166} 
tended desertion of Prussia and of 
Spain was well known, and the ap- 
prehension of their changing sides 
not less suspected. In this com- 
plication of difficulties stood the 
only remaining members of the co- 
alition, Austria and England, when 
the ministers of this latter were 
summoned to: call forth their re- 
sources for the joint support ot 
both. 
The house of commons met on 
the second of January, inacommittec 
of supply, Mr. Fox, who foresaw 
the large demands that would be 
made, required notice when the 
Joan’ would be proposed, that the 
house might have a due attendance. 
The imperial loan was an object of 
disagreeable speculation to all par- 
ties, and they felt with disgust the 
necessity of supporting a power that 
had drawn this country into his own 
quarrel, and whose readiness to 
abandon it, the moment he could 
procure tolerable terins, no intelli- 
ent person doubted. This neces 
sarily created a reluctance to answer 
‘his calls, for fresh supplies, which 
as soon as granted, might be con- 
verted to quite other purposes than 
those for which he should obtain 
them. The case of Prussia was ex. 
a@ly in. point; twelve hundred 
thousand poynds were acknow- 
ledged, by the minister in the 
house, to. have been advanced, to 
the Prussian monarch ; whoemploy. 
ed that immense sum in executing 
his designs on Poland. 
On the seventh of January, a mo- 
tion was made, by admiral Gardner, 
for dn augmentation in the number 
of seamen and marines. The ser- 
vice of the nayy would this year re- 
quire a proportion of eighty-five 
thousand of the former, and fifteen 
thousand of the latter, A remark. 
ANNUAL REGISTHR, igs. 
able discussion took place, on this 
occasion, upon the construction of 
the English ships of war. Mr. Ro. 
binson asserted their inferiority ‘to 
the French, in the circumstance of 
quick sailing, Captain Berkeley ad- 
mitted they were better built, but 
denied their sailing faster; theFrench | 
models he acknowledged .to be su- 
perior to the English ; but these had 
the -superiority in workmanship. 
Admiral Gardner, however, allowed 
the quicker sailing of the French ; 
and ascribed their superior construc. 
tion tothe premiums given, by their 
government, for the -best models, — 
which were regularly submitted to 
the examination and decision of the 
academy, of sciences. But the ves. 
sels taken from them had lately 
been the means of _ considerable 
improvements in the building of 
ourown. .. 
In consequence of this discussion, 
it was observed by Mr. Fox,.. that 
the knowledge and experience of 
the people of this country in naval 
affairs ought, long ago, to have en. 
abled them to surpass their. French 
rivals, in a point of such jmportance 
to the honour and security of the 
nation, It was neither creditable 
to the ministry, nor the admiralty, 
to have so long suffered this. de. 
grading inferiority, The sooner it 
was remedied the better, at this 
critical period, which required un, 
common exertions of skill and va- 
lour in every attive department, but 
principally in the naval, on which 
the satety and glory of the nation so 
visibly depended. He complained 
that, considering the decided supe- 
riority of the British navy, its at. 
chievments had not been adequate 
to the expectations which the na. 
tion hada right to form. Our ex- 
ertions at sea had, he noticed, been 
greatly 
