They have no fleet on this side of their kingdom, and
their ships in the Mediterranean are blocked up in the harbour by the
navies of Britain. We shall still have at home a body of seven
thousand men, which was thought a sufficient security in the late war,
when the French had a fleet equal to our own. Why we should now be in
more danger from without, I cannot discover; and with regard to
intestine commotions, they will be prevented by compliance with the
present motion. For nothing can incite the people of Britain to oppose
those who have openly dismissed the troops of Hanover.
But, my lords, I am not yet at all convinced, that the end for which
those troops are said to be hired, ought to be pursued, or can be
attained by us; and if the end be in itself improper or impossible, it
certainly follows, that the means ought to be laid aside.
If we consider the present state of the continent, we shall find no
prospect by which we can be encouraged to hazard our forces or our
money. The king of Sardinia has, indeed, declared for us, and opposed
the passage of the Spaniards; but he appears either to be deficient in
courage, or in prudence, or in force; for instead of giving battle on
his frontiers, he has suffered them, with very little resistance, to
invade his territories, to plunder and insult his subjects, and to
live at his expense; and it may be suspected, that if he cannot drive
them out of his country, he will in time be content to purchase their
departure, by granting them a passage through it, and rather give up
the dominions of his ally to be ravaged, than preserve them at the
expense of his own.
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