All day long the firing was kept up, but early in the evening the hearts of the assailants failed them, for the red-hot shot from the garrison had set the ships on fire, and by midnight "the only flashes from the floating batteries were the flames that were consuming them." At five o'clock on the morning of the 14th, one of these huge constructions blew up with a fearful explosion, and a second soon shared the same fate.

"What followed on the part of the conquerors," says a narrator, "is become a household word—a touching and a sacred tale, which two generations of Englishmen have learned in the cradle, and which succeeding generations will tell to their children, as the best exemplification of the axiom, that the bravest are ever the most merciful.” On shore, General Elliot ordered the firing to cease, whilst the noble crew of Captain Curtis, those few but gallant spirits, dashed among the burning wrecks, to save, not their own men, but the drowning, burning Spaniards, who, clinging to spars, or still on the blazing decks, were exposed to a fearful death. From the flames and from the waves, two hundred and fifty were rescued by the intrepidity of this noble enemy.

The French and Spanish navy was still formidable, and they hoped that by intercepting supplies to the garrison, they might yet compel Gibraltar to surrender. This hope vanished when Admiral Lord Howe, on the 11th October, sailed through the straits, and a few days later landed stores and troops within the devoted fortress.

The hopeless siege was continued, but with little spirit on the part of the Spaniards, until the peace was signed. From the rock of Gibraltar, at the proud height of fourteen hundred and thirty-seven English feet, the flag of Great Britain still waves over those narrow straits, the key of the Mediterranean, which she has so bravely won, and so nobly guarded. The year succeeding the treaty, William Pitt, second son of the Earl of Chatham, became prime minister. He was only in the twenty-fifth year of his age when he thus assumed the government of the country. With

1784.

great ability and success he guided the helm of state for seventeen years; through a period, too, so eventful and perilous to England, that his administration almost eclipses that of his illustrious father. The elder Pitt, created, in 1766, Earl of Chatham, had, in the year 1778, been committed to an honored tomb in Westminster Abbey.

QUESTIONS.-When and at what age did George III. ascend the throne ?-Describe his character.-Relate the circumstances which led to his marriage.-What was the position of Pitt at this time?What victories had been gained?—Why was the war opposed?-By whom?-Relate the conduct of France which delayed the peace. — What caused the resignation of Pitt?-Relate the occurrences which followed his resignation.—To what did these lead?—What is remarked of the treaty of Paris?

Mention the two distinguishing acts of Grenville's administration. -Relate the account given of Wilkes.-Describe the position and character of the English colonies in America at this time.—What right did they especially value?-By what act was this right violated?-Describe the effect produced by it in the colonies.-How did Pitt regard their resistance?-Relate the conduct of government towards the colonies during the next nine years.—What was the result?

-When

State the occurrences which began the Revolutionary war. and by what act was the political connection between the two countries severed?-Describe the condition of the republic during this war.-Mention the result of the battle of Saratoga.-When and by what battle was the contest terminated?-How had the conduct of the government been regarded by parliament ?-Relate the circumstances which led to the peace.-Describe the provisions of the treaty.-Describe the reception of the American minister at the English court.

With what enemies on the continent was England contending?Give an account of the siege of Gibraltar.-State its result.-Name and describe the prime minister who came into office in 1784.

CHAPTER LVII.

THE ENGLISH IN INDIA.

BRITISH CONQUESTS-THE RULE OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY-WARREN HASTINGS-HIS CAREER IN INDIA-HIS IMPEACHMENT AND TRIAL IN ENGLAND-INDIA AT THE CLOSE OF THIS PERIOD.

ALTHOUGH England during this period had lost her colenies in America, in the opposite quarter of the globe she had in the same years been gaining an empire. The foundation of the great power of the English in India had been laid by the victories of Clive, Sir Eyre Coote, Major Munro, and other commanders; by arbitrary exactions; by treaties made with Indian princes greatly to the advantage of the Company, and by intimidation and conquest when these treaties were violated. In all these transactions there existed no small amount of that injustice and oppression which the strong are ever apt to exercise towards the weak.

At various times the state of Indian affairs was discussed in parliament, and bills brought in to restrain the East India Company, especially in the acquisition of territory, and in the exercise of legislative and executive power. In the year 1773, a bill passed in parliament, by which a court of justice was established in Bengal, consisting of judges appointed by the crown. The same bill also provided for the appointment of a governor-general of India, with four counsellors, to be nominated in the first instance by parliament, but at the end of five years by the court of directors of the East India Company, subject, however, to the approbation of the crown. Under this act, there was appointed for India a ruler whose

1770.

character and achievements were as remarkable as those of Clive, and who, like him, devoted all his energies to maintain and increase English supremacy in the East. This was Warren Hastings. He claimed descent

from the Danish Viking of that name, who, in Alfred's time, had ravaged England. He went to India as a writer in the Company's service, and rose by his talents to the post of governor-general. The dauntless character and unscrupulous conduct of the merchant's clerk did not belie his descent from the illustrious sea-king of old.

1774.

The position of Hastings as governor-general of India was one of great temptation and difficulty. His object was to maintain the supremacy of England against a combination of enemies, French and natives, and to approve himself to the board of directors of the East India Company at home. This Company, at the distance of fifteen thousand miles, either could not, or would not, understand, that, in order to obtain the large commercial profits which they expected, the native population must be robbed or oppressed. Whilst, therefore, they urged that the Hindoos should be kindly and justly dealt with, they at the same time demanded that more money should be sent to England. The governor-general found it impossible to obey both these commands, and, to use the words of Macaulay, "being forced to disobey them in something, he had to consider what kind of disobedience they would most readily pardon; and he correctly judged that the safest course would be to neglect the sermons, and find the rupees."

1773 and 1774.

This led him into acts of cruelty and injustice. He seized two provinces belonging to the Great Mogul, and sold them for a large sum to the nabob of Oude. Then, in consideration of another large sum, he sold the services of the English troops to the same nabob, to enable the latter to conquer a brave, free, and happy people in the vale of Rohilcund, and subject them to his own miserable rule. Some years later Hastings committed that which in the eyes of the Hindoos was a far greater crime. On the banks of the Ganges stands the city of Benares. It is as sacred in the eyes of the Brahmin worshippers of India, as is Jerusalem to the devout Jew, and Mecca to the followers of

Mohammed. Its splendid temples, its jewelled shrines, its graceful minarets, the flights of marble steps leading down to the sacred stream, the consecrated bulls and apes which thronged the streets or clung to the temples, were objects of time-honored veneration throughout India. Besides the costly offerings of religion, commerce had enriched this favored city. "In its bazaars the muslins of Bengal and the sabres of Oude were mingled with the jewels of Golconda and the shawls of Cashmere." Warren Hastings was in need of money. His was the hand by which might made right, and, in defiance of the horror which such a deed awakened, he plundered the holy city of Benares.

1781.

Whilst these transactions were going on in Bengal, the attention of the governor-general was suddenly demanded in another quarter. Hyder-Ali, the famous Mohammedan chieftain of Mysore, had burst upon the plains of the Carnatic. With an army of ninety thousand men, and the powerful co-operation of the French, he threatened to drive the English

1781

to 1784.

from Southern India. Hastings raised an army, gave it in command of the venerable old soldier, Sir Eyre Coote, who drove back the bold invader, and restored to the English the presidency of Madras. This war had drained the governor-general's treasury, and the wealth gained by the plunder of Benares was not sufficient to replenish it. To obtain, therefore, another supply, he robbed two Indian princesses, the mother and grandmother of the nabob of Oude. These aged women were imprisoned in their palace, until, half famished, they consented to give their rapacious gaoler one million two hundred thousand pounds.

By such means did Warren Hastings obtain the large revenue requisite to carry on the expenses of his Indian government. In February, 1785, the governor-general resigned his office, and embarked for England. Notwithstanding these glaring instances of oppression and wrong on the part of Hastings, they by no means marked the general character of his administration. This had, in fact, been so wise