ion. He assured them that no attention
should be wanting, on his part, for the faithful application of what had
been granted. They were informed he had nothing further to desire, but
that they would carry down the same good dispositions, and propagate
them in their several counties, which they had shown in their
proceedings during the session. These declarations being pronounced, the
parliament was prorogued.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

The people of England, provoked on one hand by the intrigues, the
hostilities and menaces of France, and animated on the other by the
pride and triumph of success, which never fails to reconcile them to
difficulties, howsoever great, and expense, however enormous, at this
period breathed nothing but war, and discoursed about nothing but new
plans of conquest. We have seen how liberally the parliament bestowed
the nation's money; and the acquiescence of the subjects in general
under the additional burdens which had been imposed, appeared in the
remarkable eagerness with which they embarked in the subscription
planned by the legislature; in the vigorous assistance they contributed
towards manning the navy, recruiting the army, and levying additional
forces; and the warlike spirit which began to diffuse itself through
all ranks of the people, This was a spirit which the ministry carefully
cherished and cultivated, for the support of the war, which, it must
bo owned, was prosecuted with an ardour and efficacy peculiar to the
present administration. True it is, the German war had been for some
time adopted as an object of importance by the British councils, and a
resolution was taken to maintain it without flinching: at the same time,
it must be allowed, that this consideration had not hitherto weakened
the attention of the ministry to the operations in America, where alone
the war may be said to have been carried on and prosecuted on British
principles, so as to distress the enemy in their most tender part,
and at the same time, acquire the most substantial advantages to the
subjects of Britain. For these two purposes, every preparation was made
that sagacity could suggest, or vigour execute. The navy was repaired
and augmented; and, in order to man the different squadrons, the
expedient of pressing, that disgrace to a British administration,
was practised both by land and water with extraordinary rigour and
vivacity. A proclamation was issued, offering a conside