Carthagena, August 15th.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

The entrance of this harbour is not more than six hundred yards wide, and is flanked by about thirty guns on the east side, and two-and-twenty on the west: But, as troops coming from the town, must take a considerable circuit round the water, I imagine that, on a sudden attack, these batteries would not be manned in less than two hours. I can discern no embrazures on the line wall towards the sea; but, on the pier without the gates, there is a low battery of fifty heavy guns, to defend the entrance of the bason at the west end of the town. This passage has no defence on the opposite side, but is scarce fifty yards wide. The King's ships are laid up immediately within it. At present, they amount to twenty-one sail of the line, besides frigates; but they are so closely lashed together, that, if one took fire, the whole, in all probability, would be consumed. None of them are coppered, nor have they any masts standing; and, although Carthagena is the second naval arsenal in Spain, nothing like a man of war in any readiness for service; is here to be seen, except a small copper-bottomed brig, and a few galleys: of these the brig only is in commission.^[1]

The dock-yard is contiguous to the bason, and both are commanded by several heights. Two of these are secured by redoubts; the rest are intrusted to crosses. The works round the city are, I believe, but weak; and there are several fine landing places within a day's march of the town.

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We felt much obliged to the Governor, Don Joseph De Rocas, for his very great attention. Besides repeated offers of his best services, he sent his Aid de Camp to compliment us on our arrival, and to express the utmost regret, that the orders from his Court were so strict, that he could not have the honor of seeing us on shore, until we had performed a tedious quarantine; but, in the mean while, if we were disposed to amuse ourselves in the harbour, he would send a boat to shew us every thing we wished, and would do all in his power, to make our stay as pleasant as possible. We thanked him for his kindness and civility, and, in return, determined to give him no trouble.

As the English were once in possession of Carthagena, and I may have frequent occasion to mention the operations of the British arms in the Mediterranean, to prevent repetition, I will recite, in as few words as possible, the rise, progress, and conclusion of the War of the Succession.

Ferdinand and Isabella were succeeded, in 1515, by their grandson, the famous Charles, afterwards Emperor of Germany. Charles, in 1556, resigned his crown to his son, Philip II. whose grandson, Philip IV. had issue, Charles, Maria Theresa, and Margaret. Maria Theresa married Louis XIV. of France, who was compelled to resign every pretension he might afterwards have to Spain, in consequence of this marriage; and Margaret was given to the Emperor Leopold.

Philip IV. was succeeded by his son Charles II. who seemed likely to leave no issue. Louis XIV. therefore apprehending that, at the death of this King, a great contest would arise for the crown of Spain, entered into a secret treaty with William III. and the Dutch, for the partition of its dominions: by which it was agreed, that all the Spanish territories in Italy, the province of Guipuscoa in Spain, and the duchies of Lorrain and Bar, should devolve to the Dauphin; whilst the kingdom of Spain, and Spanish America, should be given to the Archduke Charles, the Emperor's second son, the eldest being already provided for. It is to be observed, that these sons were by the Emperor's second marriage, Margaret and all her issue being dead. The Dauphin would therefore have been the undoubted heir apparent, had not his father, on his marriage, renounced his right.

The Spaniards, who were so nearly concerned, knew nothing of this Partition Treaty. Soon after its conclusion, Charles II. of Spain died, and, by his will, left all his dominions to Philip, Duke of Anjou, the Dauphin's second son. Louis immediately sent his grandson to ascend the throne. This was a breach of the Partition Treaty, which William determined to oppose; but dying at this crisis, war was declared by Queen Anne, who, in conjunction with the Emperor Leopold and the Dutch, set up the Archduke Charles, in opposition to the Duke of Anjou. In this war several other Powers took part.

Sir George Rooke and the Duke of Ormond were sent to Cadiz, in hopes that the Andalusians would declare for Charles: but they refused to acknowledge him; and the English, thinking the town too strong to be carried by force, re-embarked. On their return, Sir George and the Duke, hearing that a squadron of French men of war, with a very valuable convoy, had put into Vigo, determined " Oct. 1702." to attack them; which they executed with the most brilliant success. Ten line-of-battle ships and eleven galleons were taken, and six galleons and five sail of the line, burnt, besides many smaller vessels.

In 1704, the Archduke embarked on board the Confederate Fleet, and, after an unsuccessful attempt on Barcelona, set off for Lisbon, the Portuguese having espoused his cause against Philip. In the mean while, Sir George took Gibraltar, and engaged Count Thoulouse off Malaga. Gibraltar was immediately besieged by the French and Spaniards, but was relieved by Admiral Leake, in 1705, who took a line-of-battle ship, and burnt four more.

Charles again embarked on board our fleet, at Altea Bay, with Lord Peterborough, and the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt. The Prince was repulsed and killed at the assault of Fort Montjuic, at Barcelona; but Lord Peterborough instantly " Sept. 3, 1705." renewed the attack, and carried the fort. The town surrendered soon after. Lord Peterborough marched directly into Valentia, and, in a few months, with scarce six thousand English troops, overrun the greatest part of Spain, and entered Madrid in triumph. His stay there, however, was but short; for he was obliged to return to the assistance of King Charles, who was now besieged in Barcelona, by General TessÉ: but, on the Earl's approach, the French General raised the siege with the utmost precipitation, leaving all his baggage, camp equipage, " April, 1706." artillery and wounded men behind him. Victory, throughout this campaign, was the constant attendant on the British arms. The town of Alicant was taken by assault; " June 28." and the citadel surrendered next day. Carthagena having offered to acknowledge Charles, a detachment was sent to secure it. Majorca and Ivica surrendered soon after.

But the eminent services of the Earl of Peterborough not gaining him a proper influence in the Administration, he resigned his command, and was succeeded by Lord Galway, a brave man. But, by the mismanagement of King Charles, his affairs fell into great confusion; and Lord Galway, being obliged to engage the enemy under many disadvantages at Almanza, " April 14, 1707." was entirely defeated. The consequences of this victory gave Philip a decided superiority in Spain.

In the mean while, the Duke of Marlborough having carried all before him in Flanders, and the Duke of Savoy having driven the enemy out of his dominions, it was resolved, that the army under his Highness's command in Italy, assisted by the fleet in the Mediterranean, should besiege Toulon: but the Emperor Joseph, who had succeeded his father Leopold, withdrawing his forces to besiege Naples, " August 4." and the French making a successful sally, in which they burnt all the batteries, the Allies were obliged to raise the siege.

Nothing remarkable was done in Spain in 1708. Our army was reinforced, and the enemy's distressed by the capture of a large convoy of provisions. Cagliari, the capital, and the whole island of Sardinia, submitted to King Charles; Minorca was taken by General Stanhope, and Naples surrendered to the Emperor.

Next year, Alicant was taken by the enemy. The rock on which the citadel stood, was defended for several months, by Major General Richards, with the " April, 1709." most romantic valour, but was at last undermined and blown up. The General, and most of the principal Officers, having purposely exposed themselves, to animate the garrison to stand the threatened shock, were lost in the explosion; but the survivors, under Colonel D'Allon, defended themselves till the British fleet arrived and carried them off.

During the remainder of the war, Charles's affairs continued to decline; and his success at Sarragossa and Almanara was balanced by a defeat at Villa Viciosa, and the capture of General Stanhope's army at Brihuega.

At this juncture, his brother died, and Charles, succeeding to the empire of Germany (1711), left Spain; but his partizans, assisted by the English under the Duke of Argyle, kept possession of Barcelona, and the greatest part of Catalonia, till the peace of Utrecht in 1713.

By this treaty, Charles resigned his pretentions to Spain; but, in addition to the empire, he retained Sardinia, Naples, Milan, and the Spanish Netherlands. Sicily was given to the Duke of Savoy, with the title of King; together with Fenestrelles, and some other places taken from the French. The Dutch got their Barrier; the English, only Minorca and Gibraltar, with some settlements in North America. Prussia got Upper Gueldres.

Philip, Duke of Anjou, was declared King of Spain: but, to prevent that kingdom and France from ever being united under one head, Philip was obliged to renounce every future claim to France; whilst the Dukes of Berry and Orleans were obliged to do the same by Spain.

I wish much to enlarge on the gallant exploits of the Earl of Peterborough, the heroic defence of General Richards, and the noble spirit of the Catalonians after they were abandoned by the Emperor and Queen Ann to the chastisement of Philip; but the bounds prescribed to a journal will not permit me.