An Account of the Expedition of the British Fleet to Sicily in the Years 1718, 1719, and 1720 by Corbett, Thomas [1687-1751) - 1739

London: J & R Tonson, 1739. Small Octavo. Second edition. 96 pages, folding plate at end of p. 94 listed the ships of George Byng Torrington's fleet with the names of all the captains. This is the first account of the events of the Sicilian Expedition (1718-1720). On March 14, 1718 Byng was advanced to the rank of admiral of the fleet which was pursuing ships in the Quadruple Alliance. When he suggested to the Spanish commander that any battle be postponed until diplomatic relationships were concluded and was rebuffed, he began to fight the Spanish even though war was not declared. He captured nearly two-thirds of the Spanish fleet which led to the Spaniards evacuation of Sicily. The admiral's manuscripts were collected and it was published two decades later. Another edition was published with the same English appendices but that also includes the French documents. Bound in modern brown cloth, spine lettering gilt, endpapers renewed, previous owner's name dated 1739. A very good copy.