W. and M. Naval Expeditions , &c. oj the English, Book ^ '

signs of the French, in Catalonia. Thiswas thought an Affair of such Impor-tance in England, that it was long deba-ted, before it was resolved on : It was,however, at Length, agreed, that ourShips might both lye safe, and be wellcareened at Cadiz, Nor was the Differ-ence in the Expence, between their ly-ing there, and in our own Ports,thought considerable. But I do notfind that the material Difference of theMony being spent abroad, or at Home,was taken into Consideration. By theFleet’s lying there, the French were soshut within the Mediterranean, that theOcean and their Coasts were left opento us: A Consideration which it seemedoutweigh’d all Difficulties. The Admi-ral acquainted the Vice-roy of Cataloniawith these Orders, and desired to hearfrom him at Alicant (whether it was de-termined the Fleet should go) if he hadany Account of the French, or that theFleet might be of any Service to him.He likewise desired Mr. Stanhope, HisMajesty’s Envoy at Madrid, to procureOrders, that the Puntal might be madeclear, for the Refitting of the Fleet, attheir Arrival at Cadiz.

While the Fleet rode at Alicant, the 1 6p4‘Admiral being taken ill of a Fever, andBloody Flux, and obliged to go onShoar , the Command was given toVice-Admiral Aylmer, and Instructionswere given him, for his Government.

Mr. Aylmer, put to Sea, with theFleet, pursuant to the Directions given thehim; But meeting with nothing remark- wand of ^able, returned, the tenth of September .

The Admiral, not being yet recovered,sent him Orders to call a Council ofWar, and maturely to consider of someParticulars (f) he sent him, so that noTime might be lost, when he himselfmight be able to return, and take theCommand upon him.

His Catholick Majesty being now in- Theformed, that the King had ordered the zrds F°$sFleet to winter in the Mediterranean, aMemorial was, by His Order, sent to Port ^the Admiral, proposing, among other hon; p f rThings, that the Fleet might anchor atPort Mahon ; Which the Admiral disap- provedproved off, and sent his Reasons againstit to Court, (g)

The Admiral being now in a betterState of Health, the Fleet set Sail from

Alicant,

his coming to their Port, as he had designed,and that, therefore, he took the present Occa-sion to assure them of the great Esteem the King,his Master, had of their Friendihip.

(e) He was directed first to proceed and joinRear-Admiral Nevil (who had been detachedwith ten Ships to cruise) as soon as' possibly hecould. It was then particularly recommended tohim, to endeavour to gain Intelligence of theProceedings of the French, and to prevent theirgetting out of the Mediterranean In Orderwhereunto, he was ordered to place himself insuch Stations* and to employ the Ships of theFleet in such Manner, as should, from Time toTime, be judged most adviseable, by a Councilof War, and, upon meeting the Enemy's Fleet,or any Part thereof, he was directed to use hisbest Endeavours, to come up with and destroythem, and to chafe them with the whole Fleet,or such a Number of Ships as should be thoughtmost proper, without having any Regard to hisbeing on Shoar, or expecting farther Orders fromhim, for his Proceedings. It was, also, recom-mended to him, to take Care, upon his discover-ing any French Squadron, ftandingWest ward, andendeavouring to pass the Streights, that such aNumber of Ships, as might, at least, be equal totheir Force, were sent after them, as far as theyshould go, or 'till such Time as they could comeup with and attack them, and to proceed himselfwith the Rest to Cadiz, where he was to remainfor farther Order. But, if he did not fee theFrench, in six Days, after his being at Sea, orgain Information, that they were come from Tou-lon, he was to repair with the whole Fleet toAlicant : For by that Time, the Admiral hadHopes he might be in a Condition to return onSoard.

(f) These JParticulars were:

1. Whether it was necessary for the Fleet tocontinue within the Streights ?

2. Whether it might be convenient, whenthey returned to Cadiz, to leave some Ships, ei-ther within or without the Streights, for inter-cepting any of the Enemy's Ships, that might at-tempt to proceed into the Northern Seas: And ifso, what Number of each Rate, and on whatStation they might most properly ly, to effect thesame ?

3 . And, since it was reported, that the Frenchkept their Ships at loulon, in a constant Readinessto proceed to Sea, by which it was reasonable tobelieve they intended to proceed, either with thewhole, or Part of them, to Brest, as soon as anOpportunity should offer for their passing theStreights, he was, therefore, to consider, whatShips in the Fleet were in the best Condition, andmost proper to follow them, that so the latter Partof His Majesty’s Orders might be complied with,in Cafe they should make such an Attempt ?

(g) The Admiral let the Court know, thathe was not a little surprized at such a Proposal;Because not any Thing could be had from theIsland of Minorca, should the Fleet be under ne-ver so pressing Necessities. Besides, all the Storesand Provisions to be sent from England, must, 1 stsuch Case, have been brought to Port Mahon, f°that the French would have had a large Sea torange in Search of them; And should there havehappened a Want, but of the least Thing, for en-abling a Ship to proceed on Service, there theinust have lain, until such Time, as it could havebeen conveyed from Cadiz, or Naples : Whereas,if the Fleet wintered at Cadiz, as the King hadordered, it would then be in his Power to fendShips from thence, to protect any Supplies, com-ing from England, or to furnish himself there,upon any emergent Occasion.