v4) ANNUAL REGISTER, 170% 
portion of twotoone. While, there- 
fore, wesview the splendour of this 
victory with every degree of admi- 
ration, and joyful exultation it so 
eminently deserves, it becomes us 
seriously to consider, whether the 
circumstance alone does not loudly 
call on us to institute an inguiry 
into the conduct of the first lord. of 
the admiralty, for his neglect of re- 
inforcing the squadron which was 
ina service $0 distant as that of the 
Mediterranean, when he knew that 
the Spaniards added to the list of 
our naval adversaries!» In my opi- 
nion, in the same degree of piopor- 
tion in which we praise and admire 
the glorious victory which sir John 
Jervis has obtained—a vie tory, the 
censequencés of which must be so 
valuable and -important to the first 
interests of this country; in an equal 
degree ought we to affix blame and 
culpability for so gross and glaring a 
neglect as that of leaving him with 
such a_ prodigious inferiority of 
force. We are told, sir, by the right 
honourabie secretary of state, in 
the detail which he bas just given 
the house of this fortunate and gal- 
lant atchievement, that with fifteen 
ships sir John Jervis has defeated a 
fleet of the Spaniards, which con- 
sisted of twenty seven line of batile 
ships, of which ke has taken four. 
Fortunate and glorious as this ac- 
tion has proved, to the reputation 
of the British navy. and those who 
command and conduct it, we can- 
not help calling to mind how dread 
ful would bave been the reverse 
of the fate ofthat memorable day, 
had victory declared itself in favour 
of the cusmy. Waat, sir, at this 
moment must have been the sensa- 
tions of the pcople of this country ? 
What would they have said, if, in 
spite of the bravery, the discipline, 
the judgment, and glory of sir Johis 
Jervis—for glory, I maintain, sir, 
does not always consist in success 
—what would they have said, if, 
in defiance of all those superior abi- 
lities for which the character of 
the British officers and seamen are 
so ¢minently conspicuous, the re- 
verse of the pleasing picture of this 
brilliant victory had this night been 
held up to us, and we had been told 
that sir John Jervis had been de- 
feated, in consequence of the im- 
mense superiority of numbers in the 
fleet which the e.emy brought into 
action against us? I have no doubt, 
sir, but the voice of the country at 
Jarge would undoubtedly and ine- 
vitably have called loudly and uni- 
versally for an impeachment of the 
first lord of the admiralty. I think, 
sir, that this housé would, tach 
a case, have been pretty ready to 
join the voice of the people, and to 
second them in so necessary a mea- 
sure. The unparalleled success 
which has attended the skill and bra- 
very of our fleet, by no means alter 
the state of the question. It was 
the duty of the first lord of the ad- 
miralty, and of his majesty’s minis- 
ters in general, to have taken care 
that our fleet should bear some de- . 
gree of proportion to that of the e- 
nemy; and, therefore, it evidently 
appears, that the inferiority being so 
very great, it is high timean inquiry 
into the conduct of ministers should 
immediately take place. I hope, 
sir, the time is not far distant, nay, 
I flatter myself it is very near, in< 
deed, when this house will think 
it necessary to go seriously and ac- 
tively into an extensive and deep 
inquiry into the nation at large. 
Such an inquiry has long been 
wanted. The very momentous in- 
formation which has been laid be- 
fore 
