f affairs
incontestably known, than twelve thousand auxiliary troops were hired,
and commanded to march to her assistance, but her affairs making it more
eligible for her to employ her own subjects in her defence, and the want
of money being the only obstacle that hindered her from raising armies
proportioned to those of her enemies, she required, that instead of
troops, a supply of money might be sent her, with which his majesty
willingly complied.

The British ministers in the mean time endeavoured, by the strongest
arguments and most importunate solicitations, to animate her allies to
equal vigour, or to procure her assistance from other powers whose
interest was more remotely affected by her distress: if the effects of
their endeavours are not yet manifest, it cannot be imputed to the want
either of sincerity or diligence; and if any other powers should be
persuaded to arm in the common cause, it ought to be ascribed to the
influence of the British counsels.

In the prosecution of the war with Spain, it does not appear, my lords,
that any measures have been neglected, which prudence, or bravery, or
experience, could be expected to dictate. If we have suffered greater
losses than we expected, if our enemies have been sometimes favoured by
the winds, or sometimes have been so happy as to conceal their designs,
and elude the diligence of our commanders, who is to be censured? or
what is to be concluded, but that which never was denied, that the
chance of war is uncertain, that men are inclined to make fallacious
calculations of the probabilities of future events, and that our enemies
may sometimes be as artful, as diligent, and as sagacious as ourselves?

It was the general opinion of the British people, my lords, if the
general opinion may be collected from the clamours and expectations
which every man has had opportunities of observing, that in declaring
war upon Spain, we only engaged to chastise the insolence of a nation of
helpless savages, who might, indeed, rob and murder a defenceless
trader, but who could only hold up their hands and cry out for mercy, or
sculk in secret creeks and unfrequented coasts, when ships of war should
be fitted out against them. They imagined that the fortifications of the
Spanish citadels would be abandoned at the first sound of cannon, and
that their armies would turn their backs at the sight of the standard of
Britain.

It was not remembered, my lords, that the greatest part of