Destruction and capture of the Spanish fleet by sir
George Byng

ibid.

1719 Recovery of the island of Sicily, and the conquest of
Sardinia

ibid.

Progress of the French arms on the frontiers of Spain 7

Philip V. accedes to the terms prescribed by the qua-
druple alliance, and Alberoni is disgraced

ibid.

ibid.

Particulars of John Law, author of the famous Missisippi
scheme

His views in projecting it

ibid.

Infatuating spirit of adventure, occasioned by that

scheme

Immense circulation of paper

Its depreciation, and the distress of France

Rise of the South-Sea scheme in England

8

9

ibid.

10

Concise account of the state of the national debt, the pub-

lic funds, and the stocks

of the South-Sea company

Lucrative trade carried on by that company

ibid.

11

12

ibid.

Sir John Blount proposes, under pretence of lowering the
interest of the national debt, that the South-Sea com-
pany shall become the sole public creditor

1720 Act of parliament procured for that purport, and books

of subscription opened for granting annuities to such

public creditors as might think proper to exchange the

security of the crown for that of the South-Sea company,

with the chance of the emoluments of their trade ibid.

Rapid and excessive rise of the stock of the South-Sea

company

It falls as rapidly

Ruined and distracted state of the stockholders

13

14

ibid.

A committee of the house of commons appointed to en-
quire into the cheat practised upon the nation. ibid.
1721 The chief promoters of that iniquitous scheme punished;
the sufferers indemnified as far as possible, and public
credit restored

ibid.

The discontents occasioned by the South-Sea scheme,

encourage the jacobites to form a conspiracy in favour

of the pretender

1722 It is discovered, and rendered abortive

15

16

Several noblemen taken into custody, Christopher Layer

executed, and the bishop of Rochester banished ibid.

1723 Death and character of the duke of Orleans, regent of

France

ibid.

Treaty

A, D.

1725 Treaty of Vienna

-of Hanover

1727 Unhappy fate of captain Hosier and his squadron

Treaty of Seville

Page

17

18

ibid.

19

Death of George I. and accession of his son George II. ib.

State of parties in England

Violent opposition in parliament

Corrupt administration of sir Robert Walpole

Reflections on the influence of the crown

ibid.

20

ibid.

21

-on the integrity and independency of parliament 22

1731 The contracting powers, in the treaty of Seville, guarantee

the PRAGMATIC SANCTION, or domestic law, by which

the succession to the hereditary dominions of the house

of Austria were secured to the heirs female of the em-

peror Charles VI. if he should die without male issue 23

1733 Death of Augustus II. king of Poland, gives rise to a new
continental war
ibid.

The kings of France, Spain, and Sardinia, league against

the emperor

24

The duke of Berwick passes the Rhine, at the head of a
French army, and reduces fort Kehl

-

ibid.

1734 He is killed by a cannon ball at the siege of Philipsburg ibid.

Philipsburg surrenders

Rapid progress of the French arms in Italy

25

ibid.

1735 The emperor sues for peace, and obtains it through the
mediation of cardinal Fleury, the French minister ibid.
Articles of the treaty

1737 The Russians ravage the Crimea, enter the Ukraine, and
make themselves masters of Oczakow

1738 The emperor attacks the Turks on the side of Hungary 27

The Imperial generals repeatedly defeated

The Turks obtain an advantageous peace

Death of the emperor Charles VI. the last prince of the an-

cient house of Austria, without male issue

LETTER XXVII.

Progress of navigation, commerce, and colonization, from the

year 1660, to the year 1739, when Spain and Great-Britain

engaged in a maritime war, occasioned by certain commercial

disputes an account of the principal events in that war-the

taking of Porto-Bello-the siege of Carthagena-and the

expedition of commodore Anson to the South-Sea.

Decline of the Dutch commerce

28

Flourishing trade of England, from the restoration to the

revolution

ibid.

Colbert

A. D.

Page

29

ibid.

30

1664 Colbert establishes the French East-India company

French West-India trade becomes considerable

Vast European trade of France during the period under

review

ibid.

The French commerce receives a temporary check from the

revocation of the EDICT OF NANTZ [A. D. 1686]

The finer manufactures introduced by French refugees into
England, where every ingenious art and branch of manu-
facture is carried to a high degree of perfection
ibid.

The English and French colonies in North-America en-

large their boundaries, increase in wealth and population,

and consume a great quantity of European goods

The colonies of both nations, established in the West-India
islands, furnish a yet more beneficial trade
Account of the produce of those islands, and of the wants of
the inhabitants

Rise of the buccaneers or freebooters

31

ibid.

ibid.

32

ibid.

They at first subsist by the hunting of wild cattle

Their piratical expeditions and singular manners 33

The Spanish vessels more particularly marked out as the

objects of their rapacity

34

Their booty originally carried to the island of Tortuga,

but afterwards to Jamaica

Their manner of dividing their plunder

35

ibid.

ibid.

Their avidity of enjoying the present moment, and disre-

gard of future consequences

They commonly followed the Spanish galleons and flota as

far as the channel of Bahama

Temerity of Peter Legrand

The buccaneers form themselves into large bodies, and

plunder the Spanish settlements

Account of the exploits of Montbars, who acquired the

name of the Exterminator

ibid.

-of Michael de Basco and Francis Lolonois 38

ibid.

1.667 Their expedition to the gulf of Venezuela

Exploits of Henry Morgan, a native of the principality

of Wales

39

1668 He takes Porto-Bello, and finds in it a rich booty ibid.

Returns to Jamaica, and plans an expedition against Mara-

caybo

40

1669 Finds the town totally deserted, and is informed of the arrival
of a Spanish squadron at the entrance of the lake

His intrepidity and presence of mind

Resolute conduct of the Spanish admiral

Daring courage of Morgan and his followers

ibid.

ibid.

ibid.

41

They make their escape with their booty, and arrive safe

at Port-Royal, in the island of Jamaica

42

Encouraged

A. D.

Page

ibid.

1670 Encouraged by his success, Morgan again puts to sea,
accompanied with a more numerous body of adventurers,
and reduces the castle of Chagre

Sails up the river of the same name, and proceeds over

land to Panama

ibid.

Makes himself master of the place, and deliberately pil-
lages it

43

Falls in love with a fair captive, who resists all his amorous

solicitations

ibid.

Divides the booty among his followers, and returns to

Port-Royal with one hundred thousand pounds as his

own share

44

ibid.

Various causes which contributed to the suppression of

the buccaneers

Jamaica enriched by their piratical expeditions ibid.

Contraband trade carried on from that island with the

Spanish settlements on the continent of America 45

Guarda Costas stationed to prevent such trade

The commanders of those vessels guilty of many cruel

-

46

abuses

ibid.

The people of England, incensed at the violences of the
Spanish commanders, call loudly for vengeance
ibid.

1739 Convention of Pardo; by which the king of Spain agrees

to pay the sum of ninety-five thousand pounds sterling,

by way of indemnification, to the subjects of Great-

Britain, for their losses, in consequence of the seizures

made by the Guarda Costas

ibid.

Petitions against the convention presented from all the

trading towns in the kingdom

War declared against Spain [OCT. 19.]

1740 Porto-Bello taken by admiral Vernon

Account of that Spanish settlement,

47

ibid.

48

ibid.

Its decay, in latter times, by reason of the abolition of the

galleons, and the substitution of register-ships in their

place

49

ibid.

The joy of the English nation on the taking of Porto-Bello

Masterly speech of Sir Robert Walpole on the subject of

patriotism

50

1741 Expedition against Carthagena

Description of that city and harbour

51

ibid.

Great strength of the works

52

Castillo Grande taken by the British troops, and a passage

opened into the harbour

A. D.

Unsuccessful attack upon fort St. Lazarus

Misconduct of the besiegers

Page

54

ibid.

The rainy season sets in, and the enterprize is abandoned 55

Vast mortality on board the fleet and transports

ibid.

Vernon and Wentworth, the commanders in chief, return

home, after some other abortive attempts, with the loss

of near twenty thousand men

Expedition of Anson to the South-Sea

56

ibid.

He passes cape Horn, and reaches the island of Juan Fer-

Takes several prizes off the coast of Chili, and plunders

Paita, on the coast of Peru

56

1742 Sails for Acapulco, in hopes of intercepting the Manilla

galleon

57

ibid.

Misses her, and steers for Canton in China
1743 Having refitted the Centurion, his only remaining ship, he

again launches into the Pacific-Ocean, and captures the
galleon on her return from Acapulco laden with treasure

ibid.

1744 Returns to England by the cape of Good-Hope, and the

Spanish treasure is carried to the tower of London with

great parade

LETTER XXVIII.

ibid.

General view of the affairs of Europe, from the death of the

emperor Charles VI. in 1740, to the treaty of Dresden, in

1745, and the confirmation of the treaty of Breslaw.

1740 The PRAGMATIC SANCTION, guaranteed by almost all

the European powers, secures to the archduchess Maria

Theresa, the late emperor's eldest daughter, married to

Francis of Lorrain, grand-duke of Tuscany, the succes-

sion to the whole Austrian dominions

Enumeration of the kingdoms and provinces that composed

that vast inheritance

The archduchess receives the homage of the states of

Austria, and also of the Italian provinces, and of the

kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia

58

ibid.

59

She gains the hearts of all her subjects, by her popular
affability, and particularly endears herself to the Hunga-
rians

ibid.

Rise of the greatness of Frederick III. king of Prussia 60

1741 He lays claim to part of Silesia, and makes himself master

of Breslaw, its capital

Battle of Molwitz

ibid.

61

The Austrains defeated, after an obstinate engagement ibid.

This victory followed by the reduction of Glatz and Neiss,

and the entire submission of the province of Silesia ibid.

The success of the king of Prussia astonishes all Europe 62

The