upon,
to the honour of British humanity, unanimously voted, on the eighth of
December, a gift of an hundred thousand pounds for the distressed people
of Portugal. A circumstance which enhances the merit of this action is,
that though the English themselves were, at that very time, in great
want of grain, a considerable part of the sum was sent in corn, flour,
rice, and a large quantity of beef from Ireland; supplies which came
very seasonably for the poor Portuguese, who were in actual want of
the necessaries of life. Their king was so affected by this instance of
British generosity, that, to show his gratitude for the timely relief,
he ordered Mr. Castres, the British resident at his court, to give
the preference, in the distribution of these supplies, to the British
subjects who had suffered by the earthquake; accordingly, about a
thirtieth part of the provisions, and two thousand pounds in money,
were set apart for that purpose; and his Portuguese majesty returned his
thanks, in very warm terms, to the British crown and nation.

The report of an intended invasion of these kingdoms by the French
increasing daily, on the twenty-second day of January lord Barrington,
as secretary at war, laid before the house an estimate for defraying
the charge of ten new regiments of foot, over and above the thirty-four
thousand two hundred and sixty-three land soldiers before ordered to
be raised; and a sum of ninety-one thousand nine hundred and nineteen
pounds, ten shillings, was voted for these additional forces; upon
another estimate presented a little after by the same lord, and founded
upon the same reasons, for raising, for the further defence of the
kingdom, eleven troops of light dragoons, forty-nine thousand six
hundred and twenty-eight pounds, eleven shillings and threepence,
were voted for the ensuing year; together with eighty-one thousand one
hundred and seventy-eight pounds, sixteen shillings, for a regiment
of foot to be raised in North America; two hundred and ninety-eight
thousand five hundred and thirty-four pounds, seventeen shillings
and tenpence halfpenny, for the maintenance of our forces already
established in our American colonies; and seventy-nine thousand nine
hundred and fifteen pounds, six shillings, for six regiments of foot
from Ireland, to serve in North America and the East Indies. Besides all
these supplies, Mr. Fox, on the twenty-eighth of January, presented
to the house a message from the king, des