CHAP. Majesty of 29th October. XVI. 1794. 12. tiation. Both promise protection to such of the French as choose to declare for a constitutional monarchy; and to both we shall adhere. By Impossibi- entering into a negotiation, we should give confidence and lity of nego- vigour to the French, and entirely dissolve the formidable confederacy formed to lower their ambition. While the present system continues in France, we can have no peace on any terms short of absolute ruin and dishonour. By an express law of their constitution, any Frenchman who shall enter into a negotiation with this country on any other terms than surrendering our constitution, dethroning our virtuous Sovereign, and introducing into this country the horrible anarchy which prevails in their distracted state, is declared a traitor. Are we prepared to make such sacrifices to obtain the blessings of fraternisation with the disciples of Robespierre? Nor let it be supposed that the colonial conquests we have made are of little moment in bringing about in the end a termination to this frightful contest. Is it of no moment, in the first year of the war, to have cut up the resources and destroyed the sinews of the commerce of our enemies? The injury to their revenues thence arising may not be felt during the continuance of the monstrous and gigantic expedients of finance to which they have had recourse; but it is not on that account the less real, or the less likely to be felt, on the restoration of such a regular government as may 1 Parl. Hist. afford us any chance of an accommodation." On a division, the House, by a majority of two hundred and eight to fifty-one, supported the government.1 xxxi. 156, 632, 659. 13. forces voted year The supplies granted by Parliament for the prosecution Supplies and of the war, during the year 1794, were proportioned to the increasing magnitude and importance of the strife in which the nation was engaged. For the service of the navy eighty-five thousand men were voted; thirty thousand men were added to the regular native army; and the total number under arms in the British dominions, including fencibles and militia, was raised to one hundred CHAP. 1794. and forty thousand men, besides forty thousand foreign soldiers employed on the Continent. These numbers were described by Mr Pitt as "unparalleled, and such as could hardly be exceeded:" such was the happy ignorance of those times in regard to the exertions of which a nation. is capable. To meet these extraordinary efforts, an income of £20,000,000, besides £11,800,000 for the charge of the debt, was required; and for this purpose 1 Parl. Hist. a loan of £11,000,000 was voted by Parliament; so xxx. 557, early in the contest was this ruinous system of laying Reg. 69, 70. upon posterity the burdens of the moment adopted.1 563. Ann. quests in Indies. Meanwhile the ascendency of the English navy soon 14. produced its wonted effects on the colonial possessions of British conthe enemy. Soon after the commencement of hostilities, Weste Tobago was taken by a British squadron; and in the April 1793. beginning of March 1794, an expedition was fitted out against Martinique, which, after a vigorous resistance, fell on the 23d. Shortly after, the principal forts in St March 23. Domingo were wrested from the Republicans by the British forces; while the wretched planters, a prey to the flames lighted by Brissot and the friends of negro emancipation, at the commencement of the Revolution, of which a full account will hereafter be given, were totally ruined. No sooner was this success achieved, than the indefatigable English commanders, Sir John Jarvis and Sir Charles Grey, turned their arms against St Lucia, 4th April. which was subjected to the British dominions on the 4th April. Guadaloupe was next attacked, and on the 25th, that fine island, with all its rich dependencies, was added to the list of the conquered colonies. Thus, in little more than a month, the French were entirely dispossessed of their West India possessions, with hardly any loss to the victorious nation.2 2 Ann. Reg. 339, 340. p. 188, 337, Th. vi. 301, 302. 15. The once beautiful island of St Domingo meanwhile continued a prey to the frightful disorders arising from Frightful precipitate emancipation. "It had gone through," says Domingo. the Republican historian, "the greatest succession of state of St XVI. 1794. CHAP. calamities of which history makes mention." The whites had at first embraced with enthusiasm the cause of the Revolution; and the Mulattoes, to whom the Constituent Assembly had extended the gift of freedom, were not less attached to the principles of democracy, and openly aspired to dispossess the planters, by force, of those political privileges which had hitherto been their exclusive property. But, in the midst of these contests, the negroes had revolted against both; and, without distinguishing friend from foe, applied the firebrand indiscriminately to every civilised dwelling. Distracted by such an accumulation of horrors, the Constituent Assembly at once declared them all free. From the moment that emancipation was announced, the colony became the scene of the most horrible devastations: and the contending parties among the higher orders mutually threw upon each other the blame of having brought a frightful party into their contests, whose ravages were utterly destructive to both. In truth, it was owing to neither, but to the precipitate measures of emancipation, dictated by the ardent and inexperienced philanthropists of the Constituent Assembly; whose measures have consigned that unhappy colony, Mackenzie's after thirty years of unexampled suffering, to a state of 201, 2:32. slavery, under the name of "The Rural Code," infinitely worse than that of the French planters.1 1Th. vi. 301. St Domingo, 16. Mediterra Corsica is reduced. In the Mediterranean also the power of the British And in the navy was speedily felt. The disaster at Toulon having nean, where totally paralysed the French navy in that quarter, the British fleet was enabled to carry the land forces, now rendered disposable by the evacuation of Toulon, to whatever quarter they chose. Corsica was the selected point of attack, which, early in 1794, had shown symptoms of revolt against the Republican authorities. Three thousand soldiers and marines were landed, and, after some inconsiderable successes, nearly effected the subjugation of the island by the capture of the fortress of Bastia, which capitulated at the end of May. It is remarkable that arms. CHAP. XVI. 1794. 1 Jom. v. Reg. 340, 17. tions for the NELSON was employed in this service, and, by an extraordinary coincidence, Napoleon had shortly before been engaged in an expedition which set sail from it against Ajaccio so that the arms of both the British hero and the future French emperor were employed first in any considerable command in the same island, and in expeditions, the one from, the other against, the same petty fortress. The only remaining stronghold of the Republicans, Calvi, was besieged until the 1st August, when it surrendered to the British arms. The crown of Corsica, offered by Paoli, and the aristocratic party, to the King of Great Britain, was accepted; and efforts were immediately made to confer upon the inhabitants a constitution similar to that of Great Britain a project about as practicable as it would 192. Ann. have been to have clothed the British plains with the 341. fruits which ripen under the sunny cliffs of Corsica.1 But a more glorious triumph was awaiting the British The French government had, by great exertions, Preparagot twenty-six ships of the line into a state fit for ser- battle of the vice at Brest, and being extremely anxious to secure miral the arrival of a large fleet laden with provisions, which Howe and was approaching from America, and promised to relieve Fleet. the famine which was now felt with uncommon severity in all parts of France, sent positive orders to Admiral Villaret Joyeuse to put to sea. On the 20th of May, the Republicans set sail; and on the 28th, Lord Howe, who was well aware of the expected arrival of the convoy, and kept a sharp look-out by means of his inshore squadron, soon hove in sight, with the Channel-fleet, consisting of twenty-six line of battle ships. French were immediately formed in line, in order of battle, and a partial action ensued between the rearguard of their line and the vanguard of the British squadron, in the course of which the Revolutionnaire was so much damaged, that she struck to the Audacious, but, not being taken possession of by the victors before nightfall, was towed the following morning into Rochefort. During The 1st June, the Channel XVI. 1794. CHAP. the next day the manœuvres were renewed on both sides, each party endeavouring to obtain the weather-gage of the other; and Lord Howe, at the head of his fleet, passed through the French squadron. But the whole ships not having taken the position assigned to them, the action, after a severe commencement, was discontinued, and the British admiral strove with the utmost skill to maintain the wind of the enemy. During the two following days a thick fog concealed the rival fleets from each other, though they were so near, that both sides were well aware that a great battle was approaching, and the officers with difficulty restrained the ardour by which their crews were animated.1 1 Jom. v. Th. vi. 304. 342, 343. 18. breaks the At length, on the 1st June, a day ever memorable in Lord Howe the naval annals of England, the sun broke forth with French line. unusual splendour, and discovered the French fleet in order of battle, a few miles from the British, awaiting the combat, while an agitated sea promised the advantage of the wind to an immediate attack. Lord Howe instantly bore down, in an oblique direction, upon the enemy's line, designing to repeat the manœuvre long known, though seldom as yet practised, in the British navy, so ingeniously traced to scientific principles by Clerk of Eldin, and so successfully carried into execution by Rodney, on the suggestion of Sir Charles Douglas, his captain of the fleet, on the 12th April.* Having the * An animated and interesting controversy, conducted with remarkable acuteness and zeal on both sides, took place twenty years ago, as to whether Mr Clerk of Eldin, author of the "Naval Tactics," or Sir Charles Douglas, captain of the fleet to Rodney, had the merit of having first discovered the celebrated manoeuvre of breaking the enemy's line, and attacking them to leeward. It was conducted by Professor Playfair and Mr William Clerk, son of the author of the "Naval Tactics," on one side, and the gallant Sir Howard Douglas, son of Sir Charles, on the other. It was admitted on all hands, that Sir Charles-who was beside Rodney when passing to leeward of the French line on the contrary tack-having failed in the attempt to weather their van on 12th April 1782, seeing a gap in the enemy's line, suddenly, on the inspiration of the moment, suggested, in the most energetic manner, the passing through, to the admiral, by whom the advice was instantly followed. Thus it was conceded that he was the person who had the merit of having first carried into execution that brilliant manœuvre. But the point was, whether Sir Charles |