There was amongst the rest, one Instance that made so much Noise at this time, it cannot well be omitted. One Capt. _Jenkins_, Commander of a _Scotch_ Vessel, was in his Passage home boarded by a _Guarda Costa_, the Captain of which was an _Irishman_. The _Spaniards_, after rummaging, finding their Hopes disappointed, tearing off part of his ear, and bidding him carry it to the _English King_, and tell him they would serve him in the same manner if they had him in their Power: This Villainy was attended with other Circumstances of Cruelty too shocking to mention. The Captain, on his Return, was examined at the Bar of the House of Commons; and being ask'd what his Sentiments were, when threaten'd with Death? nobly reply'd, _That he recommended his Soul to God, and his Cause to his Country_;--which Words, and the Sight of his Ear, made a visible Impression on that great Assembly. THE OPPOSITION SUSPECTS WALPOLE OF DOUBLE-DEALING. +Source.+--Memorial from the Earl of Stair to Alexander Earl of Marchmont, December, 1739. Printed in _Papers of the Earls of Marchmont_, 1831. Vol. ii., pp. 170-172. I shall take it for granted, that Great Britain has it in her power to make a prosperous war against Spain, spite of all the opposition that can possibly be made, even though France should meddle in the quarrel, by taking the Havannah, which can be done by raising troops in our colonies of America, headed by a very few regular troops sent from Britain. I mention the Havannah only, because _cela décide la guerre_. The Havannah once taken, the body of troops can be employed in several other expeditions, which may be very useful and very practicable. I say nothing of the method of raising these troops in America; that is a consideration of another time and place. I shall only say, that by the means of our colonies in America Britain should get the better of any nation in a war in America. By a proper use made of our colonies, I do not know what we are not able to do in America. This proposition is demonstrably true; but, I believe, it is no less true, that Sir Robert has no such intention. The disposition of raising men in America would appear; but as no such disposition appears, we may conclude, that Sir Robert's scheme is different. I am afraid, that it is to make a treaty with Spain by the mediation of France. If that treaty should be apparently good, Great Britain will find herself in the state of the horse in Horace's fable: "Sed postquam victor violens discessit at hoste, Non equitem dorso, non frenum depulit ore."