t under the
conditions offered. This secret negociation became known to Florida
Blanca, the Spanish minister, and it became a pressing motive for an
attack on Minorca. Accordingly, having obtained the consent of the court
of Versailles to co-operate, this became one of the principal objects
of Spanish ambition. An expedition was fitted out with great skill
and caution, and the Duke of Crillon was appointed to the command. The
united fleets of France and Spain sailed out of Cadiz Bay on the 22nd of
July, and while the mass of the force stretched out into the ocean as
if with the intention of making a descent upon England, 8000 land troops
were transported through the straits to Minorca. A landing was effected
on the 19th of August, and General Murray, with his weak garrison of
two British and Hanoverian regiments, retired into Fort St. Philip, the
principal defence of the island. Crillon commenced operations by an act
which would have made the blood of his brave ancestor boil within his
veins: he offered General Murray a bribe of L100,000 sterling, and rank
and employment in the French or Spanish service, if he would surrender
and save him the trouble of a siege or blockade! This offer was
indignantly refused, and Crillon then laid siege to Fort St. Philip.
Yet, though he was reinforced in the course of the autumn by 4000 French
troops, with good artillery and engineer officers, with more ordnance
and other requisites for the siege, and though disease thinned the
originally weak ranks of the besieged, at the close of the year the fort
still remained in the hands of the British.

FRENCH AND SPANISH FLEETS IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

In the meantime the French and Spanish fleets advanced towards the
British coasts, and for some time rode triumphant in the Channel. At
this time Admiral Darby had sailed from Spithead on a cruise to the
Westward; but on the 26th of August he returned and got safely into
Torbay. He had with him only twenty-three sail of the line, twelve
frigates, and six fire-ships; while the united fleets amounted to
seventy sail, the greater number of which were ships of the line. The
French and Spanish commanders held a council of war, to consider whether
they should attack Darby in the harbour; but fear prevented them; and
after some unavailing attempts to intercept our homeward-bound traders,
this mighty armament, by the wretched state of its ships and crews,
caused by sickness and dissension, was com