es to the royal family, and exhausted his fortune in
supporting the interest and dignity of the crown. Strenuous protests
were entered against the decision of the majority concerning the king's
message, demanding a power to augment his forces during the recess of
parliament; as also against a bill for enabling his majesty to apply the
sum of one million two hundred thousand pounds out of the sinking fund
for the service of the current year. The business of the session being
despatched, the king repaired to the house of lords on the sixteenth day
of April, and having passed all the bills that were ready for the royal
assent, took leave of this parliament, with the warmest acknowledgment
of their zeal, duty, and affection. It was at first prorogued, then
dissolved, and another convoked by the same proclamation. On the
fourteenth day of March, the nuptials of the prince of Orange and the
princess royal were solemnized with great magnificence; and this match
was attended with addresses of congratulation to his majesty from
different parts of the kingdom.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

DANTZIC BESIEGED BY THE RUSSIANS.

The powers at war upon the continent acted with surprising vigour.
The Russian and Saxon army invested the city of Dantzic, in hopes
of securing the person of king Stanislaus. The town was strong, the
garrison numerous, and animated by the examples of the French and Poles,
made a very obstinate defence. For some time they were supplied by
sea with recruits, arms, and ammunition. On the eleventh day of May a
reinforcement of fifteen hundred men was landed from two French ships of
war and some transports, under fort Wechselmunde, which was so much
in want of provisions, that they were not admitted; they therefore
re-embarked, and sailed back to Copenhagen. But afterwards a larger
number was landed in the same place, and attacked the Russian
intrenchments, in order to force their way into the city. They were
repulsed in this attempt, but retired in good order. At length the
Russian fleet arrived, under the command of Admiral Gordon, and now the
siege was carried on with great fury. Fort Wechselmunde was surrendered;
the French troops capitulated, and were embarked in the Russian ships,
to be conveyed to some port in the Baltic. Stanislaus escaped in the
disguise of a peasant to Marienwarder in the Prussian territories. The
city of Dantzic submitted to the dominion of Augustus III., king of
Poland, and was obl