they very readily promised, and punctually performed. The army being thus plentifully fupplied with provifions, the following articles were foon agreed on: 1ft, That all forts, arms, ammunition, and military ftores, all! kinds of fhipping in any harbour in the island, with their tackling, &c. and all merchandise, be delivered up to General Venables, or whom he should appoint, for the ufe of the Protector and common wealth of England. 2dly, That all and every of the inhabitants of the iland (except fome, who were particularly named) fhould have their lives granted, and thofe inclined to stay at liberty to continue; and the others to be tranfported to New Spain, or feme island belonging to the Spanish crown, in America, together with their cloaths, books, and papers, they providing themselves with provilions and neceffaries. 3dly, That all commiftion Officers, but none elfe, fhould be allowed to wear their swords and ponyards. 4thly, That all Officera, and meaner fort of people, fhould be permitted to remain on the illand, and enjoy their goods, provided they conformed themselves to the laws that were to be established in the island. Thus I have related the chief circumftances of an expedition which procured us the noble island of Jamaica, undoubtedly the most valuable of all our poffeffions in the Weft-Indies; and fhall conclude with withing that it, and all the rest of our settlements in the New World, may long continue under the crown of Great Britain, in which I am fatisfied I fhall be joined by every true loyer of his 8 To the King's most Excellent Majesty' The humble Addrefs of the Gentle › men, Clergy, Merchants, and other principal Inhabitants of the City of Bristol. Prefented by Mr. Smith. Moft gracious Sovereign, W and loyal fubjects, the Gentle your Majefty's most dutiful men, Clergy, Merchants, and other principal inhabitants of the city of Bristol, beg leave to lay ourselves at your Majesty's feet, and to address your Majefty on the prefent afflictive and melancholy fituation of public affairs, both at home and abroad. It is with the moft fenfible grief, that we fee one of the most valuable fortreffes in your Majesty's dominiors torn from us by a deceitful and perfidious enemy; and our American settlements, by fome fatal delay, or mifmanagement, expofed to very im minent danger, at a time when your Majefty has a confeffed fuperiority of naval force, and after the largest fupplies have moft readily been granted for their prefervation and fupport. We have the highest reafon to hope, from your Majefty's known juftice, and conftant attention to the welfare and profperity of your people, that the latent caufes of our prefent calamities will be strictly inquired into, and brought to light; and that those perfons (if any fuch there be) who have either wantonly neglected, or treacherously betrayed, the honour of the nation, may not escape the punishment due to their atrocious crimes, At the fame time, we repose ourfelves in your Majesty's paternal care, that the late fupplies may be ftriétly appropriated to the falutary ends for which they were granted, the diftrelfing and annoyance of our declared enemies, the defence of the kingdom, and the protection and fupport of our commerce and colonies. We cannot but lament, that, for want of a well-regulated national mi litia litia, your faithful fubjects of these kingdoms are not at liberty to prove by their actions their affection to their country, and their loyalty to the best of Kings And we beg leave to affure your Majesty, that, for our parts, we fhall always (when enabled) be ready and defirous to exert our courage, and hazard of our lives and fortunes, in defence of your Majesty's facred perfon and illustrious family, againft all invaders whatsoever. To the King's moft Excellent Majesty. The humble Addrefs of the Mayor, (Prefented by Mr. Nugent, one of their Reprefentatives, and one of the Lords of the Treasury.) WE Moft gracious Sovereign, 7E, your Majetty's mott dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Mayor, Burgeffes, and Commonalty of the city of Brittol, in Common-council af fembled,, mott humbly approach your throne, to testify our firm and unfhaken zeal for your most facred perfon and illuftrious house. The late mifcarriage of your Majefty's arms in the Mediterranean gives us real forrow, as we fear its confequences will be fatal to the trade, the wealth, and glory of this independent. country. However, we are not difmayed at this unfortunate event, fince we never doubted but your Majesty's wifdom would direct that free and confitutional inquiry into the caule of this national difhoner, as will not fail of bringing to juftice any perfons who have been deficient in their duty to you, the bravest and best of Kings. Though we think it the highest prefumption to preferibe meafures to your Majesty in the prefent important conjuncture, yet permit us, Sir, to: acknowledge our intire fatisfaction and reliance on your Majesty's magnanimity and goodness, expreffed in your royal and most gracious affurances to your citizens of London; which, we flatter ourselves, muft remove every distrust and jealoufy, animate the defponding, and unite all true Englishmen in a vigorous and affectionate fupport of the common caufe, thereby maintaining reputation abroad, and our fecurity at home, to the intire defeat of the hopes and defigns of our enemies. Nor can we hear omit rendering our unfeigned thanks for the numerous bleflings we have already enjoyed under your Majelty's auspicious reign. and that paternal regard you have always fhewn for the general welfare and happinets of your people; these loudly call from us mott grateful returns of confidence and duty; and as no dangers or misfortunes fhall deject us, fo we beg leave to offer our hearty and fincere affurances, that nothing fhall ever divert us from defending (at the hazard of our lives and fortunes) your Majefty's perfon and government, in the profecution of this juft and neceflary war, for recovering the indifputable rights and poffeflions of your Crown, and fixing, upon a folid bafis, the free and extenfive commerce of your fubje&s. To the King's moft Excellent Majesty. The humble Addrefs of the Gentle men, Clergy, Merchants, and others, the principal Inhabitants of the City of Brittol. and fincerity, to affure your Majefty, that the many bleffings we enjoy under your aufpicious reign, and the moft gracious anfwer, your Majefty has lately been pleafed to give to the addrefs of the firft city of your kingdom, call for, from us, and all your fubjects, returns the warmest gratitude, and the most unfeigned loyalty and affection. We fincerely oin with jour fellow fubjects in the general grief and concern for the lofs of your Majefty's ifland of Minorca; and greatly la ment the difgrace brought on that part of your royal navy fent to the relief. of it; appearing at prefent to be chiefly owing to the cowardice or mifconduct of the fuperior Officer, who, on that important occafion, might have done the most acceptable fervice to your Majefty and his country, and increaf ed the glory of the British flag. At the fame time, we highly commend the brave and noble defence of Fort St. Philip, as doing honour to your Majesty's arms, and to thofe gallant Officers and foldiers, to whom the care of it was intrufted: And, as, we have long experienced your Majefty's readiness in rewarding merit, fo, on the other hand, we cannot doubt but the ftricteft inquiry will be made into the caufes of thefe our national misfortunes, and the guilty, whosoever they are, duly and impar tjally profecuted and punished: We have your Majefty's royal word for it, and on that we rely. Your Majefty will permit us to exprefs our grateful fenfe of your paternal regard, and of the great care and prudent measures, which are taken for the fafety and defence of GreatBritain, and that, by your Majefty's wife conduct and vigilance, the most confiderable fleet, which the French have been able to equip, during this prefent war, has been blocked up by your Majefty's fquadron in the bay of Bifcay; the fhips of your Majefty's fubjects protected; their trade fupported, whilft captures are daily mak ing on thofe of the enemy, and their unprotected commerce falling a facrifice to our public and private ships of war. We are fully fatisfied, that the affiftances, given to our colonies and settlements in America, are fuch as (by the blefling of God upon your Majelty's arms) will fecure to us our just rights and poffeffions; and that all fuch fuccours and fupplies have been and will be fent thither, as are or fhall be compatible with the fuperior intereft and immediate preservation of this kingdom. We fhall think it prefumption in ut to dictate to your Majesty what further measures will be requifite to be purfued for the defence and security of this kingdom; but fhall chearfully acquiefce in all fuch as fhall be establifhed by the legal determination of public and conftitutional wifdom; not doubting but every thing will be done confiftent with the liberties and privileges of a free people, and the intereft of a nation which hath its principal dependance on trade, commerce, and manufactures; and your Majesty may be affured, that we fhall, in our feveral ftations, continue to do every thing in our power to render your Majefty's government refpectable, and your reign happy and glorious. To the King's moft Excellent Majesty The humble Addrefs of the High Sheriff, and Grand Jury of the County of Norfolk. prefervation of your Majefty's undoubt ed rights and poffethions Grand Jury,, and Gentlemen affe bled at the allizes held for the county of Somerfet, beg leave, moft humoly, to addrefs your Majefty on the prefent critical fituation of affairs ; and to offer the most unfeigned affurances of our inviolable affection and fidelity to your facred perfon and illuftrious Family: Nor can we doube but that your Majesty will receive, with approbation, our expreffions of concern for the welfare and honour of your kingdoms; which it has been the study of your royal life to promote and maintain. Deeply affected with the lofs of the important island of Minorca, but more fo with the difgraceful and extraordinary circumstances attending it, and full of the moft anxious fears for the neglected and deplorable condition of our fellow fubjects in America, we humbly approach your Majcity's throne with our earnest requests, and hopes, founded on our long experience of your Majefty's conftant concern for justice, that the true caufe of these pational calamities may be speedily and effectually inquired into, and if any. The lots of the important island of fhall be found either to have difgraced our arms abroad, or betrayed our, Councils at home, they may meet with exemplary punishment. As we are perfuaded that the prefent alarming and expofed fituation of this country arifes. in fome mea fure, from the want of a conftitutional and effective militia, (the natural de fence of this nation) by the establishment of which your Majesty's regular forces may be employed in greater numbers, and with more fuccefs, in the defence of your Majesty's fubjects and poffeflions abroad, and your fleets be lefs contined to the protection of our coafts, permit us to affure your Majefty, that we your loyal and faithful fubjects, animated by a real affection for our happy conititution, and an ardent zeal for your Majesty, and the fucceflion of the crown eftablished in your illuftrious Houfe, are ready and will to offering our perfons and fortunes, no lefs when this most defirable and constitutional provision fhall take place, than upon every other oecafion, which calls upon us as dutiful and faithful fubjects. Minorca appears, to us, to be not only a dreadful blow to the trade of this nation, but an indeliable ftain on our political, as well as martial glory: This unprevented, though not unexpected froke, at the beginning of a juft and national war, vigorously and effectually fupported by your Majesty's, loyal and affectionate fubjects, muft, we conceive, fill every British heart with apprehenfion of furprite.. Yer, by what means foever this great misfortune came to pafs, by whatever hands the public intereft and honour were given up; we cannot distrust your Majesty's paternal care of your people, or your impartial justice on thote who fhall be found to have betrayed them. For, as we are perfuaded that no true lover of his coun try will refute to expofe his life and fortune in defence of your facred perfon and government; lo are we well fatished, that your Majelly will not honour with your royal countenance and protection those who have not at heart the fafety and happiness of Great Britain. Account of the late Engagement in the HE To the King's moft Excellent Majefty. The humble Addrefs of the High Sherbeen given of the late engagetiff, Grand Jury, and Gentlemen of different accounts that have the County of Somerfet., WE meat in the Mediterranean makes an authentic reprefentation of it neceffary. We were favour'd by a gentleman in a high ftation in the fleet with a Drawing taken in the time of action, who likewife had an opportunity of obferving all the fignals made by the English admiral; thefe curious particulars cannot fall of recommending themfelves to the notice of the public at a time when people have little elfe but conjecture to form their judgment upon. EXPLANATION of the SIGNALS given by the English Admiral, taken by an Officer on board the FLEET. Wednesday: May 19, 1756, wind in the N. W. qr. at 11 A M. the Phoenix, which was a-head of the fleet, made the fignal for feeing a fleet in the S. E. which proved to be 16 fail of French men of war. At 45 min. after 11 the admiral made the fignal for the whole fleet to chafe to the S. E. Thurday, May 20, at 50 min. after 12, P. M. the admiral made the fignal to speak to the rear-admiral. At 2 the admiral made the fignal for the fleet to draw into the line of battle a-head, at two cables length alunder. At 5 the admiral made the fignal for the lieutenants of the Kingiton and Lancaster. At 6 the fignal for the van of the fleet to fill and stand on. At 7 the fignal to tack, ditto tackt weftward, the wind at S. by W. At 45 min. after 11 the fignal to tack, ditto tackt to the eastward. At half an hour past 5, A. Mt the admiral made the Princefs Louifa's fignal to chafe to the N. E. feeing 3 fmall fail in that quarter. At 50 min. after 5, A. M. the admiral made the fignal for the rear admiral to fend hips to chafe to the N. E. which were the Captain and Dehance. At 6 the fignal to tack, ditto tackt to the weftward. Ditto the admiral made the fignal to fpeak with the Dolphin. At 20 min. after 6, A. M. the admiral made the fignal for fhips chacing in the N. W. to come into the fleet; and foon hauled that down, and made the fignal for all cruizers (which. was repeated feveral times) and the rear-admiral made the fignal for the fhips to the N. E. to join the fleet. At half an hour past 6, A. M. the Trident made the fignal for feeing a fleet. Ditto faw a fleet in the S. E diftant about 4 or 5 leagues At 7, A. M. the Defiance's fignal was made; and at half an hour paft 8, the fchooner's fignal was made, At 19, A. M. the admiral made the fignal to tack, ditto tackt S. E. the wind at S. W. by S. At 10 min. after 10 the admiral made the fignal for the line of battle ahead, at half a cable's length afunder. At 10 min. after 11 the admiral made the fignal for the van of the fleet to fill and stand on. Friday May 21, the wind S. S. W, at half an hour paft P. M. the admi ral made the fignal for the fternmoft and leeward-molt fhips to tack firft. At 35 min. after that fignal was hauled down, and the fignal made for the whole fleet to tack together; the fleet being then in a regular line of battle a-head, at the diftance agreeable to fignals, immediately tackt together to the N. W. and formed as regular a line as poffible. At 50 min after the fleet being then upon their larboard tacks (the enemy upon the fame) the admiral made the fignal for the van of the fleet to lead more to ftarboard. At 20 min. after 2 the admiral made the fignal to engage. At 26 min. after 2 the French began to fire at the van of our feet, which was foon returned by them, and the action was brought on. At about 33 min. after 2 the Intrepid loft her fore-topmaft, which render'd her incapable of keeping the line; and obliged the Revenge to lay all her fails a back, for fear of being a-board her, or interrupting of her fire, which obliged all the rear of the fleet to do the fame. At |