May 1, 1755: “The time for paying the bounties to seamen and landmen was prolonged to the 27^th instant.” [LM, 5-55]

May 23, 1755: Two French ships are captured by Howe.

May, 1755: “The assembly of New York has passed an act for raising 45000l. by a tax on estates real and personal, for putting the said colony into a posture of defence, for furthering his majesty’s designs in North-America; also an act to restrain the sending provisions to Cape-Breton, or any French port or settlement on the continent of North-America, or islands nigh or adjacent thereto; to which the acts the governor has given his assent.  By an act passed the last sessions of assembly at Boston in New-England, the inhabitants of that province are forbid holding any correspondence with the people of Louisbourg, &c. for four months, commencing the 1^st of March last; and the master of any vessel that shall be known to trade there, contrary to the interest of said act, is to have one of his ears cut off, be publickly whipped, and rendered incapable  of ever holding any place of honour or profit in that government; his vessel and cargo to be forfeited, and the owner or owners thereof to forfeit 500l. and also to be disabled from holding any place, &c. in that government.”

April 2, 1755: Severndroog and the Port of Geriah taken. — Commodore James, commanding the British squadron in the Indian seas, in his expedition against the piratical state of Geriah, having chased the fleet of Tulagec Angria off the coast, returned to destroy the fortifications of his stronghold. These consisted of Severndroog, a strong isolated fortress, mounting 54 guns, within musket-shot of the mainland, defending the port of Geriah, which was also protected by the fort of Goa, mounting 40 guns, and two other forts of 20 guns each. Placing his ships between the island and the main, the commodore cannonaded Severndroog with his upper-deck guns, while with those on the lower deck he engaged fort Goa. By noon Severndroog was nearly in ruins, and the houses within the walls in flames. The cannonade of the ships prevented the defenders from extinguishing the fire, and the conflagration communicating with two magazines, the garrison abandoned the place. A short time after this, the fort of Goa hung out a flag of truce; but the Governor with his garrison crossed over to the island and reoccupied the smoking ruins of Severndroog. Commodore James sent them terms of surrender, but as no satisfactory reply could be obtained, he landed a party of seamen to storm the place. Forming under cover of the fire of the ships, these gallant fellows rushed to the gate of the sally port, and with their axes cut their way into the fort, and, having with their axes cut their way into the fort, drove the defenders beyond the walls, and took possession of the place. The loss of the British was but trifling.

April 9, 1755: The port and fortifications of Bancole, in the piratical state of Geriah, on the coast of Malabar, surrendered this day to the expedition under Commodore James.

April 10, 1755: War declared between the Dutch and Algerines. “…the several admiralties of Holland and Zealand have ordered fifteen men of war to be put into commission, to protect their trade in the Mediterranean.”

April 14, 1755: English General Edward Braddock arrives in Virginia with two regiments of English regulars and begins plans to march on Fort Du Quesne.

April 25, 1755: “His Majesty made a most gracious speech from the throne; in which he acquainted the two Houses, that the zeal they had shown for supporting the honour, rights, and possessions of his crown, had afforded him the greatest satisfaction; that his desire to preserve the public tranquility had been sincere and uniform: that he had religiously adhered to the stipulations of the treaty of Aix la Chapelle; and made it his саге not to injure, or offend any power whatever; but never could entertain a thought of purchasing the name of peace, at the expence of suffering encroachments upon, or of yielding up, what justly belonged to Great Britain, either by ancient possession or solemn treaties; that the vigour and firmness of his Parliament on this important occasion had enabled him to be prepared for such contingencies as might happen.”

April 28, 1755: Admiral Howe, with a fleet of fifteen sail of the line, one twenty-gun ship, and a sloop, sails from Plymouth with two regiments of foot to drive the French from the American seas.

March 25: “His Majesty having, by a gracious message to the House of Lords, signified the necessity of augmenting our forces by sea and land, in order to provide the security of our colonies in America, as well as for the defence of these kingdoms.”

March 27: The Commons resolves that a sum not exceeding 1,000,000l. be granted to his Majesty on account, towards enabling him to augment his forces by sea and land, and to take such measures for the security of his dominions, as may be necessary in the present conjuncture.

January 2, 1755: “Philadelphia, Jan. 2.  Five days ago we received certain intelligence, that a body of near 6000 of the best troops of France, selected and sent over upon this particular service, are just arrived at the lower fort upon the Ohio, and are employed, even in this rigorous season in fortifying that country.  In September last, the French men of war that brought them over, were seen not far from the entrance of the river St. Laurence, into which we are certain they went, and landed at Quebec.  After a short stay in that city, they were seen by our Indian traders passing the lakes Oswego and Erie, in prodigious number of bateaus; of which the several governors received notice, though we did not then conjecture that it was an armament from Old France.”

January 20, 1755: “Paris: We hear that M. Macnamara, Lieut. Gen. of the king’s naval forces, has been sent for to court, and is appointed to command the squadron actually equipped at Brest and Rochefort; that he is to hoist his flag on board the Formidable, of 80 guns, and is to have three chefs d’escadre under him, viz, Count Dubois de la Motte, M. Perrier de Salvett, and M. de Montlonet.  This squadron, ‘tis pretended, will consist of six ships of the line, five frigates, and ten transports of five, eight, and ten guns.  The number of troops to be embarked is set at 3000; but nothing can be positively asserted as to the numbers of men and ships.”

January 23, 1755: “A proclamation was issued to encourage seamen to enter themselves on board his majesty’s ships of war, by offering each able seaman, between twenty and fifty year of age, who shall enter voluntarily, 30s. bounty-money; and ordinary seaman, 20s. bounty-money.  The same night the press for seamen was very warm below bridge, and the next day there was a very warm press for landmen, to man the guardships in the room of those who will be removed on board ships lately commissioned, and ordered to be got ready with all expedition for service.”