Blenheim were separated by another detachment. In this diftreffed fituation, Tallard flew to rally some squadrons; but from his fhort-fightednels miftaking a detachment of the enemy for his own, he was taken prifoner by the Heffian troops, who were in English pay. In the mean time prince Eugene on his part, after having been thrice repulfed at last put the enemy into confufion. The rout then became general, and the flight precipitate. The confternation was such, that the French foldiers threw themselves into the Danube, without knowing where they fled. The officers loft all their authority, and there was no general left to fecure a retreat.

The allies now being masters of the field of battle, furrounded the village of Blenheim, where a body of thirteen thousand men had been posted in the beginning of the action, and still kept their ground. These troops feeing themselves cut off from all communication with the reft of the army, threw down their arms, and furrendered themfelves prifoners of war. Thus ended the battle of Blenheim, one of the most complete victories that ever was obtained. Twelve thousand French and Bavarians were flain in the field, or drowned in the Danube, and thirteen thoufand were made prifoners of war. Of the allies about five thoufand men were killed, and eight thousand wounded or taken. The lofs of the battle was imputed t› two capital errors committed by marthal Tallard; namely, his weakening the centre by placing fo large a body of troops in the village of Blenheim, and his fuffering the English to crofs the rivulet, and form on the other fide.

The next day, when the duke of Marlborough vifited his prifoner, the marshal, intending a compliment, affured him that he had overcome the beft troops in the world. "I hope, Sir, replied

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"the

"the duke, you will except those troops by whom "they were conquered." A country of an hun dred leagues extent fell by this defeat into the hands of the victor. Not contented with thefe conqueft's, the duke foon after the finifhing the campaign, repaired to Berlin, where he procured a reinforce ment of eight thousand: Pruffians to ferve under prince Eugene in Italy. Thence he proceeded to negotiate for fuccours at the court of Hanover, and foon after returned to England, where he found the people in a phrenzy of joy. He was received as the deliverer of the ftate, as one who had retrieved the glory of the nation. The parliament and the people were ready to fecond him in all his defigns. The manor of Woodstock was conferred upon him for his fervices by both houses; an eulogium was pronounced upon his important fervices by the lord-keeper as he entered the house of lords. The queen was not only pleased with these marks of respect fhewn him, but also ordered the comptroller of her works to build in Woodstock park a magnificent palace for the duke, which remains to this day a monument, as the best judges now begin to think, not lefs of his victories, than of the skill of the architect who raised it.

In the mean time, the arms of England were not lefs fortunate by fea, than they had been upon the Danube. The miniftry of England underftanding that the French were employed in equipping a strong fquadron in Breft, fent out Sir Cloudefly Shovel, and Sir George Rooke to watch their motions. Sir George, however, had farther orders to convey a body of forces in transport-ships to Barcelona, upon which a fruitless attack was made by the prince of Heffe. Finding no hopes, therefore, from this expedition, in two days after the troops were reimbarked. Sir George Rooke, joined by Sir, Cloudefly, called a council of war

on

on board the fleet, as they lay off the coaft of Africa. In this they refolved to make an attempt upon Gibraltar, a city then belonging to the Spaniards, at that time ill provided with a garrison, as neither expecting, nor fearing fuch an attempt.

The town of Gibraltar ftands upon a tongue of land, as the mariners call it, and defended by a rock inacceffible on every fide but one. The prince of Heffe landed his troops, to the number of eighteen hundred, on the continent adjoining, and fummoned the town to surrender, but without effect. Next day the admiral gave orders for cannonading. the town; and perceiving that the enemy were driven from their fortifications at a place called the South Mole-head, ordered captain Whitaker to arm all the boats, and affault that quarter. 'Thofe officers who happened to be nearest the mole, immediately manned their boats without orders, and entered the fortification fword in hand. But they were premature; for the Spaniards fprung a mine by which two lieutenants, and about an hundred men were killed and wounded. Nevertheless, the two captains, Hicks and Jumper, took poffeffion of a platform, and kept their ground, until they were fuftained by captain Whitaker, and the reit of the feamen, who rook a redoubt between the mole and the town by ftorm. Then the governor capitulated, and the prince of Heffe entered the place, amazed at the fuccefs of the attempt, confidering the ftrength of the fortifications. When the news of this conqueft was brought to England, it was for fome time in debate whether it was a capture worth thanking the admiral for. It was at laft confidered as unworthy public gratitude; and while the duke of Marlborough was extolled for useless fervices, Sir George Rooke was left to neglect, and foon difplaced from his command, for having fo effentially ferved his country. A ftriking

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ftriking inftance that, even in the most enlightened age, popular applaufe is most usually mifplaced. Gibraltar has ever fince remained in the poffeffion of the English, and continues of the utmost use in refitting that part of the navy deftined to annoy an enemy, or protect our trade in the Mediterranean. Here the English have a repofitory capable of containing all things neceffary for the repairing of fleets, or the equipment of ar

.mies.

Soon after the taking this important garrison, the English fleet, now become fovereign of the feas, to the number of three and fifty fhips of the line, came up with a French fleet, to the number of fifty-two, commanded by the count de Thouloufe, off the coaft of Malaga. This was the laft great naval engagement in which the French ventured to face the English upon equal terms; all their efforts fince being calculated rather for escape than oppofition. A little after ten in the morning the battle began with equal fury on both fides, and continued to rage with doubtful fuccefs till two in the afternoon, when the van of the French gave way. For two fucceffive days the English admiral endeavoured to renew the engagement, which the French fleet as cautiously declined, and at last difappeared totally. Both nations attempted to claim the honour of the victory upon this occafion; the confequence has fince decided it in favour of the English, as they ftill kept the element of battle.

However the taking of Gibraltar was a conqueft of which the Spaniards knew the lofs, though we feemed ignorant of the value Philip, king of Spain, alarmed at the reduction of that fortress, fent the marquis of Villadurias with a large army to retake it. France alfo fent a fleet of thirteen fhips of the line; but a part of this was difperfed

by

by a tempeft, and part was taken by the English. Nor was the land army more fuccefsful. The fiege continued for four months, during which time the prince of Hefle, who commanded the town for the English, exhibited many proofs of valour. At length, the Spaniards having attempted to fcale the rock in vain, finding no hopes of taking the place, were contented to draw off their men, and abandon the enterprize.

While the English were thus victorious by land and fea, a new scene of contention was opened on the fide of Spain, where the ambition of the European princes exerted itfelf with the fame fury that had filled the rest of the continent. Philip, the fourth grandfon of Lewis the fourteenth, had been placed upon the throne of that kingdom, and had been received with the joyful concurrence of the greatest part of his fubjects. He had also been nominated fucceffor to the crown by the late king of Spain's will. But in a former treaty among the powers of Europe, Charles, fon of the enperor of Germany, was appointed heir to that crown; and this treaty had been guarantied by France herself though the now refolved to reverle that consent in favour of a descendant of the house of Bourbon. Charles was ftill farther led on to put in for the crown of Spain by the invitation of the Catalonians, who declared in his favour, and by the affiftance of the English and Portuguese, who promised to arm in his caufe. Upon his way to his newly affumed dominion he landed in England, where he was received on fhore by the dukes of Somerfet and Marlborough, who conducted him to Windfor. The queen's deportment to him was equally noble and obliging, while, on his fide, he gave general fatisfaction, by the politeness and affability of his conduct. He was furnished with two hundred tranfports, thirty fhips of war, and

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nine