Chap.XII.
during the Reign of §yeen Ann.
o ,02?
CHAP. XII.
Naval Expeditions and Transactions of ^British Nation, in Europe, with other
Occurrences, during the Tear, 1708.
1708.■Annals of^ Ann.^ompl. Hist.
Europe.jWchett.h'Jrnet.Memoirs de*orbin.
^ Daniel.
De Larreyfst. de Fr.t-pns Louis,
Xiv.
^foceedines)(the Par-"atnent con-Jfning the^Wavy.
P?*eat Bri-a ‘ n threatn-/ tvith anbastion.
HE nineteenth of January, aProclamation was published forencouraging Seamen and Land-men, to enter themselves onBoard Her Majesty’s Ships of War;And, on the six and twentieth, HisRoyal Highness Prince George, appoint-ed the Commanders of Her Majesty’sFleet, {a) The seventh of February,the House of Lords presented an Addressto Her Majesty, representing the Al-legations against Captain Kerr (b) tohave been fully proved, and beseechingHer Majesty to give such effectual Or-ders, as might prevent the like for thefuture. The sixteenth, the House ofCommons address’d Her Majesty, on thefame Account, and humbly desired thewould be pleased not to employ the saidCaptain Kerr, in Her Service for thefuture ; Which Desire Her Majesty, inAnswer, declared She would complywith. The first of March, the Houseof Lords presented a very long Address(c) to Her Majesty, about the Misman-agements of the Navy.
While these Things were transact-ing, the Nation was suddenly alarmed
with the Threats of an Invasion, (d)Great Preparations were carrying on forthis Expedition, at Dunkirk, with allimaginable Diligence, and with suchSecrecy, that the Design was ratherguess’d at than known, ’till the Preten-der himself set out from St. G er mains,the four and twentieth of February, butthen it was no longer a Secret, that heintended a Descent upon Scotland.
The fourth of March, Mr. SecretaryBoyle acquainted the House of Commonswith the Advices the Queen had receiv-ed ; Upon which both Houses address’dHer Majesty, promising to stand byHer with their Lives and Fortunes: Andthe sixth, Her Majesty issued Her Roy-al Proclamation, declaring the preten-ded Prince of Wales, and all his Ac-complices, Adherents and Abettors, tobe Tray tors and Rebels. But to returnto the Fleet.
Sir George Byng’r Proceedings in Pur-suit of a French Squadron defgned toland the Pretender in Scotland.
10 A The
1708.
Annni j? ( a ) They were as follows: Sir John Leake,0 * ; Admiral of the White, and Admiral and Com-nn ' mander in Chief of Her Majesty’s Fleet ; SirGeorge Byng, Admiral of the Blue ; Sir John Jen-nings , Vice-Admiral of the Red: Sir John Mor-ris , Vice-Admiral of the White-, The LordZ)«r-stey, Vice-Admiral of the Blue ; Sir Edward Whi-taker , Rear-Admiral of the Red-, and John Ba-ker, Esq; Rear-Admiral of the White.
I [b) The Allegations proved against him were,that he had exacted large Sums forConvoy-Mony ;And put Merchants to great Expences in freight-ing Ships, upon promising them Convoy, and af-terwards refusing it, which was the Occasion of aSloop, with great Wealth, being lost.
(c) This Address,which, when printed, made alarge Pamphlet, is too long to be inserted or abridgedhere: But the Conclusion of it gives so gloriousan Idea of the Illustrious Body which presented it,that I must not omit it. " It is a most undoubt-" ed Maxim, (fay their Lordships) that the Ho-“ nour, Security, and Wealth of this Kingdom“ does depend upon the Protection and Encou-" ragement of Trade, and the Improving and“ right Managing the Naval Strength. Other" Nations who were formerly great and powerful« at Sea, have by Negligence and Mismanage-" ment lost theirTfade, and seen their Maritimecc Strength entirely ruined. Therefore We do,tc in the most earnest Manner, beseech Your Ma-“ jesty, that the Sea-Affairs may always be Your“ first and most peculiar Care. We humbly hope,^ that it shall be Your Majesty’s chief and con-
" stant Instruction to all, that shall have the Ho-" nour to be employed in Your Councils, and in“ the Administration of Affairs, that they becon-“ tinually intent and watchful in what concerns" the Trade and Fleet; And that every one of" them may be made to know it is his particular" Charge, to take Care that the Seamen be encou-“ caged, the Trade protected, Discipline restor-" nd, and a new Spirit and Vigour put into the“ whole Administration of the Navy." An Actpassed soon after for the better securing the Tradeof this Kingdom, byCruizers and Convoys; Andthe Encouragement of Privaters, particularly inthe Wst-Indies and the South-Sea; All they couldtake being entirely left to themselves.
(d) What encouraged France to such an At-tempt, at this Time, was the Report, that theScots were so highly discontented, on Account ofthe Union , as to be ripe for a Revolt, and readyto declare for the Pretended Prince of Wales, onhis Arrival among them. De Larrey fays, that De Larrey,while the Preparations were making at Dunkirk, Hist- de Fr.the Chevalier de Nangis, Captain of a French f ou s LouisMan of War was privately sent to Edinburg with XIV.Credentials and Instructions, to found the Nobilityand People; That he was received by the Male-contents with great Joy, and found every Thingripe for a Revolution ; That he landed someArms and Ammunition ; And, that he was madeto hope, there were thirty Thousand Scots readyto receive the Pretender, as soon as he should landto head them.