wherein is nothing which has the leaft relation to the prefent war-That there is in it an article for the mutual guarantee of the dominions of the two Sovereigns, but it is fpecified therein that this guarantee

guarantee is not to be understood but of the dominions which fhall remain to France after the prefent war fhall be ended-That although his Catholic Majefty might have had reason to think himself offended by the irregular manner in which the memorial for terminating the differences between Spain and England at the same time with the war betwixt this laft and France, was returned to M. Buffy, the King of Spain diffembled, and from his love of peace caused a memorial to be delivered to Lord Briftol, wherein it is evidently demonftrated, that the step of France which put the Minister Pitt into so bad humour, did not at all offend either the laws of neutrality or the fincerity of the two Sovereigns That as a fresh proof of his pacific fpirit, the King of Spain wrote to the King of France his coufin, that if the union of interest in any manner retarded the peace with England, he confented to separate himself from it, not to put any obftacle to fo great a happiness. But it was foon feen this was only a pretence on the part of the English Minifter: for that of France continuing his negotiations without making any mention of Spain, and propofing conditions very advantageous and honorable for England, the Minifter Pitt, to the great aftonishment of the univerfe, rejected them with difdain, and fhewed at the fame time his ill will against Spain, to the scandal of the fame British Council

and unfortunately he has fucceeded but too far in his pernicious defign." This memorial ferved to demonftrate the fuperior fagacity of Lord Bristol, who declared, in the courfe of this negotiation, his firm belief that the treaty in question contained no article injurious to the interefts of England, although the prepofterous pride of the Spanish Court prevented any pofitive or fatisfactory affurance being given on this head;-and the two nations, from an obftinate adherence to a falfe and foolish punctilio of honor, found themselves at length involved in a war, which they equally and anxiously wifhed to avoid.

The preparations made for conducting the war against the united force of the House of Bourbon with vigor and effect, shewed that the spirit of Mr. Pitt, against whom rather than the King of Great Britain the declaration of the King of Spain feemed to be directed, ftill influenced and animated the public counfels. The grand machine of Government, once put in motion, continued for a time its progress with the fame force and velocity as if still guided by the powerful hand which firft urged it into action. Letters of marque were iffued and commiffions granted for privateers to act against the fubjects of his Catholic Majefty; and at length, on the 4th January 1762, war was declared against Spain with the accustomed formalities.

The new Parliament had been convened in the

preceding

preceding month of November, and had chofen Sir John Cuft, Bart. for their Speaker; a man not unworthy, from his extenfive knowledge and diftinguished probity, to fill the chair vacated by Mr. Onflow. The choice being approved by the King, the feffion was opened by a well-compofed fpeech from the Throne, in which his Majesty expreffed "his regret at the unsuccessful termination of the late negotiation for peace, and his refolution to profecute the war in the most effectual manner, till the enemies of Great Britain, moved by their own loffes, and touched with the miferies of fo many nations, fhall yield to the equitable conditions of an honorable peace." Very loyal addreffes were returned. About 240,000 feamen, landmen, and marines, including the German mercenaries, were voted for the fervice of the year; and twelve millions borrowed to make up the deficiency of the regular means of supply. A jointure of 100,000l. per ann. was fettled on the Queen, with the palaces of Richmond Old Park and Somerfet Houfe; and after paffing a variety of acts not distinguished for their peculiar merit or importance, the Parliament was prorogued June 2, 1762.

Towards the conclufion of the preceding year, a plan had been formed for the conqueft of the important island of Martinico, the principal of the French Caribbee Iflands, and the refidence of