THE French-Fleet , according to the Computation of our murmuring Jacobites , ( notwithstanding their loss of nigh twenty Capital Ships , besides Frigats of Forty , and Fifty , and more Guns , last Year , ) is , by a Romish sort of Miracle , grown this Summer more Potent and Numerous than last , and it is confidently given out , by an odd sort of People among us , That they are both more able , and more resolv'd to Fight us this Year , than they were before : 'T is true , ( it is agreed on all hands , ) that the French King , since his fatal Defeat at Sea , has been very Industrious ; and , as his Majesty was pleas'd to tell his Parliament , very diligent in his applications to repair the remainder of his shatter'd Fleet ; but at the same time we never could have any Account of any new Ships of War he hath added this Year , and the Thoulon Squadron was never computed above Fifteen Sail , which , as they were absent last Year , by all Accounts , is concluded to be on the Coasts of Spain now ; so that we may believe them now to be near Fifty Sail , whereas our Grand Fleet now consists of near Eighty Sail of Capital Men of War in the Line of Battle , and , praised be God , with a Fair Wind , are Sailed to the Coast of France , resolving to Face this so much boasted , formidable Fleet of the French ; for , by the Accounts from Paris , we are inform'd they are to rendezvouz at Bell-Isle , and the French King has sent his Orders to Monsieur Tourville , his Admiral , to continue upon their own Coasts , and that if the English seem'd to be forward to press a Battle there , not to decline it .

Our Fleet above Three Days ago were seen past Plimouth , and we are in daily Expectation of hearing of some Gallant Action from them , though it is generally believ'd , that this pretended Bravery of the French , is but a meer Bravado , a sweetning Sugar-Plumb to encourage and keep up the sinking Spirits of his fainting Janasaries here ; for is it reasonable to believe that he will willingly expose the Remainder of his Naval Strength to such Disadvantage now , when less than an equal Number last Year Scour'd , Drove , and Burn'd them from Port to Port ▪ No , no , without all doubt he would think himself happy , could he but secure himself in his Harbours from our Insults ; and therefore 't is not improbably believed that he has order'd his grand Fleet to keep close in their Fortified Ports , while the Thoulon Squadron attacks some place in the Spanish Territories , thereby to amuse or divert us from our intended Descent ; but a very little time will clear our Doubts in this Matter , and our Admirals are Persons of that known Conduct and Resolution , that we have all the reason in the World to expect , ( by God's Blessing ) in a short time , to have a very fair Account of them .