already lost much of the profit he had looked
to derive from the voyage. When at length a convoy was provided it was on
the understanding that the greater part of the force should withdraw as
soon as the most critical point of the voyage should be passed, leaving
but barely twenty sail, under Rooke, to accompany the merchantmen through
the Straits of Gibraltar. It was in vain that Rooke protested. The danger
was the more hazardous inasmuch as no one could say where the French fleet
was lying. Nevertheless, on the 5th June the main fleet parted company and
returned to the Channel, leaving Rooke, with only seventeen men-of-war, to
look to his charge as best he could. As time went on and no news could be
got of the movements of the French fleet the underwriters in the city got
more and more nervous.(1766) The end is well known. At Lagos the English
admiral found his passage blocked by the French fleet. A sharp fight
ensued, during which many merchantmen succeeded in making good their
escape, others were burnt or sunk. "Never within the memory of man," wrote
Macaulay, "had there been in the city a day of more gloom and agitation
than that on which the news of the encounter in the Bay of Lagos arrived.
Many traders, an eye-witness said, went away from the Royal Exchange as
pale as if they had received sentence of death." The Turkey merchants in
their distress sent a deputation to the queen.(1767) The deputation met
with a kind reception, and was assured by Somers, on the queen's behalf,
of her majesty's deep sympathy. An enquiry, he said, had already been set
on foot as to the cause of the recent disaster, and care would be taken to
prevent its recurrence.

(M893)

On the 15th August, after voting a loan of L300,000 to her majesty for
payment of the forces in Flanders, the Common Council prepared an address
to the queen, in which they expressed their deep sense of the infinite
goodness of God in preserving the king through all the perils of war, and
thanked her for the sympathy she had displayed with the ruined merchants
and for the steps she had taken for the better protection of trade in
future. To this address a clause was added at the next meeting of the
court (17 Aug.) referring to their cheerful readiness to advance a further
sum of money for her majesty's necessities, and assuring her of their firm
resolution to continue upon all occasions to support her authority and
government against all persons to the uttermost of