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Sir WilliamMonson’jAdvice tothe Earl ofEssex.

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Naval Expeditions , die. of the English ,

" on, (/) to give his Opinion in Writ-" ing. First, whether he stiould at-" tempt the Ships in Harbour, or no ?" Secondly, whether before or after“ his being at ‘itere er a ? And lastly, the“ Manner how to assault them ? The" Captain’s Answer yvas as follows,“ which the Reader may peruse and“ judge of.

To the Right Honourable the Earlof ESSEX.

“ T N Answer to your Lordship’s

JL “ Demand, Whether to give an“ Mt tempt upon the Ships in Ferrol, be-tr fore the landing your Men , and the" Gas les gained} This I fay; That be-" fore I can give my Resolution, I must“ describe the State of the Harbour," and the Situation of the Forts, with" the Strength of the Ships; For out of" these must proceed my Reasons.

“ I conceive, at the Entrance of" the Harbour there are two Castles,ec the one on the South-side, the other“ on the North, both commanding anytc Ship that shall enter : They are seat-" ed low by the Water, the Cliffs onte both Sides very high, and the Har-tc hour to be chained.

" My Opinion is, if your Lordship“ do land your Men in the Bay, be-<e fore you take the Forts, as there is“ no other Place of landing, you must" consider it is an open Road, the Coast" subject to Northerly Winds, whichtc beat so hard on the Shoar, that you“ cannot land your Soldiers, and their<f Furniture , with Conveniency and" Safety, especially being sure to findte Resistance at your landing.

" But your Lordship may answer," That he who attempts great Things

must run all Hazards: And as it is" Wisdom to forecast all Doubts and" Dangers, so were it too great aSe-“ curity not to hazard Loss upon Hopefc of Victory: c And whereas the Dan-“ ger of landing, by Reason of the" Sea’s breaking on the Shoar, is al-" ledged, you may think we are not" always sure of a Northerly Wind,“ nor of so great a Sea; And there-rc fore you must put your Attempt ines Adventure.

" But for your Lordship’s Satisfac-" tion in this Point, you must know," that you cannot seize that Coast, but" with such a Wind as makes such a" Sea, as renders it difficult for you to" land. Or suppose, that being upon“ the Coast, as you were the last Year,ft when you came from Cadiz, and that" the Wind stiould now do, as then it" did, chop up from the South-West" to the North-West, your Lordship“ would be embayed and forced to(f seek the Harbour of the Groyne or" Ferrol , and make good those Places,“ which then you might have done :tc But now you must consider your Ar-" my is not so great as it was then," andstheir Fortifications and Shipping“ much stronger than they were. My" Opinion is, therefore, that there is" little Possibility of attempting the“ Shipping, without gaining the Forts," neither do I fee any - Poffibility tocc possess them, with your small Ar-fC my..

“ But your Lordship may alledge," that tho’ the Ports are impregna-.“ hie, yet they may be pass’d with a“ large W r ind, for every Shot that" comes from them hits not, or, if it" does, it kills not, but tho’ it should, it." sinks not.

“ I allow it is no great Difficulty." to pass any Fort with a Ship under“ Sail, being amoveable Thing, where." no certain Aim can be had ; Yettr I think noPlace more dangerous thantc Ferrol, because of the Highness of“ the Hills, and the Narrowness of the“ Entrance, that makes a continual" Calm, or the little Wind so uncer-" tain, that every Puff brings sundry" Shifts of Wind. Many of the King" of Spain’s Ships have been there lost:“ And therefore, the Advantage of a" Ship in passing a Castle, is the Force" and Largeness of a Wind, as to the" contrary, these Forts will be able to“ annoy a Ship upon the former Rea-" sons.

“ But allow that your Lordships“ Fleet should .-enter safely; For the" greatest Difficulty is not to pass in, but" to perform the Service when they are" in, your Fleet being entered, they“ will be in the State of a Prisoner," that cannot get out of a House, with-

• “ OUt

.. W This Captain was Sir William Monfin fectation, conceals Mo I. r , ,. . ,

dwifelf, ivho, Uiq‘ he, out of Modesty, or As- vice, W. M ? ^ as ^S ne< ^ Ad-