two hundred and fifty thousand of its best troops. In the event of war, as appears by the FACT, the Republic would have sacrificed in vain its blood and treasures. In the former instance our ministers held in their hands a substantial bond of peace; in the latter the French government would enter upon the contest, bereft of its veteran forces, of its colonial resources, its political credit, and, consequently, with the whole mercantile interest of France discouraged and dispirited.

If, in the next place, we review the conduct of ministers during the mutiny at Bantry Bay, we shall find the utmost vigour and promptitude of decision in their measures. The mutiny was suppressed, and the fleet of observation proceeded to its destination, which secure our West India colonies from the possibility of attack, and to watch the motions of the French, so as to ascertain the sincerity of their pacific designs*. It cannot be denied that the

* Nothing can more fully demonstrate the vigor and activity of ministers than the uncommon dispatch with which a formidable squadron was sent to the West Indies. The Brest fleet sailed shortly after the preliminaries of peace. At the same time the Elephant, Goliah, Ganges, Captain, Brunswick, men of war of 74 guns each, under the orders of Capt. Foley, were

И

forde which was ordered to the West Indies, and the celerity with which those orders were exe+ cuted, betray no symptoms of weakness, or of a wavering and temporizing policy. Indeed, the large naval and military establishments which were maintained, from the time of the preliminaries of peace, to the signature of the definitive treaty, afford an unequivocal confir mation of this fact; for, on the 1st of October

detached from the fleet, under the command of Admiral Corn wallis, at sea, in the night of 23d. of October, and arrived at Jamaica on the 26th of November, of the same year. In addi tion to this force, the St. George, of 98 guns, Spencer, Vanguard, and Powerful, of 74 each, sailed from Rosier Bay, Gibraltar, on the 30th December, of the same year, and arrived at Jamaica on the 10th Feb. 1802. The squadron undër Admiral Gantheaume did not reach its place of destination until the 16th of Feb. 1802. After the suppression of the mutiny at Bantry Bay, Admiral Campbell sailed on the 7th of Feb. 1802, and arrived at Jamaica on the 7th of April of the same year. The squadron under his command consisted of the Temeraire and Formidable, of 98 guns each, of the Majestic, Theseus, Orion, Vengeance, and Resolution, of 74 guns each On the 1st of March, another squadron, under the orders of Capt. Stopford, viz. the Excellent, Magnificent, Robust, Bellerophon, Edgar, and Audacious, of 74 guns each, sailed from Torbay, and arrived at Martinique on the 31st of that month, when the Robust and Edgar were detached to Jamaica, where they arrived on the 7th of April. This powerful reinforcement of our squadrons, in that quarter of the world, gave us a decided superiority over the French force.

we had in service five first rates, nineteen ser cond rates, one hundred and twenty-seven third rates, twenty-three fourth rates, one hundred and forty-four fifth rates, forty-three sixth rates, one hundred and sixteen sloops, twenty-four yachts and small vessels, twenty-three cutters, &c. and one hundred and six gun-boats, making a grand total of six hundred and thirty ships of war. In the interval from the preli minaries to the signature of the definitive treaty, on the 27th March, 1802, the reduction consisted of only one second rate, nineteen third rates, three fourth rates, fourteen fifth rates, eight sixth rates, nineteen sloops, thirteen small vessels, one cutter, and thirty-six gunboats, in the whole amounting to one hundred and fourteen, leaving a grand total in active service of FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN SHIPS OF WAR, and nearly ONE HUNDRED AND

4

TWENTY THOUSAND SEAMEN.

During the same period the effective rank and file of the army amounted to nineteen thousand seven hundred and eighteen cavalry, and one hundred and three thousand three hundred and ninety three infantry; so that our naval and military forces were more than adequate to the defence of the country, and sufficient to

have carried on any foreign operations, had the renewal of war rendered such measures necessary. Throughout the whole progress of the negociation, vigilance and preparation were continually impressed by ministers on the legislature and the people, of which a decisive evidence was afforded by the increased naval armament, immediately preceding the treaty of Amiens *.

mense.

See Mr. Addington's speeches, Nov. 4, 12, and Dec. 28, 1801, Feb. 5, 1802, and the debate on the motion of Mr. Elliot, respecting Bonaparte's assumption of the presidency of the Italian Republic, and the destination of the French fleet: also speech of Mr. Addington, March 5, on the act for granting his Majesty power to suspend the duties on American goods, in which, after having most ably answered the arguments of Mr. Windham, against our looking for support to our commer cial prosperity," he agreed that the power of France was imHe would assure him, he was far from contemplating that power with indifference. He would not be charged with apathy on that subject. He was aware the power of France was such, as to call for the utmost vigilance, exertion, and vigor on the part of this country; but not such as to justify despon, dency; that, he trusted, would be far removed from the minds of Englishmen. That high national spirit, which had ever distinguished them, and which was the great conservative of national importance, he had the firmest reliance, would uniformly preserve them from any degrading and dejected feeling."-On the 12th of March, on the motion of Mr. Elliot, upon the navy estimates, the speech of the chancellor of the Exchequer abounded with the strongest opinions on the propriety of sus

At length an extraordinary gazette, published on the 29th of March, announced the arrival of the definitive treaty of peace, and closed the first year of an administration, which, from the difficulties of the country, the peculiar cast of the temper of the power with whom they had to treat, the extraordinary and menacing aspect of our affairs at home and abroad, has had no precedent in the records of the British empire. Even Lord Carlisle, who has not been remarkable for a favourable prepossession towards any ministers, among whom neither himself nor his house have been classed, pronounced with solemnity in the house of Peers, so late as the 15th of March, of the year under discussion," he thought it but justice to the present ministers to say, that, in his opinion, they deserved every kind

taining at its highest point, the naval greatness, the maritime strength, the independent spirit of this country; that ministers would spurn the idea of countenancing any measure which might have the effect of degrading the national dignity, at so delicate a conjuncture of public affairs; that the object of the motion was to enable government to keep up an establishment calculated to meet whatever emergencies might occur; that if such an establishment were necessary for a longer time (than two months) he trusted there was a spirit in the house and country, which would require it to be kept up, not for two months only, but for any other period.