Craftsman Extraordinary, &c.

To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq;

SIR,

T

HE late Pamphlet, intitled Observations on the Conduct of Great-Britain, &c. being chiefly defigned as

an Anfwer to my first Letter on the pretended Project of a TRUCE, it may be thought incumbent on me to justify what I have written; for though this Piece (which confifts of nothing but Inconfiftencies, Contradictions, Pravarications, and downright Falfhoods) is already funk into that Contempt, which it deferves; yet when a private Perfon launches into Politicks, it is his Duty to pay fome Regard to an Adverfary, who produces the leaft Marks of Authority, however mean and defpicable his Performance may be thought.

THE Shortness of Time will, I hope, excufe any little Inaccuracies of Stile, or trivial Mistakes, which I may happen to fall into through the Courfe of this Disquisition, which every Body will perceive required

Haste.

I SHALL pass over all his little Sophistry on the Freedom of Writing, as well as his dirty Imputations of Libelling, Difaffection and ill Designs against the Government (thofe trite, worn out Topicks of every wretched Scribbler against you for above these two Years paft) and come directly to the Points, upon which the whole Strefs of his Arguments, fuch as they are, depends.

THE firft Objection, which he undertakes to confute, is the fuppofed Inactivity of our Squadrons, and the Depredations committed by the Spaniards upon our Merchants in the West Indies.

In order to do this, he hath given us, what he calls, the Inftructions to Admiral Hofier, and the other Commanders of our Squadrons in those Parts.

I SHALL not enquire from whom he received these Lights; though it feems very extraordinary that a little obfcure Pamphleteer fhould be favoured with Papers, of fuch a private Nature, as have been fometimes refused, even upon Applications in Parlia

ment.

NEITHER Will I offer to difpute whether these Instructions are genuine and authentick; though there are feveral Things in them, which have a fufpicious Afpect. By the firft Orders given to Admiral Hofier, it looks as if Thofe, who fent him, did not understand the Service they fent him upon; for they di

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rect him to block up the Flota and Galleons in the Port of Cartagena, which is indeed a proper Port to look for the Galleons in; but the Flota was never there, fince the Spaniards traded to that Country. By the Second Inftructions they feem to be fenfible of their Miftake, by giving him diftinct Orders to take Care of the Flota, which makes it probable that, at firft, they took the Flota and Galleons to be the fame Fleet, and did not know that one came from Peru, and the other from Mexico.

NEITHER Can I fee the Reafon for preferring the Galleons, in thefe Inftructions, to the Flota; for if keeping the Spanish Treafure from going Home, was the Intent of that Expedition, the Flota was as material an Attention as the Galleons, having as much Money aboard them, and both might have been intercepted, had our Fleet been rightly ftationed at first, viz. in the Bay of Matanzas in the Island of Cuba, where they might have stayed more conveniently than at the Baftimentos.

INDEED stopping the Flota is made the next Point to stopping the Galleons; but confidering the Port, from whence it comes, and the Course it steers, it was almost impoffible that a Squadron lying at the Baftimentos fhould intercept them, or gain any Intelligence of them.

IN another Part of thefe Orders, Admiral Hofier is inftructed to PERSUADE the Spaniards to let him take them, which I confefs looks, at first Sight, fomewhat romantick and ridiculous.

;

THESE Particulars, I fay, might render the whole liable to Sufpicion; but though I could not help taking fome Notice of them, I would not be thought to infer from hence the Impoffibility of their being authentick for though I have a very bad Opinion of the Pamphleteer, I cannot think that he would dare to impofe upon the World in a Matter of fuch Confequence; but fince it was thought neceffary to give the Publick fome Satisfaction in this Affair, I could with he had favoured us with ALL thefe Inftructions at Length and entire (for this does not appear to be the Case) that we might have been able to form a true Judgment upon a View of the Whole, which cannot be fo well done by Scraps and Extracts.

HOWEVER, it appears from these Orders themselves (as he hath thought fit to publish them) that topping the Galleons was to be their chief Care, and that they were not to rifque the Success of it upon any Account. I will therefore leave it to the Judgment of Mankind, whether any prudent Officer, under fuch a frict and particular Injuntion, would run the leaft Hazard of failing in that main Point, by endeavour

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