K. GEORGE II.

CONTINUED.

OTWITHSTANDING the Treaty of Seville, concluded fo long fince as the year 1729, the Spaniards had never defifted from the commiffion of those infults and depredations, for the prevention of which it was chiefly and profeffedly made. They were even emboldened by the phlegmatic indifference, or pufillanimity, of the English Minister, to proceed to still farther extremities. They now therefore disputed the right of the English traders to cut logwood in the Bay of Campeachy, and to gather falt in the island of Tortuga, though of antient and established prac. tife, and never before called in question. On pretence of the illicit commerce carried on by the

British West India Islands with the Spanish Mainand which, however contrary to the abfurd policy of Spain, was doubtlefs equally neceffary and beneficial to both countries-armed veffels, known by the name of Guarda-Coftas, were ftationed in the ufual track of commercial intercourfe, which on the plea of searching for contraband goods, feized, plundered, and infolently detained, a great number of British merchant-fhips at their difcretion; and, without regarding the faith of nations, imprifoning the crews, and confiscating the cargoes. The repeated memorials prefented by the British Ambaffador at the Court of Madrid produced no fort of effect. Evafive answers, vague promises of inquiry, and cedulas of inftructions fent to the Spanish Governors in America, intended merely to amufe, were all the advances which were made towards reparation and redrefs. The nation feemed at length fired with a general and juft refentment at these outrages. Petitions were prefented to Parliament in the feffion of 1738, from the mercantile towns and cities, ftating the violences to which they had been exposed, and imploring relief and protection. The Houfe, in a grand committee, proceeded to hear counfel for the merchants, and to examine evidence; in the course of which it appeared, that the most horrid and wanton acts of cruelty had in various inftances been perpetrated by the Spaniards on the fubjects of Great Britain.

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Britain. One Jenkins, who appeared on this occafion at the bar of the Houfe, gave a fimple and affecting narrative of the favage treatment he had met with from the captain of a Spanish guardacofta, who, after exhaufting his invention in various modes of torture, tore off one of his ears, and bade him carry it to his King, adding withal many contumelious and opprobrious expreffions. Defpairing to escape alive from the hands of this barbarian, he recommended, he said, his foul to God, and the revenge of his wrongs to his country. The House, scarcely lefs inflamed than the populace with this recital, voted an unanimous address to the King," befeeching his Majesty to use his endeavors to obtain effectual relief for his injured fubjects, to convince the Court of Spain that his Majefty could no longer fuffer fuch conftant and repeated infults and injuries to be carried on to the dishonor of his Crown, and to the ruin of his fubjects-and in cafe his applications proved fruitless, affuring him, that the Houfe would effectually fupport his Majefty in taking fuch meafures as honor and juftice fhould make it neceffary for him to purfue." To this addrefs, the King returned a gracious and favorable answer, and on the 20th of May 1738, the Parliament was prorogued.

Various motives concurred, nevertheless, to excite in the breast of the Minifter an extreme reluc

tance firmly to refolve on a declaration of war. During the long course of his administration, it had been the conftant and favorite object of his policy, to preserve the kingdom from that dire calamity. He perhaps doubted his talents for conducting a war with vigor and ability; and he might reasonably apprehend, that any disastrous event in the course of it might endanger his authority and fafety. He was perfuaded that the commercial interefts affected by thefe depredations were in themselves too trivial, and of a nature too equivocal in point of right, to warrant the nation in having recourse to a remedy fo violent. He well knew that the union of the two Crowns of France and Spain was so strongly cemented, that a war with one must inevitably involve us in a war with the other. And it was his invariable and avowed opinion, though contradicted happily by later experience, that England alone was not equal to cope with the combined force of the Houfe of Bourbon. Poffeffed with these sentiments, he concluded, during the recefs of Parliament, a CONVENTION with Spain, figned at the PARDO in Madrid; by which the King of Spain obliged himself to make reparation to the British fubjects for their loffes within a certain period; and commiffioners were appointed "for regulating all thofe grievances and abuses which had interrupted the commerce of Great Britain in the American feas; and for fet