in the Straits of Messina, and was made Lord
Torrington in consequence,--happily now dead)--Admiral Byng does come
on; and gains himself a name badly memorable ever since. Attacks
La Gallisonniere, in a wide-lying, languid, hovering, uncertain
manner:--"Far too weak" he says; "much disprovided, destitute, by
blame of Ministry and of everybody" (though about the strength of La
Gallisonniere, after all);--is almost rather beaten by La Gallisonniere;
does not in the least, beat him to the right degree:--and sheers off:
in the night-time, straight for Gibraltar again. To La Gallisonniere's
surprise, it is said; no doubt to old Blakeney and his poor Garrison's,
left so, to their rotten platforms and their own shifts.

Blakeney and Garrison stood to their guns in a manful manner, for above
a month longer; day after day, week after week, looking over the horizon
for some Byng or some relief appearing, to no purpose! JUNE 14th, there
are three available breaches; the walls, however, are very sheer (a
Fortress hewn in the rock): Richelieu scanning them dubiously, and
battering his best, for about a fortnight more, is ineffectual on
Blakeney.

JUNE 27th, Richelieu, taking his measures well, tickling French honor
well, has determined on storm. Richelieu, giving order of the day,
"Whosoever of you is found drunk shall NOT be of the storm-party" (which
produced such a teetotalism as nothing else had done),--storms, that
night, with extreme audacity. The Place has to capitulate: glorious
victory; honorable defence: and Minorca gone.

And England is risen to a mere smoky whirlwind, of rage, sorrow and
darkness, against Byng and others. Smoky darkness, getting streaked
with dangerous fire. "Tried?" said his Grace of Newcastle to the City
Deputation: "Oh indeed he shall be tried immediately; he shall be hanged
directly!"--assure yourselves of that. [Walpole, ii. 231: Details of the
Siege, ib. 218-225; in _Gentleman's Magazine_, xxvi. 256, 312-313, 358;
in Adelung, vii.; &c. &c.] And Byng's effigy was burnt all over England.
And mobs attempt to burn his Seat and Park; and satires and caricatures
and firebrands are coming out: and the poor Constitutional Country
is bent on applying surgery, if it but know how. Surgery to such
indisputable abominations was certainly desirable. The new Relief
Squadron, which had been despatched by Majesty's Ministry, was too late
for Blakeney, but did bring home a superseded Byng.

SPITHEAD, TUESDAY, 2