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Portugal j ( s ) And Sir George Byngfail to a Station ten Leagues S. of CapeToulon, to intercept the Enemy’s Trade,and as much as possible to alarm them.They both failed together, and SirGewge arrived before Toulon, the twen-ty-first of June, where having cruizedsome Time he returned to Barcelona-Road.

There were now two Grarid Schemesproposed, one for the Reduction of Scily,at which Sir Edward Whitaker wasto command, and the other an,.Attempton Cadiz, on which the Admiral pro-posed to proceed himself, with GeneralStanhope ; But both Designs came to no-thing, partly because the Dutch couldnot assist at them for Want of Provisions;and partly because the Ships \vere re-quired by the King of Spain for so ma-ny particular Services, that it was im-possible to keep a sufficient Body toge-ther. Our Ships were however, aftertheir being cleaned at Port Mahon, verysuccessful, in taking a great Number ofPrizes. (?)

Sir George being arrived at Gibraltar ,and not finding there the Squadron heexpected under Rear-Admiral Baker,(u) with the Troops intended for the At-tempt on Cadiz, that Design was whol-ly laid aside ; And it was resolved, at aCouncil of War, that Sir Edward Whit-her ssiould remain with a Squadron inthe Streights, (x) and Sir George returnto Great Britain ; Pursuant to which he

jpass’d the Streights the twenty-second ipos.of September, and arrived at Spit head thetwenty-fifth of OFfober. ( y)

Before I pioceed farther On Naval'Affairs, it may not be improper tofay a Word or two of what pass’d atHome.

The sixteenth of September, an Or - ships fromder of Council was made, enjoining all the BalticfeShips coming from the Ba/tick to ly en i°ined toQuarentain, on Account of the Plague tai^ aren "being in some of those Parts. Theeighth of November, Her Majesty was -Alterationspleased to make an Alteration in the milaity^ndAdmiralty. (2) And, a few Days after, Fleet.in the Fleet, (a)

The fifteenth, the Parliament met; ^> e Parli a-And the Commons the first Day of their ment meets *Sitting, voted Thanks, and a congratu-latory Compliment to the Duke ofMarlborough. The twenty-first, they A Supply farvoted the fame Supply for the Navy, as the Navywas granted the foregoing Year. granted.

The Beginning of the Year, ryio.

France renewed and added to the Over-tures of Peace began the foregoing Year; vBut as they came to nothing, I paLthem by.

Sis. Edward Whitaker’r Proceedings inthe Mediterranean.

I have already mentioned (Note (x)of this Chapter') the Directions given bySir George Byng to Sir Edward Whita-

1 o E ker,

(?) With one Second-Rate, four Thifd-Rates, And by cruising off of the Coast of Roses, or there-five Fourth-Rates, and three Fifth-Rates: Seve- abouts, to prevent the carrying of the Enemy anyral other Ships being, at the fame Time, employed Supplies of Provisions or Ammunition, and so toon particular Services. dispose of the Ships under his Command, from

(t) They took two and twenty loaden with Time to Time, that they might intercept their

Corn, three Ships from Turky , three from Mar- Vessels with Corn from the Levant, and the Coast

feilles, and three from Carthagena, the Dutch of Barbary.

.having seized on three more. The Anti lope and (y) Having with him one First-Rate, two'

Worcester having been cruising up the Levant, Third-Rates, and two Fourth-Rates ; The Effiextook three French Merchant-lhips, and when Sir and the Firme, with a Sloop and two Bomb-vesselsEdward Whitaker appeared with his Squadron off being sent before, with the empty Transports andof Roses j he discovered there about forty Embark- other Vessels. Annals of

ations, which were employed to transport Provi- (z) She was pleased to appoint Edward, Earl @ Ann.lions to the Enemy's Army in the Ampourdan, of Orford, _ Sir John Leake, Sir George Byng,thirty of which he took, whereby they were put to George Dodington, Esq; and Paul Methuen, Esq;

no little Streights for Want of the Supplies they Commissioners sot executing the Office of Lord

hoped for by Sea. High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, in

(u) These Troops were embarked about the the Room of the Earl of Pembroke; On whom

Middle of August ; But being long detained, on the Her Majesty was pleased to bestow a Pension of

Coast of England, by contrary Winds, did riot L. 3000. per annum, payable out of the Revenue

make the Coast of Portugal, 'till the Beginning of of the Post-Office, in Consideration of his eminent

Odober ; And then, by Directions of the Earl of Services.

{a) She appointed Matthew Ayltner, E% Ad-miral, and Commaftder in Chief of Her Majesty'sFleet: The Lord Durstey, Vice-Admiral, andCharles Wager, Esq; Rear-Admiral of the R et ] }

Sir John Jennings Admiral, and Sir EdwardWhitaker, Vice-Admiral of the White ; And SirJohn Norris, Admiral, and John Baker, Esq*Vice-Adstiiral of the Blue.

Galloway, failed directly tor Barcelona, with theForces he had on Board.

(x) THE nine and twentieth of July, Sir Georgegave him Directions to use his best Endeavours,with ten Third-Rates, two Fourth-Rates,' threeFifth-Rates, and one Sixth-Rate, to protect theCoast of Catalonia, in Conjunction with suchDutch Ship's as should be appointed co join him ;