A. D. 1 71 1. 17 



port of London, to the amount of the cuftoms of all the out-ports, was 

 as Li, 268,095 was to L346,o8i, which is confiderably above three and 

 a half to one. 



The new Britifh miniftry had laid a plan in the fpring of the year 

 171 1, by the folicitation of General Nicholfon, for the attack of Pla- 

 centia in Newfoundland, and, which was of flill more importance, for 

 the conqueft of Quebec and the reft of Canada, from France, Troops 

 were early enough brought over from Flanders to Portlmouth, and in 

 April lyti a powerful armament failed from Portfmouth, and in May, 

 from Plymouth; the fleet of 12 {hips of war and 50 tranfports, com- 

 manded by Sir Hovendon Walker, and the 6000 land forces by Briga- 

 dier Hill. At Bofton in New-England they were detained till the 30th 

 of July, to fupply themfelves with provifions, 8cc. which, it was faid, 

 they ought, for difpatch, to have carried with them from England ; fo 

 that they failed into the river St. Laurence confiderably too late in the 

 year ; while General Nicholfon, with 2000 provincials, and 2000 Pala- 

 tines and Indians, proceeded over land to Albany. When they had got 

 a little way up the river St. Laurence, they met with very tempeftuous 

 weather ; and being driven among rocks and fmall iflands, it was not 

 without the greateft hazard that the fhips of war efcaped being loft ; 

 but eight tranfports were caft away, with the lofs of about 800 men, 

 officers, foldiers, and failors, and many of the other ftiips were miferably 

 fhattered : wherefor it was determined to return to England, which 

 they accordingly did in Odober the fame year, without having made 

 any attempt on the French at Placentia. 



The Englifti African company now petitioned the houfe of commons 

 for leave to bring in a bill for the confirmation of their exclufive char- 

 ter. But the petitions from private traders, as well as from the Britifli 

 American colonies, for laying that trade quite open, effedually fruftrat- 

 ed the company's petition. Yet nothing farther was done at this time, 

 in relation to the African trade, except that the houfe of commons ad- 

 dreffed the queen, to direct that care fliould be taken of the forts, &c. 

 on the Guinea coaft, until farther provifion ftiould be made. 



The new prime minifter of Great Britain, the earl of Oxford, now 

 created lord treafurer, upon his accefTion to power, fawit to hthishitert^} 

 to put an end to the war with France and Spain as foon as pofTible, 

 and was now adlually treating of a feparate peace with thofe powers. 

 Yet, as he could not prudently avoid carrying it on, at leaft for the year 

 171 1, and until he could more firmly fix himfelf in power, he judged it, 

 principally neccflary to find means to quiet the minds of the monied 

 jjcople by rcftoring the public credit, which was at this time much af- 

 fected by the late great change in the miniftry, and had occafioned a 

 run upon the bank. And as the bulk of the monied men, and of tho- 



Vol. III. G 



