338 
Till that desirable period arrives, 
when my subjects can be restored to 
the secure enjoyment ef the bless- 
ings of+ peace, I shall not. fail to 
make the most effectual use of the 
force which you have put into my 
hands. It is with the utmost sa- 
tisfaétion that I have recently re- 
eeived the advices of an important 
and brilliant success obtained over 
the enemy by a detachment of my 
fleet, under the able conduf&t of 
lord Bridport; and I have every 
reason to rely on the continuance 
of the distinguished bravery and 
condutt of my fleets and armies, as 
well as of the zeal, spirit, and per- 
severance of my people, which 
have been uniformly manifested 
through the whole course of this 
just and necessary war, ° 
His Majesty’s Speech from the Throne 
on opening the Session, Oober 29, 
1795+ 
My lords and gentlemen, 
IT is a great satisfaétion to me 
to refle&, that notwithstanding 
many events unfavourable ro the 
eommon cause, the prospect re- 
sulting from the general situation 
of affairs has, in many tmportant 
sespects, been materially improved 
in the course of the present year. 
In Italy, the threatened invasion 
of the French has been prevented ; 
and they have been driven back 
from a coysiderable part of the line 
of coast which they had occupied : 
there is also reason to hope that the 
yecent operations of the Austrian 
army have checked the progress 
which they had made on the side of 
Germany, and frustrated the of- 
fensive projets which they were 
pursuing in that quarter. 
The successes which have at. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
tended the military operations in 
other parts of the campaign, and 
the advantages which they have 
derived from the conclusion of se- 
parate treaties with some of the 
powers who were engaged in the 
war, are far from compensating 
the evils which they experience 
from its continuance. The destrue- 
tion of their commerce, the dimi- 
nution of their maritime power, 
and the unparalleled embarrassment 
and distress of their internal situa- 
tion, have produced the impres- 
sion which was naturally to be ex- 
pected ;. and a general sense ap- 
pears to prevail throughout France, 
that the only relief from the in- 
creasing pressure of these difficul- 
ties must arise from the restoration 
of peace, and the establishment 
of some settled system of gavern- 
ment. 
The distra@tion and anarchywhich 
have so long prevailed in that coun. 
try, have led to acrisis, of which it 
is at yet impossible to fotesee the 
issue, but which must, in all human 
probability, produce consequences 
highly important to the interests of 
Europe. Should this crisis termi- 
nate in any order of things compa- 
tible with the tranquillity of other 
countries, and affording a reason- 
able expectation of security and 
permanence in any treaty which 
might be concluded, the appear- 
ance of a disposition to negotiate 
for a general peace on just and suit-~ 
able terms, will not fail to be met, 
on my part, with an earnest desire 
to give it the fyllest and speediest 
2 ig But I am persuaded you 
will agree with me, that nothing 
is so likely to ensure and accelerate 
this desirable end, as to shew that 
we are prepared for either alterna- 
tive, and are determined to prose. 
cute the war with the utmost ener. 
gy 
