128 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



tcer system was rendered hostile to 

 tlie increase of tlie army, by the 

 doctrine of exemptions. 



In vain did the advocates of ad- 

 ministration contend, that tiieir va- 

 rious projects induced a military 

 spirit throughout the country, and 

 that thence the ranks of the regi- 

 ments of the line would eventually 

 ije filled. To these assertions were 

 opposed facts. And the government 

 was necessitated, for nearly two 

 years, to keep up, by the various 

 modes abundantly within its power, 

 the rumours of immediate invasion, 

 which, while they prevented too 

 narrow a scrutiny into' tlieir mea- 

 sures, aflbrded some colour for tiie 

 local force alone created, wliicii, 

 making allowance for. the rawness 

 of the levy, and its want of disci- 

 pline, would certainly be applica- 

 ble to a war solely defensive. 



To avoid recapitulation, as the 

 measures to which Ave allude were 

 strenuously attacked and defended 

 jn parliament, we beg leave to refer 

 our readers to our account of i(s 

 proceedings during tlie last session,- 

 in the course ,of v.hich it Avill be 

 found that those feeble, comjjlicat- 

 ed, and circuitous modes of natio- 

 nal defence, are detailed at consi- 

 derable length ; that they Avere op- 

 posed by the united talcJit and weight 

 of the legislation ; and Arcre, final- 

 ly, among the principal causes of 

 the declension and overthrow of JMr. 

 Adding ton's administration. 



But it was on the subject of (he 

 raal-administration of thenaAy, tliat 

 Mr. Pitt chose to put forth all liis 

 strengtJi, and to coniodown to par- 

 liament, towards the close of the 

 last session, to move for .an enquiry 

 into a comparative statement of 



that force, during the periods of 

 his and Mr. Addington's adminis- 

 trations, on which to ground an en- 

 quiry into the conduct of the earl of 

 St. Vincent, then first lord of the 

 admiralty. On this point it was 

 that government was most vulnera- 

 ble. The moment that it was seen,, 

 that the late prime minister was 

 prepared to substantiate charges of 

 mismanagement and misconduct in 

 tiiat great branch of the public ie-, 

 fence, the tide of popular opinion 

 turned strongly against Mr. Ad- 

 dington ; and but a j-liort period en- 

 sued, between this formidable at- 

 tack, and his retirement from oflu 

 cial situation. 



It is not easy to conjecture Avith 

 any tolerable certainty, had the pro- 

 ])oscd enquiry gone forward, Avhat 

 Avould have been the result. Tho 

 change of ministers, from motives 

 Avhich we shall not here enquire in- 

 to, suspended the blow. But it be- 

 hoves us brieliy and impartially to 

 state, Avhat the grounds were, on 

 Avhich the admiralty Averc open to 

 attack, and what the causes of the 

 Avant of popularity in the naval ad- 

 ministration, at the period to Avhich 

 we allude. 



When his majesty's ministers, at 

 length assumed a lofty tone towards 

 France, and that a Avar seemed ine- 

 vitable, they Avere doubtless led to 

 expect, from the high professional 

 character of the earl of St. Vincent, 

 then at the head of the naval de- 

 pcrtmcnt, exertions far bey oiul those 

 of any former period : and that the 

 formidable state of our navy, Avhen 

 directed by him, Avould dazzle and 

 confound the projects of Bona- 

 parte. In cannot be denied, that, 

 in every light, his lordship must be 



tonsidyred, 



I 



* Vide Chapters VI. and VII. 



