The Bells of Victory.

The situation of the nation and the ministry in the summer of 1759 was finely balanced. The fleet was adequate, but no one knew whether it could stay at sea and prevent the enemy from launching an invasion. The army was growing but was still seemingly insufficient to resist a formidable assault by the French. So far there had been no news from North America, though few doubted ultimate success there. Elsewhere, Prince Ferdinand was battling manfully. However, since June he had been on the defensive, facing a pincer movement by the army of Contades. The dangers seemed all the greater when on 11 July the enemy took the town of Minden, a key approach to the Electorate. This misfortune unexpectedly prefaced success, for on 5 August news arrived of Ferdinand's victory over the French four days earlier. The Prince had exploited a weakness in the enemy's position to lure them into a premature attack. His victory was considerable; not only had he recaptured Minden and several thousand prisoners, he was also pushing the French back towards the Rhine. Here was one cloud removed, though the ministerial joy was slightly diminished by rumours of misconduct by Sackville. Nevertheless, as the enemy fled from the battlefield there was much satisfaction, which not even the news of a bloody and largely unsuccessful encounter between Frederick II and the Russians at Kunersdorf could dispel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]