make in the hottest time of hof tility.

The last article had its difficulties alfo. The French infitted, as a point from which they were refolved never to recede, upon the reftitution of the captures made before the declaration of war. This demand, they were of opinion, was grounded on the cleareft principles of the law of nations, and the most exprefs ftipulation of treaties. Without entering into those various arguments with which this pofition might be maintained and attacked, it appeared to many, that the honour of both nations was almoft equally concerned, the one to claim, the other, as refolutely to refufe this reftitution.

On the whole, thefe proposals, which the French fent to London in a memorial of the 15th of July, formed, though in fome refpects undoubtedly exceptionable, a very agreeable plan for a treaty of peace. A better could not have been ex pected in the first project of an enemy, and it might be hoped that a negotiation thus favourably be gun, could not fail of adjufting eafily whatever appeared wrong, or fupplying whatever was defective in this firft draught of the propofitions. But fatally for the repofe of mankind, in the very inftant that this fair propofal was made, at the very moment when thefe ftrong demonfirations were given, an act was done which blew up at one explofion, the whole bafis of the treaty that had been long and carefully laying, fcattered the materials which had been fo induftriously collected, and fo cautiously arranged, and instead of extinguishing, fpread the flames of war more widely, and made them rage with new fury.

From this time forward all the tranfaction was full of animofity, refentment and mistrust. The reader has been apprized of the meafures which France had been invariably purfuing at the court of Madrid, and the arguments the employed to infufe a jealoufy into that court. Hitherto, however, there was no appearance that these meafures had any effect; but to the infinite furprize and indignation of the British minifter, together with the memorial which contained the above recited propofitions. Mr. Buffy, the French agent, delivered a private memorial, fignifying, that in order to establish the peace upon folid foundations, not to be fhaken by the contested interests of a third power, the king of Spain might be invited to accede to gua raaty the treaty, and that to prevent the differences which fubfitled between Great Britain and this monarchy from being a means of producing a freth war in Europe, with the confent and communication of his Catholic majefty, he propofes, that in this negotiation, the three points which had been difputed between the crowns of England and Spain, might be finally fettled. First, the reltitution of fome captures made upon the Spanish flag. Secondly, the privilege of the Spanish nation to fish on the banks of Newfoundland. Thirdly, the demolition of the English fettle. ments made on the Spanish territories in the bay of Honduras.

It may be easily imagined, from the character of the then fecretary of ftate, in what manner he received thefe propofals; he rejected with the utmoft fcorn, the offer of negotiating through an enemy humbled, and almost at his feet, the disputes

of

gotiation to follow the motions of the armies in Germany. It is certain, that the difpofitions of the two courts grew daily more unfavourable: their confidence in each other, and their mutual good will wore away; and it was to be fear

ed, that this negotiation, if it broke off in an unfatisfactory manner, muft leave impreffions on the minds of the two nations of fuch a nature, as might cause them to wish they had never engaged in it.

the early and ftrenuous effort made by the allies was not fully anfwered, it nevertheless produced, as we have before obferved a very confiderable and useful effect. The deftruction of the French magazines retarded their operations in fuch a manner, that the greatest part of the month of June was fpent before their armies found themfelves in a condition to act. But as foon as they had taken proper measures for their fubfiftence, the prince of Soubife caufed his troops to pafs the Rhine, and to advance on the fide of Munster, not far from which city the hereditary prince of Bruntwick was pofted to oppofe him. Marshal Broglio affembled the forces under his command at Caffel, and moved towards the Dymel, in order to effect a junction with the body under the prince of Soubife. They made no doubt that their conjoined ftrength would foon attain a decided fupciority over the allies, who had ended their late enterprise with a lois which was

circumftances, they could not well bear, nor easily fupply.

Thefe hopes were fupported by the fuccefs of their first encounter, General Sporken, with a strong detachment had been pofted in an advanrageous fituation on the Dymel, and in the front of the allied army. On the approach of Marthal Broglio, he attempted to retire with all that expedition which his inferiority made neceffary. But the French came upon him with fuch rapidity, that 29th June. they overtook and attacked his rear, which was inftantly routed; they took eight hundred prifoners, nineteen pieces of cannon, four hundred horfes, and upwards of an hundred and feventy waggons. The fame day they paffed the Dymel; and whilft prince Ferdinand, difcouraged by this check, full back to the Lippe, they made

2d July. themselves maflers of Warburg, Dringleburg and Paderborn.

The allies, however, foon recovered their fpirit; and the main

body

body of their army being well fecured, they fent out several detachments. Their fmall bodies were conducted by general Luckner, and other able partizans, who under took feveral bold and very distant enterprizes, attacked the enemy where they were leaft upon their guard, routed their convoys, detroyed feveral of their magazines, carriages and horfes, and carried off their prey even from the gates of Caffel. Thefe lively actions feemed a prelude to fome more important and decifive attempt.

The French became fenfible that a ftroke of fome importance was expected from the greatnefs of their force, and that it was not for the credit of their arms only, but for their fecurity from the minute, but continual and galling attempts of parties from the allied army.

For fome time prince Ferdinand had been posted to the fouth of the Lippe, between Ham and Lipstadt. This pofition he took, in all probability, becaufe M. Broglio had, by occupying the places on the Dymel, got between him and Hanover. Therefore he judged it expedient for him in his turn to get between the prince de Soubife, and the Rhine. In this fituation, if the enemy attempted any movement to wards the king's dominions, he was ready to fall directly on the places they occupied by that river, which, in the prefent circumftances, were full as important to them as the Hanoverian territory was to us. Thus whilft he feemed to retire from that territory, and in a manner to abandon it, he in reality provided with the greater effect for its fecurity.

Marshal Broglio, when he had refolved on the attack of the allied

army, united his troops to those of the prince de Soubife, at a place called Soeft, between Lipstadt and Ham. On the other hand, as foon as the general of the allies was apprized of their intention, he posted his army in a very strong and ad. vantageous manner.

The river Aeft runs for a confiderable way, almost parallel to the Lippe, from which it is not diftant in fome places, much more than half a mile. The high road from Lipftadt to Ham palles between these rivers; and it was of the utmost moment to prince Ferdinand to fecure that important communication, by which alone he could hope an advantageous retreat, or in any de-. gree propofe to command the adjacent country. With a view therefore to protect that communication, he established his left wing on the Ifthmus between the rivers. The left extremity of that wing under general Wutgeneau, leaning to the Lippe, by which it was perfectly fecured, as the right was fupported by the village of Kirch Denkeru, fituated immediately on the Aeft. The marquis of Granby commanded in that wing, with the affiftance of lieutenant gen. Howard and the prince of Anhalt, who were pofted towards the abovementioned village.

At that village and another river called the Saltzbach, small, but very deep, joins the Aeft almost in a right angle. Behind this river on a confiderable eminence was placed the center, commanded by general Conway; and on a continuation of the fame eminence, the right wing, under the here. ditary prince, ftretched out towards the village of Werle, and it was well defended on the flank by

rugged,

rugged, bafhy, and almost impracticable ground. Nothing could be more advantageous than this difpofition of the army, by which the whole center and right wing were covered in front by a river, and the left fupported by rivers on both its flanks. In the left indeed, was the ftrength and flower of the army; the count of Lippe had placed alfo in this wing, the greateft part of the artillery, as he knew that it defended the most important fituation, was the most exposed in front, and confequently would be the object of the enemy's most confiderable efforts.

He was not mistaken in his conjecture. On the 15th of July in the evening, a very furious attack was made on lord Granby's pofts, which was fuftained for a long time with all the intrepidity and firmnefs which British troops always exert, and which that gallant officer knows fo well how to infpire. The difpofition we have juft mentioned, was not then compleated; fo that they had the whole torrent of that impetuofity, which diftinguishes the French in their firft attacks, to refit for fome hours, until Wutgeneau according to the plan originally projected, arrived to their affiftance, and then with efforts united and redoubled in a long and obftinate combat, which continued until it was quite dark, they repulfed the French, and drove them into the woods. July 16th.

By the next morning, the difpofition of the allies was perfected; and it was evident that the French, far from being difmayed by their misfortune, were prepared for a more general and better futlained attack than the former. M. Broglio commanded

againft our left, which, as on the preceding day, was the principal object of the enemy. The prince de Soubife led their center and their left. The engagement began at three in the morning, and it was a fevere and continued fire for upwards of five hours, before the least effect could be perceived on either fide. The weight of the attack this day lay on Wutgeneau's corps, which fupported it with a degree of bravery, that rivalled the ftand which had been lately made by the British forces. But about nine, the prince difcovered that the enemy were preparing to erect batteries on an eminence, in the front of the marquis of Granby's camp, which he had not been able to enclose within his lines. Senfible of the preffing neceflity there was of preventing the enemy from feizing on an eminence, from whence they might cruelly gall his army, he called in a referve, which had been placed at the other fide of the Lippe under general Sporken. Strengthened by this fupply, and encouraged by the irrefolution which now began to appear in the motions of the enemy, he commanded the troops which were nearest at hand to advance upon them.

This movement was decifive, the enemy gave way, fell into diforder, and retired with precipitation. Their center and left, which had not been able to pass the Saltzbach, after a long and ineffectual cannonade, retired with the reft, and covered their retreat; fo that favoured by this circumflance, and the clofeness of the country, which was full of hedges, they marched off in tolerable order, and were purfued but a little way. However, their lofs was confiderable :

the