the king's
departure from England, sir John Norris sailed from Spithead with
a powerful squadron, in order to protect the Portuguese against the
Spaniards; and on the ninth day of June arrived at Lisbon, where he was
welcomed as a deliverer. Mr. Keene, the British envoy at the court of
Spain, had communicated to his catholic majesty the resolution of his
master to send a powerful squadron to Lisbon, with orders to guard that
coast from insults, and secure the Brazil fleet, in which the merchants
of Great Britain were deeply interested. Don Joseph Patinho, minister
of his catholic majesty, delivered a memorial to Mr. Keene, representing
that such an expedition would affect the commerce of Spain, by
intimidating foreign merchants from embarking their merchandise in the
flota. But, in all probability, it prevented a rupture between the
two crowns, and disposed the king of Spain to listen to terms of
accommodation.

PRELIMINARIES SIGNED BY THE EMPEROR AND THE KING OF FRANCE.

The powers in alliance against the house of Austria having rejected
the plan of pacification concerted by the king of Great Britain and
the states-general, Mr. Wal-pole, ambassador at the Hague, presented a
memorial to their high mightinesses, desiring they would, without loss
of time, put themselves in a posture of defence by an augmentation of
their forces by sea and land; that they might take such vigorous steps
in concert with Great Britain, as the future conjuncture of affairs
might require. But before they would subject themselves to such expense,
they resolved to make further trial of their influence with the powers
in alliance against the emperor; and conferences were renewed with the
ministers of those allies. The affairs of Poland became more and more
unfavourable to the interest of Stanislaus; for though a great number of
the Polish nobility engaged in a confederacy to support his claim, and
made repeated efforts in his behalf, the palatine of Kiow submitted to
Augustus; and even his brother the primate, after having sustained a
long imprisonment, and many extraordinary hardships, was obliged to
acknowledge that prince his sovereign. In Italy, the arms of the allies
still continued to prosper. Don Carlos landed in Sicily, and reduced
the whole island almost without opposition; while the Imperialists were
forced to abandon all the territories they possessed in Italy, except
the Mantuan. The emperor being equally unable to cope with the