- 
cation between 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
were not only masters of the seas, 
but had obtained one of the most 
Signal victories that ever graced 
our annals. The commerce and 
atedit of Great Britain never were 
on a more splendid footing, while 
that of the enemy had literally no 
existence ; their commerce was re- 
duced to a precarious communi- 
their own sea- 
ports, subject to a destructive in- 
terruption from our cruizers; and 
their credit consisted of promissory 
fabrications, founded on extortions 
from their own people. In the 
worst days of our adversities, no 
disgrace had sullied our military 
character. We had been unsuc- 
cessful, but true courage was not 
to be dismayed by disappointments, 
while contending for all that was 
dear and valuable. The expedi- 
tions, so bitterly censured, had suc- 
ceeded in the completest manner ; 
and the number of trovps, sent 
‘to the West Indies, had proved 
fully sufficient. The  reinforce- 
ménts intended for that quarter, 
had been retarded’ by the insur- 
mountable obstacles of wind and 
Weather. The disasters that had 
_ befallen the allies, in the Nether- 
lands, certainly were not imputa- 
ble to the British ministry, whose 
faithful performance of every en- 
gagement with foreign powers was 
undeniable, and who ought not 
to be blamed for misfortunes pro- 
duced by the miscondué&t and 
want of punctuality in those who 
were bound, by every tie of ho- 
w#our and interest, to be true to 
the cause for which they had 
taken up arms, in conjunétion with 
this country. The debate closed 
by the passing of Mr, Windham’s 
motion, | 
[172 
Cn the 22d, wher the report 
of the committee of supply was 
brought up, Mr. Fox renewed 
his objections to the greater de- 
gree of attention paid to the 
augmentation of the army, at the 
present than at any former pe- 
riod. Mr. Pitt replied, that cir- 
cumstances required this extraor- 
dinary attention. The land and 
séa service were so much conneét- 
ed in the operations of this war, 
that it was indispensably requisite 
to put them both on a formida- 
ble footing, for their mutual as- 
sistance. It were, doubtless, bad 
policy to sacrifice the one to the 
other; but this could never hap- 
pen, while able-bodied landmen 
entered in such numbers into the 
navy, and while so many soldiers, 
as well as marines, were conti. 
nually employed in ships of war, 
and had constant opportunities of 
becoming good seamen. : 
“Tt was observed, on this occa- 
sion, by Mr. Dundas, that, so far 
from apprehending a diminution 
of the number of seamen, he found 
it was, upon the best information, 
a matter of much more difficulty 
to provide a sufficiency of marines. 
Lundmen, desirous of going to 
sea, entered as sailors, and those 
who preferred the army, listed as 
soldiers. Hence the marine-service 
was recruited with much less faz 
cility than the two others. He 
complained of the severity with 
which opposition spoke of the 
treatment of the sick soldiery, on 
board the transports for foreign 
service, to whom, he asserted, every 
attention was shewn, that duty 
and humanity could require. Af. 
ter some altercation concerning 
convoys, and the employment “sd 
the 
