r the declaration of war, this force
began its laborious operations for the reduction of Gibraltar. But
many events demand notice before the results of these operations are
recorded, for not a gleam of success attended their operations during
this year.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH FLEETS IN THE CHANNEL, ETC.

One of the earliest measures after war was declared by Spain, was the
junction of the fleets of the house of Bourbon. On a sudden d'Orvilliers
sailed out of Brest, with thirty French sail of the line, and being
joined by thirty-eight Spanish ships of the line, he made his way
for the English coasts. At this time our fleet, which did not exceed
thirty-eight sail of the line, was under the command of Admiral Hardy;
and while he was cruizing in the soundings, the French and Spaniards
appeared off Plymouth. One ship of sixty-four guns and a number of
coasting-vessels were captured by them; but after parading two or three
days before Plymouth, they were driven out of the Channel by a strong
east wind. The same wind which drove the French and Spaniards out of
the Channel had prevented Hardy from entering it; but at length the wind
shifted to the westward, and he, in sight of the enemy, then gained its
entrance, and England was safe. For, although d'Orvilliers, conscious
of his superior strength, wished to engage Hardy out of the Channel,
he would not hazard a battle in the narrow sea, where the advantage
of numbers would have been lost for want of sea-room, and where
the navigation would have been dangerous. Hardy, therefore, having
outmanoeuvred the French admiral, proudly anchored at Spithead; and soon
after the coast was covered with troops, volunteers, and militia, while
fresh ships were fitted out, and cruizers at sea were recalled to
the channel. Such a formidable front was shown, that the French and
Spaniards were compelled to retire. They sailed for Brest where they
lay for several months inactive and useless, and where thousands of
them died from a terrible sickness which had broken out among them while
laying off the English coast. Added to this misfortune, the Spaniards,
who had sent their ships to sea in the hope of achieving high and mighty
enterprises, soon found that this naval war with England was to follow
the general rule, and to cost them ships and wealth, which they could
not well spare. In the course of this year the British captured a
large Spanish frigate off the Western Islands, and another off Cap