navy; that at Spithead was settled by giving the seamen additional pay, but that at the Nore was not quelled without bloodshed, and the execution of some of the ringleaders. 20. But England still maintained her naval renown; a brilliant victory was gained by sir John Jarvis over the Spanish fleet, off Cape St. Vincent, and an equally glorious triumph was obtained over the Dutch by admiral Duncan, at Camperdown. 21. Our ally had not equal fortune, Austria was everywhere defeated, and to escape total ruin was obliged to submit to the terms of peace which Bonaparte dictated at Campo Formio. Questions for Examination. 1. What was the state of France at the commencement of the revolution! 2. In what dangerous circumstances were the different orders of society? 3. How did the American war precipitate a revolution? 4. What triumphs were gained by the popular party at the meeting of the states-general? 5. Did these alterations produce any important results? 6. In what manner was the French revolution regarded in England? 7. What consequences were produced by the duke of Brunswick's procla mation? 8. What was the state of England at this time? 9. Was any important advantages gained in the East Indies? 10. How did the war commence ? 11. What reverses did the English experience? 12. By what naval triumphs were these compensated? 13. Did any important trials occur at this time? 14. How did the allies of England behave? 15. Where was lord Bridport victorious? 16. How did the people of England show their discontent? 17. What royal marriage was contracted at this time? 18. In what manner was the war conducted? 19. Did any dangerous events occur in England? 20. How did the English navy behave? 21. Where was peace made between France and Austria? SECTION VIII. O frantic thirst of glory and of fame! - Mickle. 1. (A.D. 1798.) THE restoration of the legislative independence of Ireland in 1782 was far from satisfying the expectations formed by a considerable party in that country. Reform in parliament, and a repeal of the remnant of the penal laws against the Roman catholics, were rather demanded as a right than craved as a boon; a d when the government refused to make concessions, the majority remained sullen and discontented, while a few wilder spirits meditated a total separation from England, and the establishment of an Irish republic after the example of France. The lower classes were easily induced to adopt schemes that flattered their national pride; and though government, having received timely information, arrested the principal leaders, disaffection was too extensive to be thus checked, and several counties broke out in open insurrection. After a sanguinary struggle, disgraced by several atrocities on both sides, the revolters were everywhere defeated; and on the surrender of a small body of French who had been sent to aid the insurgents, peace was finally restored by the judicious and merciful measures of lord Cornwallis. The ca 2. In the mean time, Napoleon, with a large fleet and army, proceeded to Egypt, and on his voyage obtained pos. session of Malta by the treachery of the knights. reer of the French invader was sufficiently triumphant in Egypt, but his hopes of permanent success were sadly blighted by the loss of his fleet, over which admiral Nelson obtained one of the most complete victories recorded in the annals of war. 3. This brilliant triumph was obtained in Aboukir Bay, one of the mouths of the Nile, on the first of August; nine sail of the line were taken; two more and a frigate either burnt or blown up during the action, and only two escaped, which, however, were subsequently captured. Soon after Bonaparte was repulsed before Acre, chiefly by the heroic exertions of sir Sidney Smith; and having at the same time received news from France that seemed to open safer and brighter objects, he secretly returned home, and soon effected a revolution, by which he placed himself at the head of the government with the title of first consul. 4. The first measure taken by Napoleon after his elevation, was to send a letter to the king of England offering peace; this was instantly rejected, for a new and powerful coalition had been formed against France, from which the most splendid success was anticipated. But this coalition soon fell to pieces; the Russian emperor withdrew his forces; the duke of York was forced to quit Holland with his army on finding the population indisposed to second his efforts, and the French, under the new government, displayed even more than their former energies. 5. In the East Indies the English waged a successful war against their old enemy Tippoo Saib; his capital was taken by storm, himself slain, and all his treasures divided among the conquerors. Since that period the entire peninsula of India has been virtually subjected to the authority of the English. 6. (A. D. 1800.) Austria had again commenced war against France, and was maintaining it with characteristic obstinacy, when Napoleon brought it to a sudden close by one of those master-strokes of genius which baffle ordinary calculation. He led his army across the Alps into Italy in despite of the most appalling difficulties, and obtained a complete victory at Marengo, A subsidy from England induced the Austrian emperor to continue his resistance, but she battle of Hohenlinden placed him completely at the mercy of the conqueror, and he was forced to solicit terms of peace. 7. The question of a legislative union with England, which had been previously negatived in the Irish house of commons, was finally carried by the minister; it was determined that from the 1st of January, 1801, there should be but one imperial parliament for the British islands, in which Ireland should be represented by four spiritual peers, taken in rotation every session, twenty-eight temporal peers chosen for life, and one hundred commoners elected in the usual manner. 8. (1801.) Paul, emperor of Russia, not satisfied with deserting the alliance of England, became her bitter enemy, and persuaded the other northern powers to revive the hostile confederation, called the armed neutrality. After negotiation had been tried ineffectually, a fleet was sent against Copenhagen, under the command of admiral Parker, assisted by lord Nelson. After having passed the Sound with little difficulty, Nelson attacked, and almost annihilated the formidable lines of the Danish defence; but some of his own ships having grounded in a situation exposed to the fire of the hostile batteries, he took advantage of his previous success to offer terms of accommodation, which were immediately accepted. It is probable that the war might have been again renewed had not intelligence been received of the deposition of the emperor Paul, who had been the head of the confederacy. His son and successor, Alexander, was anxious to be on good terms with Great Britain; and the minor states found themselves obliged to imitate his example. 9. An expedition, under the command of sir Ralph Abercrombie, was equally successful in expelling the French from Egypt, but that distinguished officer fell in the arms of victory. The French, having been defeated at Alexandria, offered terms when general Hutchinson was preparing to besiege them in Cairo, and evacuated the country pursuant to the articles of capitulation. 10. Before the news of this success arrived in England, the country had been threatened with an invasion. Troops were collected along the coasts of France and Holland, and vessels prepared for their transportation in the harbours along the channel. Lord Nelson was sent with a flotilla to attack Boulogne, the enemy's principal rendezvous, but failed after two brilliant efforts. The bravery, however, displayed by the British sailors, and the manifest superiority of England by sea, convinced Napoleon that the enterprise was hopeless, and the project was soon laid aside. 11. Both the belligerent powers were now heartily tired of a war, which exhausted their resources, and conferred advantages on neither. In deference to the general wish, a change of ministry was effected in England; Mr. Addington (afterwards lord Sidmouth) became premier in place of Mr. Pitt, and negotiations instantly commenced. (1802.) The terms were soon arranged, and a peace was concluded at Amiens, which cannot be better described than by the words of an eminent statesman, "it was a peace at which everybody rejoiced, but of which nobody could be proud." 12. From the moment in which the treaty of peace was signed, jealousies and discontents daily arose in France and England, which threatened to produce fresh hostilities at no very distant period. Bonaparte, having been appointed first consul for life, used every exertion to enlarge dominions of which he was now in all but name the sovereign; he aggrandized France by the annexation of Piedmont to its territories, and had given even greater offence by invading Switzerland. On the other hand, the first consul complained that England still retained possession of Malta, which, by the terms of the late treaty, should have been restored to the knights, and remonstrated against the virulent libels on his character, which were published in the English newspapers, as he believed, with the connivance of government. (A.D. 1803.) These mutual bickerings soon produced more angry demonstrations; lord Whitworth, the English ambassador, having been treated with unmerited indignity, withdrew from France and war was soon after proclaimed. 13. A short time previous to the recommencement of hostilities, a conspiracy for the subversion of the government was detected in England. It was formed by a colonel Des pard, who fancied that government had treated him with unjust neglect; his associates were desperate men of the lowest ranks, and nothing could be more wild or inadequate than the means by which they proposed to execute their insane projects. 14. The execution of the principal conspirators restored public confidence; but in a few months the alarm was again renewed by the account of an insurrection having broken out in Dublin. The leader of the revolt was Robert Emmett, a young man of the most amiable qualities, but a wild and visionary enthusiast. The insurgents were badly armed and worse disciplined; they were consequently subdued with little difficulty, but not before lord Kilwarden and his nephew had been murdered by the infatuated mob. 15. Napoleon recommenced the war with great vigour ; his troops overran Hanover, and compelled the princes in the north of Germany to close their ports against the English. On the other hand, the British navy blockaded the mouths of the principal rivers from which British traders were ercluded, and captured several French colonies. The Englis having made prizes of many French merchant-ships, and treated their crews as prisoners, Bonaparte seized on all the English visiters who were travelling in France, and detained them as hostages. 16. About the same time, the French army, which had been employed to suppress the revolt of the negroes in St. Domingo, being cut off from all supplies by the British cruisers, was forced to surrender, and the island has since remained an independent state under the name of Hayti. The threats of invading Britain were repeated, but after a vain display of force on both sides, no efforts were made to put the threats in execution. Questions for Examination. 1. What calamitous event occurred in Ireland? 2. Whither did Napoleon lead his new armament? 3. How was the progress of the French in Egypt checked? 4. What was Napoleon's first attempt when appointed consul? 5. Did the English obtain any triumph in the East Indies? 6. Where was the power of Austria overthrown? 7. What important change was made in the government of Ireland? 8. How did England escape the dangers threatened by the armed neu trality? 9. By whom were the French driven from Egypt? 10. What events were produced by the threats of invasion! 11. How was a peace effected? 12. Did the peace promise to be permanent? |