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43. Answer to the common argument used in behalf of the Quadruple Alliance, 369

44. Our active interference to put down Don Carlos and the male line was still
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49. The danger of the Spanish alliance is unchanged by the Revolution of 1848, ib.

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LIFE

OF

MARLBOROUGH

CHAPTER VII.

PROGRESS OF THE WAR IN OTHER QUARTERS IN 1708.-CONFERENCE OF
OF TOURNAY.-BATTLE OF MALPLAQUET.-

THE HAGUE.SIEGE

FALL OF MONS.

VII.

1709.

1.

Progress of of the Medi

the war in

terranean

Rhine.

ALTHOUGH the campaign in Flanders was the principal CHAP. one in 1708, and from its vast importance and thrilling interest absorbed the greater part of the forces of the contending parties, and nearly the whole interest of the struggle, yet it was by no means the only theatre important operations. In other quarters considerable and on the successes had been gained, which contributed to enhance the difficulties, and augment the dangers of the French monarch. In the Mediterranean, Admiral Drake had conquered Sardinia, almost without striking a blow. Minorca, with its noble harbour and powerful fortress of Port Mahon, had yielded to a combined naval and military force under the able direction of General Stanhope, and, with Gibraltar, promised to secure to the English the command of that inland sea. On the

VOL. II.

Α

VII.

CHAP. Upper Rhine, the Electors of Bavaria and Hanover, at the head of their respective armies, had cautiously abstained from serious hostilities, and spent the cam

1709.

viii. 225

272. Hist.

1 Hist. Mil. paign in mutual observation, without achieving anything Worthy of being recorded. Everything had been drawn. to the campaign in Flanders: nothing had occurred elsewhere to counterbalance its advantages.1

de Marlb. iii. 1, 2.

2. Ruinous divisions

which pre

vailed in

Spain.

The war in Spain, at the outset, promised more important operations, but they had not terminated in any considerable results. The effects of the disaster of Almanza were still deeply felt. The same jealousies between Lord Galway and the Spanish generals and Government, prevented any considerable operation either from being undertaken or being brought to a successful issue. Although the cabinet of Vienna, at the urgent entreaty of Marlborough, at length sent 7300 men to reinforce the army in Catalonia; yet, even with the aid of this considerable reinforcement, it was weak aud disjointed, without either money, magazines, or clothing-alike incompetent to commence offensive operations, or to defend its own frontier from the invasion of the enemy. The jealousy shown of the Portuguese troops, who had been despatched to succour Catalonia, after the disaster of Almanza exposed it to the danger of immediate conquest, was such that a British squadron was despatched to bring them round to their own country. Even after this source of irritation was removed, the jealousy of foreigners, which seems so inherent in the Spaniards that not even the greatest disasters can eradicate it, produced such continued disputes, that so far from gaining the Allies lost ground in every part of the Peninsula. Lord Galway, who had been removed to Portugal after his ill success at Almanza, was deprived

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