order
to facilitate his conjunction with Charles, who had set out by the way
of Saragossa, where he was acknowledged as sovereign of Arragon
and Valencia. In the beginning of August this prince arrived at the
Portuguese camp with a small reinforcement; and in a few days was
followed by the carl of Peterborough, at the head of five hundred
dragoons. The two armies were now pretty equal in point of number; but
as each expected farther reinforcements, neither chose to hazard an
engagement. The earl of Peterborough, who aspired to the chief command,
and hated the prince of Lichtenstein, who enjoyed the confidence of king
Charles, retired in disgust; and embarking on board an English ship of
war, set sail for Genoa. The English fleet continued all the summer
in the Mediterranean; they secured Carthagena, which had declared for
Charles; they took the town of Alicant by assault, and the castle by
capitulation. Then sailing out of the Straits, one squadron was detached
to the West Indies, another to lie at Liston, and the rest were sent
home to England.

PRINCE EUGENE OBTAINS A COMPLETE VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH.

Fortune was not more propitious to the French in Italy than in Flanders.
The duke de Vendome having been recalled to assume the command in
Flanders after the-battle of Ramillies, the duke of Orleans was placed
at the head of the army in Piedmont, under the tutorage and direction of
the mareschal de Marsin. They were ordered to besiege Turin, which was
accordingly invested in the month of May, and the operations carried on
till the beginning of September. Great preparations had been made for
this siege. It was not undertaken until the duke of Savoy had rejected
all the offers of the French monarch, which were sufficient to have
shaken a prince of less courage and fortitude. The duke de la Feuillade
having finished the lines of circumvallation and contravallation, sent
his quarter-master-general with a trumpet to offer passports and a
guard for the removal of the duchess and her children. The duke of
Savoy replied, that he did not intend to remove his family, and that the
mareschal might begin to execute his master's orders whenever he should
think fit; but, when the siege began with uncommon fury, and the French
fired red-hot balls into the place, the two duchesses, with the young
prince and princesses, quitted Turin, and retired to Quierasco, from
whence they were conducted through many dangers into the territor