rmany, she had been
obliged to withdraw her troops from Ostend and Nieuport, and applied
to the French king, as her ally nearest at hand, to garrison these two
places; which, however, should be restored at the peace, or sooner,
should her imperial majesty think proper. The spirit of the Dutch
merchants, at this juncture, and their sentiments with respect to
England, appeared with very high colouring in a memorial to the
states-general, subscribed by two hundred and sixty-nine traders,
composed and presented with equal secrecy and circumspection. In this
famous remonstrance they complained, that the violences and unjust
depredations committed by the English ships of war and privateers, on
the vessels and effects of them and their fellow-subjects, were not only
continued, but daily multiplied; and cruelty and excess carried to such
a pitch of wanton barbarity, that the petitioners were forced to implore
the assistance of their high mightinesses to protect, in the most
efficacious manner, the commerce and navigation, which were the two
sinews of the republic. For this necessary purpose they offered to
contribute each his contingent, and to arm at their own charge; and
other propositions were made for an immediate augmentation of the
marine. While this party industriously exerted all their power and
credit to effect a rupture with England, the princess-gouvernante
employed all her interest and address to divert them from this object,
and alarm them with respect to the power and designs of France; against
which she earnestly exhorted them to augment their military forces
by land, that they might be prepared to defend themselves against all
invasion. At the same time she spared no pains to adjust the differences
between her husband's country and her father's kingdom; and without
doubt, her healing councils were of great efficacy in preventing matters
from coming to a very dangerous extremity.

CHAPTER XV.

_Expedition against Senegal..... Fort Louis and Senegal
taken..... Unsuccessful attempt upon Goree..... Expedition
to Cape Breton..... Louisbourg taken..... and St.
John's..... Unsuccessful attempt upon Ticonderoga.....
Fort Frontenac taken and destroyed by the English.....
Brigadier Forbes takes Fort du Quesne..... Goree taken.....
Shipwreck of Captain Barton..... Gallant Exploit of Captain
Tyrrell..... Transactions in the East Indies..... Admiral
Pococke engages