been made; and that the Duke of Cumberland Chap. had formed the Inst Ministry, as consisting of J^i^^ those persons in whom his Royal Highness thought 1756. he could best confide; and that was the reason, the King wished to keep Mr. Fox in place, because he knew the Duke had a great partiality for him. But the tide of public odium having set so strong against Mr. Fox, and his coadjutors, the Court were obliged to surrender; and to admit Mr. Pitt. The King, however, continued his resolution to pursue the plan he had laid down, for the protection of his German dominions. On the 28th of November, 1756, the Prince of Wales s household being established, he held his first levee at Savile-house *. * The principal persons of his Royal Highness's household :• ; . were: Earl of Bute, groom of the stole. . Earl of Huntingdon, master of the horse. Earl of Sussex, Lord Down, and Lord Robert Bertie, with the Earls of Pembroke and Euston, and Lord Digby, lords of the bed-chamber. Hon. G. Monson, C. Ingram, and E. Nugent, groom3 of the bed-chamber. Lord Bathurst, treasurer. Hon. Jame3 Brudnell, privy purse. S. Fanslww, comptroller. CHAP. CHAP XIV. Mr. Pitt's first administrations-Raises tn?o thousand Highlanders—Refuses to support the, Duke of Curtt-r her land-—Commanded to resign—Presented with the freedom of several cities and corporations— The King's distresses—Mr. Pitt made Minister upon his ovm terms—His triumph over N\r. Fo%— Ibe correspondence of the 4dmiralty given to Mr. Pitt. Chap. On the second of December, 1756, Parlia-* X1V* ment met. The first measure of Government, 1756. after the sending away the Hejslian troops, was Mr. Pitt's^he establishment of a national militia. first Ad- on. On the first of January, i?57, orders were 1757 jjjiv«n for raising two thousand rpen in the High_ ., lands of Scotland, for the British service in Ame Ratsestwo . _,. 7 ~ . * - •• , '' „l thousand nca* * TMs mealure reflected the greatest honour Highland--upon Mr. Pitt's wisdom and penetration; and ers" whether he adopted it froro the paper, which the reader will find in the note, or whether it originated with himself, it equally shewed the superiority of his mind, to all vulgar and local prejudices. * He sent a squadron to the East Indies, under * The following plan, for carrying on the war, was submitted to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland in May under Admiral Stevens, and another to the West Cwai Indies, under Admiral Cotes. His resolution was to employ the whole British fleet. , 1757 The 1756, and was, by his Royal Highness's command, delivered to Mr. Pitt, by the Earl of Albemarle, in December 1756:— "France constantly keeping numerous armies in pay, is always prepared for war. Warfl of a short duration, for the most part, have proved advantageous to that kingdom, but ipars of Jong continuance very detrimental and ruinous to the people. If the present war is well conducted, before the nest ypa* ends, that nation will be filled with complaints of losses, and his Majesty's subjects joysul forthesuccessesagainst their enemies. The land forces in Great Britain and Ireland, may be put on 3 better establishment, by raising more insantry. Two thousand horse of all denominations, are sussicient for the services of Great Britain; and one thousand dragoons for Ireland. The troopers and dragoons reduced wul form several companies of grenadiers. "The British regiments of foot would appear nobly, if thfly contained twelve companie* in each; two of them grenadjors. "Improvement in agriculture, fisheries, multiplying and enlarging manusactures, the increase of buildings, &c. give so much employment, that workmen are wanted in most part6 of England. "Therefore it is expedient to procure out of Germany, some regiments, for the service of America, and reward them with lands, at the conclusion of the war. "T-tvo regiments, a thousand men in a corps, may he raised in the North of Scotland for the said service, and on the fame terms. No men on this island are letter qualified for the American mar than the Scots Highlanders. '< Certainly the Scots regiments Jin the Dutch service ought immediately to be recalled. Better it will be for them to serve their own country, than perish in sickly garrisons. "In the North of Ireland two thousand brave Protestants, or more, if necessary, might be raised with celerity and sacility upon the promise of having lands assigned to them, when the war is finished. "It ought not to be supposed, that the French really intend to invade Great Britain or Ireland; the disficulties and dangers which mull attend the enterprize, are more than enough to deter them i nevertheless, the report of an invasion, made Chap. The debates in Parliament were sew, and in XIV* considerable this session. Although Mr. Pitt de ,.-,, livered a message from the King, requesting a sum of money for the army that was forming in Germany, he did not support the motion. The 'made such an impression on the minds of some men in power, or they would have it so believed, that this idle rumour or seint occasioned the loss of Minorca, and the neglect of sending so many ships as were necessary in the West Indies. "The naval forces of Great Britain being more than twice • as strong as the French, and this kingdom so well provided with conveniences for constructing ships of war, that three may be built here, as soon as one in France; the British cruisers aud squadrons may always exceed the French by a third in all parts, which must distress their commerce to a high degree, ruin their sisheries, and starve the inhabitants in the French sugar colonies. The war continuing three or four years, France must inevitably be greatly distressed, her merchants bankrupted, and her manusactures brought to ruin; others obliged to seek their food in foreign countries; whereas, in England, the manusactures, more especially the woollen, sell at higher rates, when at war with Fiance, than in times of peace. "When the French perceive, this nation takes proper means for maintaining a war, and that their secret friends are deprived of direSing and administering the affairs of this government, fa) they will use every artifice and device that fraud and cunning can suggest, to make an insidious peace: but it is earnestly recommended, that the war may endure until the enemy is entirely subdued in America, and so totally disabled, as not to become troublesome to this kingdom in suture times." Note, by the Author of the preceding:" (a) When his Royal Highness formed the administration, of which Mr. Fox bad the lead, the French perceived this influence of their secret friends somewhat abridged; and although they still had a fhare of power, yet they were obliged to act very cautiously. Upon the administration being put into the hands of Mr. Pitt, these secret friends were •wholly excluded from the cabinet. While he guided, Great Britain was in her b*vn hands. When in the next reign, peace was resolved upon, '."' '.• those The late cabinet saw, that the King was very Chai,. far from being reconciled to Mr. Pitt. They ^IV* employed every secret whisperer, to widen the 1757. breach, and filled every private channel to the royal ear with prejudices against him. An enquiry was instituted into the causes of the loss of Minorca, which, is' possible, encreased their disapprobation. But the circumstance which offended his Majesty,most, was Mr. Pitt's resusal to support the army in Germany; in which refusal he was joined by Mr. Legge. The Duke was preparing to set out for Germany; and the royal request, at first, was to have an immediate supply of money, without waiting for the approbation of Parliament. The King ah 1 Duke finding the new Ministers hostile to their plan of German measures, determined to remove them. The Duke declared, he would not go to Germany unless Mr. Pin was removed. On the 5th of April, j^r, p;tt 1757, the King commanded Mr. Pitt to resign ;refuscsto and on the 9th the Duke sec out for Germany. [^i^of Lord Temple was also turned out, and LordCumberWinchelfta put at the head of the admiralty ; MrJan^* Legge was turned out, and Lord Mansfield was appointed to succeed him ; no successor wns appointed to Mr Pitt; Lord Holder neffe, the other secretary of state, executed the duties of both osfices. those secret friends came forward again, to conduct the negotiation. Then Mr. Pitt was forced out of administration. He then selt the secret influence of the closet. Our allies were deserted; and peace was made with the enemies of the nation, who were the friends of these secret friends. .' This |