; the greater part of the land forces being either killed or cut off by an epidemical distemper. In 1742, Captain Middleton made a fruitless attempt to discover the North West passage into the South Seas. The year following the battle of Dettingen was fought. There was also this year a bloody engagement before Toulon, between the English fleet and that of the French and Spaniards; when that brave commander Captain Cornwall was killed in the Marlborough, after a most resolute and surprising resistance. Commodore Anson returned to England, having made a voyage round the globe; and war was mutually declared between England and France.
In 1745 the battle of Fontenoy was fought, in which the French had the advantage, which was followed by the taking of Tournay. A rebellion broke out in Scotland; the rebels defeated Sir John Cope, at Preston Pans, came forward into England, took Carlisle, and marched to Derby, from whence they were obliged to make a precipitate retreat, being closely pursued by the Duke of Cumberland, who retook Carlisle. When the rebels were returned into Scotland, they defeated the King's forces under General Hawley, near Falkirk, and laid siege to Stirling, but raised it on the Duke's approach. This year Cape-Breton was taken by Admiral Warren. In 1746 the memorable battle of Culloden, in Scotland, was fought, wherein the rebels were totally destroyed: The Earls of Balmerino and Kilmarnock, with Mr. Ratcliff, brother to the late Earl of Derwentwater, were taken prisoners, and beheaded on Tower-Hill; as was Lord Lovat in the year following. Now also the French took all Dutch Flanders, and there was a battle between them and part of the allied army, after which the latter retreated under the cannon of Maestricht. Admirals Anson and Warren, after a hot engagement, took several French men of war in the Mediterranean, among which was the ship in which their Admiral sailed. In 1748 a Congress was held at Aix-la-Chapelle for a general pacification, and the articles of peace therein agreed to were signed in April.
A Bill was passed for the encouragement of the British herring fishery; and a proclamation issued for inciting disbanded soldiers and sailors to settle in Nova Scotia. Mr. Pelham now lowered the interest of money in the funds, first to three and a half per cent.
afterwards to three. The importation of iron from America was allowed; and the African trade laid open.
In the year 1752, the French spirited up the Indians against our colonies of Nova Scotia, and built a chain of forts on the back of our American settlements. This occasioned a new war, carried on with great cruelty in those parts. Monckton drove the French from their encroachments in Nova Scotia; and General Johnson gave them a defeat; but Braddock, through his own rashness, was defeated and slain. The English took many ships from the enemy, without declaring war.
In 1756, the Hessians and Hanoverians were brought over, to the number of ten thousand. Presently after Minorca was taken by the French; and Admiral Byng was shot at Portsmouth for not having relieved it. On the 17th of May, war was declared in form
, and the King entered into a treaty with the Empress of Russia for the security of Hanover; and afterwards into an alliance with Prussia. This was followed by an unnatural
[sic]
treaty
between France and the Queen of Hungary, to which the Empress of Russia acceded. And a war