( 32 ) 



Ipft two to one. They contended with Bri- 

 tain, therefore, under the immenfe difadvan- 

 tage of two to one, which, undoubtedly, mud 

 have made up for the diftance to which the 

 Britifh forces were to be exported. The 

 French, it is true, affifted the Americans, but 

 the force they fent amounted to no more than 

 10,000 land forces, which was more than ba- 

 lanced by the 17,000 Germans, by whom 

 Britain was affifted. As for the fleets on both 

 fides, they muft be confidered as entirely out 

 of the queftion, and only calculated to let 

 both parties try their ftrength by land ; for 

 no engagement of any confequence happened 

 by fea, till after the affair of Cornwallis was 

 decided ; nor were the French fleets ever able 

 to hinder the Britifh from fending as many 

 troops as they pleafed to America, during the 

 tvhole courfe of the war. 



What I have juft now faid is with no view 

 to depreciate the Britifh, or to exalt the Ame- 

 ricans, but to lead to the eftablifhment of the 

 following pofition, (though this, in a great 

 meafure-, was owing to the diftra&ion of our 

 councils at home, as, had we been united, 

 America could not have obtained fuch a foot- 

 ing at this time) that the Americans, for fix 



years, 



