A. C. 1703. 25 Balls for 3 Pounders. 149 Hand Grenado Shells. THere Dumbarton-Castle. Here is feveral Breaches in the Wall, there is 12 Brafs Guns, none of them mounted, all of them want Carriages: There is no Powder in the Garrison, and few Flints; all the Lodgings in a ruinous Condition; no Coals in the Garrison, nor any other Provision: The Fire-Locks being long fince they were gotten, are very ill fix'd. Edinburgh, March 9. 1707-8. The above mentioned is the true Condition of the Castle of Dumbarton at present. I need not, my Lords, I think, make any Ob'fervations upon the Caftles, after your Lordships "have feen the wretched State of them; and there'fore in the laft place, fhall only take notice to your Lordships, That after the Invafion was over, there were Estimates made, what it would cost to put the Fortifications of Scotland in good Repair. The Total, · as appears by your Schedule, amounts to 231561. ' of which there could be but 3000l. laid out this Year; and yet there has been but poor 1500. expended upon that Service this Year, as appears by your Paper. "I will not trouble you farther, I think this Matter is now very plain before your Lordships; I * could wish I had not faid one Word of Truth in * what I have faid to you; but the Vouchers fhew it to be fo, and if all this be true, tis a very strange, a very furprizing, and a very astonishing Truth. I fhall not move any thing to your Lordships farther in this Matter, I believe there has been enough now faid, to juftifie thofe Lords for moving this Enquiry, and fhall add but this Word, That "if there be no greater Care taken for the future, than there was at this time of fuch eminent Danger, it will be the greatest Miracle in the World, if without a Miracle the Pretender be not plas'd upon • that Throne. This is the Subftance of what was obferv'd by the Lord Haversham, tho' there happen'd fome Interlocutories between him and another Lord: And the Ob fervations fervations were made upon the Papers as they were A. C. read. The Duke of Buckingham, and several other 1703. Peers spoke to the fame purpofe; whereupon it was order'd that that important Affair fhould be con- Debates fider'd the Tuesday following in a full Houfe. Ac- and Refolucordingly on the 1ft Day of March, their Lordships tions of the debated the Dangers to which this Kingdom had House of been expofed by the Pretender's Attempt to land in Lords in Scotland with French Forces, and thereupon refolv'd relation to to Addrefs Her Majesty, That she would be pleaf- the Invasi'ed to caufe an Account to be laid before their of on, and the the Stores, Garrifons and Fortifications in that Condition of part of the United Kingdom; as alfo of its Re- Scotland, C venues fince the Union, and of the Diftribution of the Equivalent Money. At the fame time their Lordships order'd the Judges attending their Houfe, to bring in a Bill for Improving the Union of the Two Kingdoms, to make the Laws concerning Treafon, and the Trials thereupon, the fame throughout the United Kingdom, and to infert therein a Claufe for abolishing all Torture, The fame Day, on occafion of fome Overtures of The Duke Peace lately made abroad by France, and of the Ar- of Marlborival of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, who rough ar after a dangerous Paffage from Oftend, where he rives at London, embark'd the 25th of February, came to London the March 1. If of March, about Two in the Afternoon, whilst their Lordships were fitting, and who was generally believ'd to have brought over with him the Propofals made by the Enemy: My Lord Somers, Prefi- Motion dent of Her Majefty's Privy-Council, moved, that made by the an Addrefs be prefented to the Queen, That Her Lord SoMajefty would be pleas'd to take Care, at the Con- mers for an clufion of the War, that the French King might be Address aoblig'd to own Her Majefty's Title, and the Prote- gainst the ftant Succeffion; that Her Majefry's Allies might c. appro Pretender, be Guarantees of the fame; and that the Preten- ved. der might be remov'd out of the French Dominions: Which Motion was unanimoufly approved, and a Committee thereupon appointed to draw up the faid Addrefs. This done, their Lordships order'd the Lord Chancellor to return the Thanks of their Houfe to his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, for the eminent Services perform'd by his Grace the laft Campaign, According A. C. 1709. Thanks of the House of Peers re- " turn'd to the Duke of Marlbo rough, March 2. The Duke of Marlborough's Answer, Motion Accordingly his Grace having, the next Day, taken his Seat in the Houfe of Peers, the Lord Chancellor return'd him the Thanks of that Illuftrious and August Affembly, in the following Words: My Lord Duke of Marlborough, Have the Honour to be again commanded by 'this House, to give Your Grace their most hearty and unanimous Thanks, for the great and eminent Services You have perform'd this laft Campaign, particularly to Her Majefty and Her Kingdoms; and, in general, to all the Allies. "When I laft obey'd the like Commands, I could not but infer from Your Grace's former Succeffes, we had ftill moft reasonable Expectations, You could not fail to improve them. I beg leave to congratulate Your Grace, that the Obfervation then made has proved, as it was indeed intended, perfectly true. I hope I fhall not be thought to exceed my prefent Commiffion, if, being thus led to contemplate the mighty Things Your Grace has done for C Us, I cannot but conclude without acknowledging, with all Gratitude, the Providence of God, e in Railing You up to be an Inftrument of so much Good, in.fo critical a Juncture, when it was fo much wanted. To which Complement his Grace made the following Answer: My Lords, Hope You will do me the Juftice to believe, there are very few Things could give me more 'Satisfaction than the favourable Approbation of my Service by this House. And I beg leave to affure Your Lordships, it 'fhall be the conftant Endeavour of my Life to de'ferve the Continuation of Your good Opinion. made by The fame Day, the Lords fent down their AdMr. Secre- drefs to the Commons for their Concurrence: tary Boyle, Whereupon Mr. Secretary Boyle, reprefented, That for demothe British Nation having been at a vaft Expence, Dunkirk; of Blood and Treafure for the Profecution of this neceffary War, it was but juft they should reap fome. Benefit Lifhing approved March 2. Benefit by the Peace: And the Town of Dunkirk A. C being a Neft of Pirates, that infefted the Ocean, 170 and did infinite Mischief to Trade, he therefore moved, That the Demolishing of its Fortifications and Harbour be infifted upon in the enfuing Treaty of C Peace; and inferted in the Addrefs: Which with that Amendment, was unanimoufly approved, and carried back to their Lordships by Mr. Secretary Boyle. The Queen having appointed the 3d of March, at fix of the Clock, for receiving the faid Addrefs, the Lord Chancellor, on the part of the Peers, and the Speaker of the Commons on the part of the Commons, attended Her Majesty with it, being as follows: Mot Gracious Sovereign, Treaty of WE Your Majefty's moft Dutiful and Loyal Address of 'Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Tempo- Both Hou'ral, and Commons in Parliament affembled, Con- fes to the fidering the great Expence of Blood and Treasure Queen a that Your Majefty and Your Allies have been at, bout the in Profecuting this long War, for Securing the Li- enfuing 'berties of Europe, do most humbly befeech Your Peace. Majefty, That for Preferving the Repofe and Quiet of Europe, and Preventing the Ambitious Designs of France for the future, Your Majefty would be pleafed to take Care, at the Conclufion of the War, to Continue and Eftablish a good and firm Friendship among the Allies; and that the French < King may be obliged to own Your Majefty's Title ' and the Proteftant Succeffion, as it is Etablished C by the Laws of Great Britain; and that Your Allies be Engaged to become Guarrantees for the fame. And that Your Majefty would take Effectual Methods that the Pretender fhall be Removed out of the French Dominions, and not Suffer'd to re"turn to disturb Your Majefty, Your Heirs or Suc'ceffors in the Proteftant Line. And for the Security of Your Majesty's Domi'nions, and the Prefervation of Trade, and the general Benefit of the Allies, Your Majefty will be 'Gracioufly pleafed, that Care may be taken that < the Fortifications and Harbour of Dunkirk may be Demolished and Deftroyed. Her A. C. 170. I Her Majefty's Answer to this Addrefs was, Am of the fame Opinion with my Two Houses of Parliament in the feveral Particulars of this Address 3 as I have also been in all the other which they have made Answer. on the fame Subject. The Queen's * Address of I affure You no Care shall be wanting on My Part to * March 4. about Ways . < The fame Day, the Commons, in a Committee Refolutions of the whole Houfe, confider'd farther of Ways and Means for Raifing the Supply, and came to these and Means Refolutions: First, That in further part of the to raise the Yearly Fund to be fettled purfuant to the PropofiSupply. tion of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, for raifing part of the Supply granted to Her Majefty, for the Service of the Year 1709. the Duties on Coffee, Chocolate, Tea, Spices and Pictures, and the fifteen per Cent. on Muflins, which were continued, and the new additional Duties on Coffee, Tea, Spices, Pictures, Drugs, ChinaWares and Callicoes, which were granted (amongst other things) by the Act of the third Year of Her Majefty's Reign, Entituled, An Act for continuing Duties on Low Wines, and upon Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, Spices and Pictures, and upon Hawkers Pedlars and petty Chapmen, and upon Muflin, and for granting new Duties upon feveral of the faid Commodities, and alfo upon Calicoes, China Wares and Drugs, until the twenty fourth Day of June 1710; and which 'by an Act of the fixth Year of Her Majefty's Reign, were continued from the twenty third Day of June 1710, for the Term of four Years from thence next enfuing, fhall be further continued from the Expiration of the faid Term of four Years, and be payable to Her Majefty, Her Heirs and Succeflors for ever. 2dly, That immediately from and after the time that the Sum now remaining unfatisfied of the Loans not exceeding feven hundred thoufand Pound, fecured by the faid Acts of the < third and fixth Years of Her Majelty's Reign upon the faid Duties on Coffee. and other Commodities therein respectively mentioned, and the Intereft ⚫ thereof 3 |