HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
they were become masters of the 
country. The strength of the Eng- 
lish, on the other hand, never had 
been sufficiently considerable to ef- 
feét any real progress in the reduc- 
tion of this valuable island. Conti- 
‘nual diseases, of the most deadly 
kind, had swept away the reinforce- 
ments sent from England, almost as 
fast as they arrived. Never, in fact, 
was the folly of committing Eu- 
ropean troops to those fatal climates 
so dreadfully evinced as in the pro- 
digious mortality, that unceasingly 
attended this fruitless and destruc- 
tive expedition. 
The reports brought over to the 
French government, of the real state 
of St. Domingo, convinced them, 
that, while the war lasted, it would 
be utterly out of their power to re- 
establish their authority in that co- 
lony. Some persons indeed scrupled 
not to prediét, that, in the present 
circumstance of affairs in those parts 
of the world, this would never be 
accomplished. The negroes and 
mulattoes were become so intelli- 
gent in the European metheds of 
attack and defence, that they were 
completely adequate, by their num- 
bers, their dexterity in the use of 
arms, and their knowledge of the 
country, to resist any force that 
| could be brought against them, and 
to maintain their independence in 
| spite of all attempts to reduce them. 
| The extent of the island was such, 
| that it could only be subdued by a 
| large military force; and experience 
| bad shewn, thatit was impractica. 
| ble to preserve the lives and health 
| of Europeans long enough, after 
| they had been landed, to carry a 
| design of this nature into effectual 
| execution, 
Warned by the fate of their West 
| Indian colonies, the rulers of France 
“Vou. XXXVUI, 
* 
[193 
did not think proper to enforce 
the decree for the emancipation of 
slaves in their East Indian settle- 
ments. The conimissioners that had 
been sent to the isles of France and 
Bourbon, to execute this decree, 
had been expelled by the inhabi- 
tants. On their returnto France, 
they made heavy complaints of the 
treatment they had received; but 
the directory, taught by experience, 
readily admitted the excuses of the 
colonists, who, professing a due at- 
tachment to the republic, had, how- 
ever, remonstrated against the policy 
of the decree, and requested leave 
to qualify ils execution, so as to 
prevent the mischiefs that would 
flow from an immediate compliance 
with it. The danger of exasperating 
the people of so distant a settlement 
induced government to abstain from 
coercive measures, and to listen fae 
vourably to their representations. 
In the mean time, the hostilities 
carried on by the military and naval 
forces of Great Britain in the West 
Indies, against the French and their 
allies, had been accompanied with 
success. The island of Grenada, 
chiefly inhabited by French plan- 
ters, who had, in a great measure, 
through il] usage, been driven into 
rebellion, was, after a long and sane 
guinary contest, obliged to yield to 
the conduét and valour of general 
Nichols, and the troops under his 
command. He had contended with 
a variety of diffiulties, and met with 
obstinate resistance, during the whole 
course of the year 1795; but, in 
March, 1796, he obtained a com- 
plete victory over the insurgents, 
who were compelled to lay down 
their arms, and submit to the mercy 
of the British government. _ 
In May following, the Iste of St. 
Lucia was reduced in like mgrner, 
[9] ty 
