gainst the enemy on the
coast of Chili and Peru, and co-operate occasionally with admiral Vernon
across the isthmus of Darien. The scheme was well laid, but ruined by
unnecessary delays and unforeseen accidents. But the hopes of the nation
centered chiefly in a formidable armament designed for the northern
coast of now Spain, and his catholic majesty's other settlements on that
side of the Atlantic. Commissions had been issued for raising a regiment
of four battalions in the English colonies of North America, that they
might be transported to Jamaica, and join the forces from England.
These, consisting of the marines and detachments from some old
regiments, were embarked in October at the Isle of Wight, under the
command of lord Cathcart, a nobleman of approved honour, and great
experience in the art of war; and they sailed under convoy of sir
Chaloner Ogle, with a fleet of seven-and-twenty ships of the line,
besides frigates, fire-ships, bomb-ketches, and tenders. They were
likewise furnished with hospital ships and store ships, laden with
provisions, ammunition, all sorts of warlike implements, and every kind
of convenience. Never was an armament more completely equipped, and
never had the nation more reason to hope for extraordinary success.

DEATH OF THE EMPEROR AND CZARINA.

On the twentieth day of October, Charles VI., emperor of Germany, the
last prince of the house of Austria, died at Vienna, and was succeeded
in his hereditary dominions by his eldest daughter', the archduchess
Maria Theresa, married to the grand duke of Tuscany. Though this
princess succeeded as queen of Hungary, by virtue of the pragmatic
sanction guaranteed by all the powers in Europe, her succession produced
such contests as kindled a cruel war in the empire. The young king of
Prussia was no sooner informed of the emperor's death, than he entered
Silesia at the head of twenty thousand men; seized certain fiefs to
which his family laid claim; and published a manifesto, declaring that
he had no intention to contravene the pragmatic sanction. The elector of
Bavaria refused to acknowledge the archduchess as queen of Hungary and
Bohemia; alleging, that he himself had pretensions to those countries,
as the descendant of the emperor Ferdinand I., who was head of the
German branch of the house of Austria. Charles VI. was survived but
a few days by his ally, the czarina Anne Iwanowna, who died in the
forty-fifth year of her age, after having b