hey would seriously reflect
upon the exhortations of her royal highness, as well as on the repeated
instances of the majority of the confederates, and take a wise and
salutary resolution with regard to the proposed augmentation of the
land-forces, so that this addition, together with an equipment at sea,
might, the sooner the better, be unanimously brought to a conclusion.
It was undoubtedly the duty of all who wished well to their country,
to moderate the heat and precipitation of those, who, provoked by their
losses, and stimulated by resentment, endeavoured at this period to
involve their nation in a war with Great Britain. Had matters been
pushed to this extremity, in a few months the republic would, in all
probability, have been brought to the brink of ruin. The Dutch were
distracted by internal divisions; they were altogether unprovided for
hostilities by sea; the ocean was covered with their trading vessels;
and the naval armaments of Great Britain were so numerous and powerful,
as to render all resistance on that element equally vain and pernicious.
The English could not only have scoured the seas, and made prize of
their shipping, but were also in a condition to reduce or demolish
all their towns in Zealand, where they would hardly have met with any
opposition.

CHAPTER XVI.

_Domestic Occurrences in Great Britain..... Trials of Dr.
Hensey and Shebbeare..... Institution of the Magdalen
Asylum..... Society for the encouragement of Arts.....
Session opened..... New Treaty with the King of Prussia.....
Supplies granted..... The King's Message to the Commons.....
Bill relating to ihe Distillery, and the Exportation of
Corn..... Petition from the Justices of Norfolk---Bill for
the Importation of salted Beef from Treland continued.....
Regulations with respect to Privateers..... New Militia
Laws..... Act for the Relief of Debtors revived..... Bills
for the Importation of Irish Beef and Tallow..... Act
relative to Milford-Haven..... Bill relative to the Duty on
Pensions..... Act relative to the Duty on Plate..... Cambric
Act..... Unsuccessful Bills..... Case of the Insolvent
Debtors..... Case of Cant. Walker..... Remarks on the
Bankrupt Laws..... Inquiry into the State of the Poor.....
Regulations of Weights and Measures..... Resolutions
concerning the Foundling Hospital..... Messages from the
King to the