this purpose, formed a total of little lefs than one hundred thousand men, and every appearance indicated, that nothing but a conviction of the unfurmountable difficulties attending it would put a flop to the undertaking. The directory faw thefe: but, unwilling to difcourage the multitude, by acknowledging that the two great victories, gained by admiral Jervis and Duncan, had wholly difconcerted their projects, they fill continued to wear the femblance of a determination to perfift, at all hazards, in a fixed refolve to try the ftrength of the English, in England itself. Such were the words of the directory, and of their fupporters, both in and out of the councils. Arguments, for the probability of fuccefs, were copioufly drawn from the fources of ancient and modern hiftory: but they af forded nothing convincing to judicious obfervers: as the refemblances of times and circumftances were far from appofite, no ftrict inferences could be drawn, and only conjectures formed, according, as ufual, with the wishes of those who made them. The warmth of the French, in defcribing the multifarious means they would employ to compaís the great point of landing, was contrafted with the coolnefs of the English, in allowing its feafibility, but in urging, at the fame time, the probability, or rather, the certainty of no force being put afhore, that would not have to encounter one much greater, and better provided. The circumstance of being inexperienced, fo much infifted on by the French, was held frivolous by the English, when they recollected how well the French themfelves had behaved, in the campaign of 1792, notwithstanding that they were in

the fame predicament in which they reprefented the English, very few of their troops, at that time, having ever feen actual fervice. They would not furely have the vanity to think, the English their inferiors in bodily ftrength and activity, nor poflefied of lefs aptitude to acquire the knowledge of military difcipline and tactics.

But fetting thefe particular confiderations afide, Europe was thoroughly perfuaded, that unless France could recover a greater degree of maritime ftrength, than that to which it was now reduced, all its attempts to invade this country would either be fruftrated, or, in the iffue of a debarkation, terminate in the defeat and capture of thofe troops that might venture to land, either favoured by the cafualties of weather, or by the abfence of thofe numerous fhips of war that guarded the British coaft, but of which the vigilance could not, in the nature of things, extend to every acceffible part. Thefe landings, in the mean time, could only fucceed through flealth; the moment they were effected, the fhips of war, and transports, muft, of neceffity, make off with the utmoft precipitation, left they fhould be difcovered, and captured; a fate which they would hardly ever escape. Thus cut off from

communication, and fupplies, their troops, afhore, could not fail to undergo a fimilar destiny.

It was, therefore, with great reafon, that the public, in Great Britain, teftified their exultation at the triumphs obtained by the British navy, and expreffed their contempt for the endeavours of the French to leffen their importance, and to magnify their own capacity, to execute their defigns against this coun

[ H 4 ]

try,

try, in defiance of its naval' fuperiority. To the sense of the nation, and the univerfal applause bestowed upon admiral Duncan for the eminent fervice rendered to it by his great victory, on the eleventh of October, the government added that remuneration which he fo amply deserved. He was raifed to the dignity of the peerage, and the title of viscount Camperdon conferred upon him, from that town on the Dutch thore, in fight of which the fleet of the Batavian

republic had received fo fignal a defeat.

The people of the Seven Provinces now experienced, more than ever, the calamities brought upon them by their junction with France, or rather by their fubjection to that ambitious power, which they had been rightly forewarned would compel them to become the inftruments of its views, as foon as they should be fo unfortunate as to be obliged to depend on its good faith and pro tection,

СНАР.

N the fixth of October,

an opportunity, with the moft

a new parliament on the ftate of the nation, in both its external and internal relations, and the correfpondent meafures of his government. He told them, that he had omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negociations to reftore peace to Europe, and to fecure, for the future, the general tranquillity. But Lothing, he obferved, could contribute fo effectually to this end, as to manifeft that we poffefs both the determination and refources to oppole, with encreased activity and energy, the farther efforts with which we may have to contend. This was peculiarly neceflary at a moment when the enemy had openly manifefted the intention of attempting a defcent on these kingdoms. The flourishing ftate and profperous exertions of the navy were next noticed, and our military operations in the Eaft and Weft Indies, which had been highly honourable to the British arms. Speaking of the fortune of the war on the continent, his majesty took

tribute of praife to the archduke Charles, under whofe aufpicious conduct fuch a turn had lately been given to the courfe of the war as might infpire a well-grounded confidence, that the final refult of the campaign would prove more difaftrous to the enemy than its commencement and progrefs, for a time, were favourable to their hopes. With regard to the apparently hoftile difpofitions and conduct of the court of Madrid, the final refult of thefe was yet uncertain. His majefty proceeded to notice the flourishing ftate of the commerce, manufactures, and revenue of this country; the profpect of returning plenty; the repreffion of anarchy and confufion; and the continuance of the public tranquillity. An addrefs to his majefty, in answer to the speech from the throne, was moved by the

Earl of Bathurst, who, after cuftomary apologies for himself, and fome obfervations on the importance of the fubject on which he was about to offer a motion to their lordships,

lordships, proceeded to make a comment in illuftration and commendation of the fpeech from the throne, and concluded with moving an addrefs, aflenting, entirely, to the fentiments exprefled by his majefty, and returning thanks for his gracious communications.

The earl of Upper Offory, who feconded the addrefs, commented, allo, with much commendation, on the fpecch from the throne. He expreffed a hope that a peice, if it could be obtained, would not be partial, but comprehend in it the honour and fecurity of our allies.

If it could not be obtained, this he conceived would be owing rather to the haughtiness of the enemy than to any want of moderation on our part; and the failure of the negociation would, at leaft, have the good effect of uniting us all in one effort to compel them, by force of arms, to fubmit to reasonable terms. His lordship was full and animated in his praife of the archduke Charles. On the conduct of another power (Spain) he was not able to pronounce a panegyric; but as he hardly knew the relation in which we flood to that power, he deemed it prudent, at present, to be filent.

The earl Fitzwilliam recalled to their lordships mind how warm an advocate he had been for the war from its commencement, from an opinion of its neceffity; an opinion in which he was now, by a long feries of events, more and more confirmed. The original defigns of the enemy, tended to the deftruction of every fpecies of government, and the total fubverfion of foriety. He had trufted that he should not have heard a word of negociation, like that which

had been mentioned, and was furprized to find fuch expreffions used as were common at the end of an ordinary war. Finding the address, propofed by the noble earl, re echoed to the crown, only vague and loofe expreffions concerning that negociation, without the leaft attention to the grand principle on which the war was begun, he was conftrained to declare that he should ftand in oppofition to it, for he felt it impoflible to give it his concurrence. The great object of the war was the refloration of order, not with regard to the internal mode of government, which the enemy might chufe to adopt, but with regard to the influence of their external defigns; for, at the commencement of the war, their internal fyftem of government was not more dangerous than the prefent, but the influence of their opinions and defigns, externally, was terrific. To reftore order, to defend the civilized ftates of Europe against the dangers that threatened them, to protect perfons and property from a fatal devastation, and fupprefs the tendency of innovating and pernicious doctrines, were the oftenfible objects of the war. Upon thefe principles their lordships had engaged in the war, and upon thefe principles, they had fupported it, What then was the nature and the purport of the propofed addrefs? Why, it was neither more nor lefs than a recommendation to his majefty to acknowledge and approve that fyftem he had formerly repro-· bated and oppofed. If there were any wifdom in negociating now, the fame wisdom fhould have been manifefted four years ago, for he defied any man to look back and fay, that the fame caufes which

exified

fucceeded by their interference in the internal adminiftration of his government. They infifted upon his reftoring to their liberty, and to their effects, all the perfons who had been condemned to imprifon ment, or to penalties, for the pro pagation of their anarchical doc trines. At Rome they had fignalized their triumph, by impofing the fame degrading conditions. Were their lordships prepared to fubmit to fuch indignities? Would they act even fo as to invite fuch dif graceful interference? Would they endure the badge of disorder, which the king of Pruffia had allowed in his dominions? In Berlin the standard of infurrection was reared, the national cockade was worne to attract partizans, and propagate the principles, of which it was the emblem. And were their lordships prepared to allow the national cockade to be worne in this country by every man whom the French directory might chufe to confider as a Frenchman? By arms alone these attempts, and thefe difgraces, are to be refifted.

exited then, and proved the neceffity of the war, did not exist now. The item of fubversion of every acknowledged principle and eftabhed inftitution continued ftill to predominate. The wildom of the Art meafares, which were adopted to oppofe this dangerous evil he had always approved, and experience had confirmed. What then was there now, in the afpect of public affairs, to require a deviation from a conduct fanctioned by policy, and juftified by events? Was the fyftem which had rouzed our attention, and demanded our exertions, now extinct? Or, was it ftill the rule, by which the conduct of the enemy was directed? Their lord faps ought to compare the views of France, at that period, with the: plans which they profecuted now. great and powerful governments of Europe were not the first who were attacked by the fpirit of aggreffion with which the enemy afinated, but the inferior and feeble ftates had felt their overbearing influence, and their fubverfive authority. Such inftances announced their intention, and fuccefs was to afford the means of Extending the application of their principles. Now we might obferve the prevalence of the fame difpofitions. They were avowed in repeated proclamations, in which their determinations to overturn the cutablished order of the countries, to which they could dictate, was renewed. It was not their arms which we had to dread, but the fyftem by which their fuccefs was accompanied. He begged their lordships to confider the inftance of Sardinia. No fooner was the king of Sardinia Compelled to fubmit to accept a peace from France, than it was

were

Lord Fitzwilliam, having thus reminded their lordships of the principles on which the war was undertaking, of the meafures which were firft adopted, and of the undiminished neceflity for the profecution of thefe, in order to attain the great ends of general fecurity; and having allo mentioned the conduct of the British forces, on which his majefty's fpeech had beftowed the beftdeferved praife; moved, as amendment, the infertion of what follows: "That this houfe, strongly impreffed with the juftice and neceffity of the prefent war, carried on for the maintenance of civil and moral order in the world, and for

an

fecuring