course up the English channel, with
twenty ships of war. They were immediately discovered by an English
cruiser, which ran into Plymouth; and the intelligence was conveyed by
land to the board of admiralty. Sir John Norris was forthwith ordered to
take the command of the squadron at Spithead, with which he sailed
round to the Downs, where he was joined by some ships of the line
from Chatham, and then he found himself at the head of a squadron
considerably stronger than that of the enemy.

The KINGDOM PUT IN A STATE OF DEFENCE.

Several regiments marched to the southern coast of England; all
governors and commanders were ordered to repair immediately to their
respective posts; the forts at the mouths of the Thames and Medway were
put in a posture of defence; and directions were issued to assemble
the Kentish militia, to defend the coast in case of an invasion. On the
fifteenth day of February, the king sent a message to both houses of
parliament, intimating the arrival of the pretender's son in France,
the preparations at Dunkirk, and the appearance of a French fleet in the
English channel. They joined in an address, declaring their indignation
and abhorrence of the design formed in favour of a popish pretender;
and assuring his majesty, that they would, with the warmest zeal and
unanimity, take such measures as would enable him to frustrate and
defeat so desperate and insolent an attempt. Addresses of the same kind
were presented by the city of London, both universities, the principal
towns of Great Britain, the clergy, the dissenting ministers, the
quakers, and almost all the corporations and communities of the kingdom.
A requisition was made of the six thousand auxiliaries, which the
states-general were by treaty obliged to furnish on such occasions;
and these were granted with great alacrity and expedition. The earl
of Stair, forgetting his wrongs, took this opportunity of offering his
services to government, and was re-invested with the chief command
of the forces in Great Britain. His example was followed by several
noblemen of the first rank. The duke of Montague was permitted to raise
a regiment of horse; and orders were sent to bring over six thousand of
the British troops from Flanders, in case the invasion should actually
take place. His majesty was, in another address from parliament,
exhorted to augment his forces by sea and land; the _habeas corpus_ act
was suspended for six months, and several perso