overed its frontier, and,
to secure their usurpations, erected, with an armed force, a chain of
forts on the lands which they had invaded; that his Britannic majesty
had complained of these hostilities to the court of Versailles, but
without effect; so that he found himself obliged to provide for the
security of his subjects; and as the encroachments made by France
were hostile, it could never be unlawful, or irreconcile-able with the
assurance of his majesty's peaceable disposition, to repel an aggressor;
and that the same motive of self-defence had forced him to seize the
French ships and sailors, in order to deprive that court of the means
of making an invasion, with which their ministers in all the courts of
Europe had menaced England.]

[Footnote 379: Note 3B, p. 379. _To Lieut. Gen. Fowke, or, in his
absence, to the Commander-in-Chief in his Majesty's garrison of
Gibraltar._ War-office, March 21, 1756. "Sir,--I am commanded to
acquaint you, that it is his majesty's pleasure that you receive into
your garrison lord Robert Bertie's regiment to do duty there; and in
case you should apprehend that the French intend to make any attempt
upon his majesty's island of Minorca, it is his majesty's pleasure that
you make a detachment out of the troops of your garrison equal to a
battalion, to be commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and major; such
lieutenant-colonel and major to be the eldest in your garrison, to be
put on board the fleet for the relief of Minorca, as the admiral shall
think expedient, who is to carry them to the said island. I am, your
humble servant, B."

_To Lieut. Gen. Fowke, or, in his absence, to the Commander-in-Chief
at Gibraltar._ War-office, March 26,1756. "Sir,--I am commanded to
acquaint you, that it is his majesty's pleasure, in case the island of
Minorca should be in any likelihood of being attacked, that you make
a detachment from the troops in your garrison equal to a battalion,
commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and major, for the relief of that
place, to be put on board the fleet, at the disposition of the admiral:
such lieutenant-colonel and major to be the eldest in your garrison."

To Lieut. Gen. Fowke, or, in his absence, to the Commander-in-chief
in his Majesty's garrison of Gibraltar. War-office, April 1, 1756.
"Sir,--It is his majesty's pleasure, that you receive into your
garrrison the women and children belonging to lord Robert Bertie's
regiment."

_To Lieut. Gen. Fowke, or the