HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



the points within our reach, and 

 wliepe our means might be eft'cc- 

 tuijlly exerted, there was no one 

 which promised so favourable a 

 result as an attack upon Flushing 

 and Antwerp. There the enemy 

 had for years been expending im- 

 iijense sums in erecting a naval 

 arsenal and depot, and in rearing 

 up a navy, by which he might be 

 enabled to menace the most vul- 

 nerable points of these realms. 

 Accordingly it was resolved to 

 make a well-directed effort to de- 

 stroy both the navy and arsenal. 

 The design, on account of unfore- 

 seen difficulties, had not been 

 wholly accomplished, yet the hos- 

 tile design of invading this coun- 

 try, from the Low Countries, had 

 been frustrated, by the demolition 

 of the harbour and arsenal of 

 Flushing. Whatever disastrous 

 effects had arisen from the opera- 

 tions necessary to its attainment, 

 were indeed to be lamented : but 

 they were not, in the first instance, 

 to have been apprehended. The 

 design promised to be executed in 

 a short time, and before the sea- 

 son set in, whose pestilential influ- 

 enpc was particularly to be dread- 

 ed, and most necessary to be 

 ggarded against. The expedition 

 was ready to sail about the middle 

 of July; but it was detained nine 

 or ten days by contrary winds ; 

 and other unforeseen and uncon- 

 trolled obstacles occurred after- 

 wards, to protract the operations 

 till the unhealthy period of the 

 year. But all these obstructions 

 could not possibly have been fore- 

 seen, or guarded against. This 

 would be siiewn by the informa- 

 tion which his majesty had ordered 

 to be laid before their lordships : 

 before which it would be impossi- 



ble for their lordships to decide 

 upon the subject, or to institute a 

 fair inquiry. The other points 

 very much insisted upon, and re- 

 })robated by his friend, lord 

 Grenville, was the expedition to 

 Spain and Portugal. But that ex^ 

 pedition had achieved great and 

 important objects. It had rescued 

 Portugal from the FVench — it had 

 covered the character of the Bri- 

 tish army with glory ; and, by the 

 position which that army after- 

 wards occupied and maintained, it 

 rendered infinite service to the 

 Spanish armies. It covered thera 

 in several points — it secured the 

 defence of Estramadura, and in a 

 great measure that of La Mancha. 

 To this expedition was also owing 

 the deliverance of Gallicia, and the 

 securing of the ships at Ferrol. 



The Earl of Moira maintained, 

 that the proofsdemanding notonly 

 inquiry but condemnation, stood 

 before them. The whole convic- 

 tion of his mind, and the convic- 

 tion of every one who considered 

 the subject, called for judgment 

 upon the face of the case. He 

 would go the full length of the 

 amendment, although it only 

 pledged their lordships to inquiry 

 at present. The noble earl had 

 not stated the case of Austria, as 

 put by his noble friend lord Gren- 

 ville, fairly. As no specific pro- 

 mise of aid had been given to 

 Austria, none was broken : but if 

 that aid which our interests re- 

 (juired was not granted, ministers 

 had equally neglected their duty. 

 But although we v?ere not pledged 

 to Austria, it would not be con- 

 tended that we were not pledged 

 to Spain. The pledge to Spain 

 was not only given by parliament, 

 but confirmed b^ the universal 



