ANNUAL REGISTER, FOR THE YEAR 1781. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. CHAP. I. Retrospective view of affairs in Europe in the year 1780. Admiral Geary appointed to the command of the channel fleet on the death of Sir Charles Hardy. East and West India convoy taken by the combined fleets, and carried into Cadiz. Lofs fuftained by the Quebec fleet. Admiral Geary refigns, and is fuccceeded by Admiral Darby. M. de Guichen arrives at Cadiz, and the French fleets return to France. Great gallantry displayed in various engagements between British and French frigates. Seige of Gibraltar. Spanish firefhips deftroyed. Succefs of General Elliot in deftroying the enemy's works. Queen of Portugal refufes to accede to the armed neutrality. Germany. Election of the Archduke Maximilian to the coadjutorship of Cologne and Munfter, oppofed in vain by the King of Prufia. Correfpondence between the King and the Elector of Cologne on the fubject. Meeting of the Emperor and the Empress of Ruha, at Mohilow in Poland. Proceed together to Peterburgh. King of Sweden vifits Holland. Death of the Emprefs-Queen, and fome account of that great princess. Queftion, by torture, abolished for ever by the French king. Great reform of his household. Loans negociated by the court of Madrid. Public and private contributions to relieve the exigencies of the ftate. Humanity of the Bishop of Lugo. Duke of Modena abolishes the Inquifition in his dominions. T HE death of Sir Charles ty with refpect to a proper comman about May 1780, occafioned fome difficul- the impor If the foldier finds abundant matter of entertainment and obfervation in the recital of these events, the statesman and philofopher will not find less room for ferious contemplation in the causes and confequences of the contention. They have led to the establishment of a new epocha in the history of mankind; they have opened the way to new fyftems of policy; and to new arrangements of power and of commerce. To the whole British nation, however difperfed in the old or in the new world, every part of the history of this contention, in all its circumstances and confequences, must at all times be in the highest degree interesting. It would be trefpaffing too far on the indulgence of the public, to trouble them with any detail of the unavoidable and unfortunate interruptions which have occafioned the delay of our prefent publication. We confole ourselves in the hope, that those causes will not appear in any degree to have operated with respect to the attention which we have paid to a faithful difcharge of our duty in the conduct of the Hiftory. The happy return of the public tranquillity will, by leffening our labours, enable us to recover our former ftation in point of publication. THE ANNUAL REGISTER, FOR THE YEAR 1781. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. CHA P. I. Retrospective view of affairs in Europe in the year 1780. Admiral Geary appointed to the command of the channel fleet on the death of Sir Charles Hardy. Eaft and West India convoy taken by the combined fleets, and carried into Cadiz. Lofs fuftained by the Quebec fleet. Admiral Geary refigns, and is fuccceeded by Admiral Darby. M. de Guichen arrives at Cadiz, and the French fleets return to France. Great gallantry displayed in various engagements between British and French frigates. Seige of Gibraltar. Spanish fireships destroyed. Succefs of General Elliot in deftroying the enemy's works. Queen of Portugal refufes to accede to the armed neutrality. Germany. Election of the Archduke Maximilian to the coadjutorship of Cologne and Munfler, oppofed in vain by the King of Prufia. Correfpondence between the King and the Elector of Cologne on the fubject. Meeting of the Emperor and the Empress of Ruffia, at Mohilow in Poland. Proceed together to Peterburgh. King of Sweden vifits Holland. Death of the Emprefs-Queen, and fome account of that great princefs. Queftion, by torture, abolished for ever by the French king. Great reform of his household. Loans negociated by the court of Madrid. Public and private contributions to relieve the exigencies of the ftate. Humanity of the Bishop of Lugo. Duke of Modena abolishes the Inquifition in his dominions. HE death of Sir Charles ty with refpect to a proper comman May 1780, occafioned fome difficul- tant charge of the channel fleet, as VOL. XXIV. the [4] If the foldier finds abundant matter of entertainment and obfervation in the recital of thefe events, the statesman and philofopher will not find less room for ferious contemplation in the causes and confequences of the contention. They have led to the establishment of a new epocha in the history of mankind; they have opened the way to new fyftems of policy; and to new arrangements of power and of commerce. To the whole British nation, however difperfed in the old or in the new world, every part of the hiftory of this contention, in all its circumstances and consequences, must at all times be in the higheft degree interesting. It would be trefpaffing too far on the indulgence of the public, to trouble them with any detail of the unavoidable and unfortunate interruptions which have occafioned the delay of our prefent publication. We confole ourselves in the hope, that thofe caufes will not appear in any degree to have operated with respect to the attention which we have paid to a faithful difcharge of our duty in the conduct of the Hiftory. The happy return of the public tranquillity will, by leffening our labours, enable us to recover our former station in point of publication. THE ANNUAL REGISTER, FOR THE YEAR 1781. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. CHA P. I. Retrospective view of affairs in Europe in the year 1780. Admiral Geary appointed to the command of the channel fleet on the death of Sir Charles Hardy. East and West India convoy taken by the combined fleets, and carried into Cadiz. Lofs fuftained by the Quebec fleet. Admiral Geary refigns, and is fuccceeded by Admiral Darby. M. de Guichen arrives at Cadiz, and the French fleets return to France. Great gallantry displayed in various engagements between British and French frigates. Seige of Gibraltar. Spanish firefhips deftroyed. Succefs of General Elliot in deftroying the enemy's works. Queen of Portugal refufes to accede to the armed neutrality. Germany. Election of the Archduke Maximilian to the coadjutorfhip of Cologne and Munfter, oppofed in vain by the King of Prufia. Correfpondence between the King and the Elector of Cologne on the fubject. Meeting of the Emperor and the Empress of Ruffia, at Mohilow in Poland. Proceed together to Peterburgh. King of Sweden vifts Holland. Death of the Emprefs-Queen, and fome account of that great princefs. Queftion, by torture, abolished for ever by the French king. Great reform of his household. Loans negociated by the court of Madrid. Public and private contributions to relieve the exigencies of the ftate. Humanity of the Bishop of Lugo. Duke of Modena abolishes the Inquifition in his dominions. THE death of Sir Charles Hardy, about the middle of May 1780, occafioned fome difficulVOL. XXIV. ty with refpect to a proper commander,who would undertakethe important charge of the channel fleet, as [4] the |