[West Indies]:

REASONS FOR A WAR AGAINST SPAIN. IN A LETTER FROM A MERCHANT OF LONDON TRADING TO AMERICA, TO A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. WITH A PLAN OF OPERATIONS

      London. 1737.. 40pp. Modern half calf and paper boards, spine gilt. Very good. Written on the eve of another round of warfare with Spain, and chiefly concerned with the Spanish threat to British trade and commerce in the West Indies. The unknown author, identified only as "L.D.," asserts that Spanish depredations against British shipping in the "American seas" are more than enough justification for a declaration of war against Spain, and that "Great Britain reaps so many benefits from their trade to America, that there is some room to doubt whether the Kingdom can subsist without it." He contends that not only has Great Britain the right to declare war against Spain, but sufficient might to ensure victory. The final three pages contains Queen Elizabeth's speech of 1588 to her army at Tilbury, when Britain was threatened with invasion by Spain. OCLC locates only the second edition of 1738. Rare. EUROPEAN AMERICANA 737/178. BEINECKE LESSER ANTILLES COLLECTION 167. SPERLING 544. GOLDSMITHS 7482. HANSON 5033. SIMMONS 1737#9. SABIN 68258.