passage, is a subterfuge to which they can
only be driven by the necessity of making some apology, and an absolute
inability to produce any which will not immediately be discovered to be
groundless.

It is known, my lords, to all Europe, that Haddock had then under his
command thirteen ships of the line, and nine frigates, and that the
Spanish convoy consisted only of three ships; and yet they sailed before
his eyes with a degree of security which nothing could have produced but
a passport from the court of Britain, and an assured exemption from the
danger of an attack.

It may be urged, that they were protected by the French squadron, and
that Haddock durst not attack them, because he was unable to contend
with the united fleets; but my lords, even this is known to be false: it
is known that they bore no proportion to the strength of the British
squadron, that they could not have made even the appearance of a battle,
and that our commanders could have been only employed in pursuit and
captures.

This, my lords, was well known to our ministers, who were afraid only of
destroying the French squadron, and were very far from apprehending any
danger from it; but being determined to purchase, on any terms, the
continuance of the friendship of their old protectors, consented to the
invasion of Italy, and procured a squadron to sail out, under pretence
of defending the Spanish transports, that their compliance might not be
discovered.

All this, my lords, may reasonably be suspected at the first view of
their proceedings; for how could an inferiour force venture into the way
of an enemy, unless upon security that they should not be attacked? But
the late treaty of neutrality has changed suspicion into certainty, has
discovered the source of all their measures, and shown that the invasion
of Italy is permitted to preserve Hanover from the like calamity.

There is great danger, my lords, lest this last treaty of Hanover should
give the decisive blow to the liberties of Europe. How much it
embarrasses the queen of Hungary, by making it necessary for her to
divide her forces, is obvious at the first view; but this is not, in my
opinion, its most fatal consequence. The other powers will be incited,
by the example of our ministry, to conclude treaties of neutrality in
the same manner. They will distrust every appearance of our zeal for the
house of Austria, and imagine that we intend only an hypocritical
assistance, and that o