The fleets which are floating from one coast to another in the
Mediterranean, and which sometimes strike terrour into the harmless
inhabitants of an open coast, or threaten, but only threaten,
destruction to an unfortified town, I am very far from considering as
armaments fitted out against the Spaniards, who neither feel nor fear
any great injury from them: their trade may be, indeed, somewhat
impeded; but that inconvenience is amply compensated by their
depredations upon our merchants: their navies may be confined to their
own ports, or to those of France; but these navies are not very
necessary to them, since they are not sufficiently powerful to oppose
us on the ocean; and therefore they who are thus confined, suffer less
than those who confine them. We have, indeed, the empty pleasure of
seeing ourselves lords of the sea, and of shaking the coasts with
volleys of our cannon; but we purchase the triumph at a very high
price, and shall find ourselves in time weakened by a useless
ostentation of superiority.
The only parts of the Spanish dominions in which they can receive any
hurt from our forces, are those countries which they possess in
America, and from which they receive the gold and silver which inflame
their pride, and incite them to insult nations more powerful than
themselves.
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