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part of Britain, in the mean time, corresponded to 

 the magnitude of her resources, and the patriotic 

 spirit of her people, and the threats of invasion which 

 were held out to her. Independent of the army of 

 reserve, and of the regular and supplementary mili- 

 tia, 300,000 vohmteeis were immediately underarms. 

 Expeditions werj hard out, which captured the set- 

 tlements of St Lucia, Tobago, Essequibo, and Deme- 

 rara ; and the island of St Domingo was enabled to 

 set France at defiance, by a British squadron which 

 assisted the efforts of the blacks. 



IN a view of affairs so limited as the present, \ve 

 should deem it unfair to pronounce upon the merits 

 or demerits of Mr Addington's administration. Af- 

 ter maintaining, for some time, a divided opposition, 

 the parties of Lord Grenvillc and Mr Fox coalesced ; 

 and Mr Pitt, who at first had favoured the Adding- 

 tonian cabinet, was gradually estranged, and at last 

 avowedly hostile to it. As the country was suppo- 

 sed to be now in the most critical situation which she 

 had ever experienced, the general voice of the com- 

 munity was in fav.nir of an union of all men of weight 

 and talents. This capable and comprehensive admi- 

 nistration Mr Pitt, it was said, was as desirous as 

 any man of seeing formed. He is said, by his friends, 

 to have strongly urged his sovereign to the measure. 

 But if such were his wishes, he acted in contradiction 

 to them, and again consented to come into office in a 

 new administration, * which commenced in May 

 180i. While the exclusive system of the restored 

 minister was generally blamed, yet an increase of vi- 

 gour in the conduct of affairs was expected from his su- 

 perior talents. A considerable time, however, elapsed, 

 without a single event to justify their hopes. Goree 

 was taken by the French, but recovered. The only 

 conquest within the year was the capture of Surinam, 

 by a force which sailed from Barbadoes under gene- 

 ral Green, and commodore Hood. Some attempts 

 were made on the enemy's flotilla by our single sloops 

 and frigates, but with little success ; and the experi- 

 ment ot blowing up the enemy's marine in their har- 

 bour by clock-work explosions, brought only ridicule 

 on its projectors. Since the recommencement of hosti- 

 lities, Spain h;d been suffered to preserve a neutral- 

 ity, though obviously under the controul of France, 

 and paying her a yearly tribute. Information, how- 

 ever, being received, that active preparations were 

 making in her ports, and that French troops were 

 passing through Spain to co-operate in her harbours, 

 a British squadron was dispatched to intercept the 

 Spanish frigates, which were conveying her specie 

 from America to Cadiz. This service was promptly 

 performed by captain Moore in the Indefatigable, 

 and three frigates, under his command. On the 5th 

 of October, that officer fell in with four large Spa- 

 nish frigates, and an engagement ensued, in which 

 one of the enemy's vessels blew up, with the loss of 

 240 lives. The captured treasure was brought to 

 England ; but the justice of striking such a blow, 

 before a declaration of war, was justly questioned. 

 It was said, that the treasure ships were only meant 

 to be retained as pledges, till satisfaction for her ru- 

 moured preparations should be given by Spain ; and 



the blame of incurring bloodshed, was imputed to the Britain, 

 obstinacy of the Spanish commander. That Spain 

 was, at this period, lit without a free will, and ii>> 

 pable of supporting even the limited neutrality which 

 she had hitherto enjoyed, may well b' - supposed ; but 

 if war was necessary, it should hate been openly di - 

 clarcd ; and, if it was intended to lay hold of the 

 treasure ships without bloodshed, a larger force 

 should have been sent, to which a Spanish commavd- 

 er could with honour have submitted. 



The encroachments of Bonaparte in Germany and Third ro.t- 

 Italy, provoked a third coalition of the Europeai ^'' 

 powers against France in 1805. This event the j^ ance . 

 French ruler had foreseen, and early in the same 1305. 

 year had endeavoured to avert its approach, by pa- 

 cific offers to Great Britain. These were reject ir! 

 with a promptitude which the insincerity of the ene- 

 my seems to have justified. His Russian imperial 

 majesty subscribed to the alliance of Britain in the 

 spring. In the month of August, Austria joiiu ' 

 the league. Prussia was understood to be favourable ; 

 and Sweden joined in direct alliance. Bonaparte, 

 who, with the vain threat of overrunning the British 

 empire, had assembled the principal part of his forces 

 opposite to the British coast, was perhaps relieved 

 to find an opportunity of giving active employment 

 to his troops, which had been stationary for two 

 years. Having reinforced his army in Italy, he dis- 

 mantled his flotilla at Boulogne ; and collecting his 

 troops from Hanover and Holland, reached the Da- 

 nube with 200,000 men. His rapid annihilation of Suhjuja. 

 Mack's army, and his succeeding victory at Auster-'ion J 

 litz, (which have been recorded under the article Austria. 

 AUSTRIA,) laid Austria prostrate at his feet, over- 

 awed Prussia, and enabled him, for a time, securely 

 to set Russia at defiance. By the treaty with the Peace with 

 Emperor of Germany, which was concluded after the Austria, 

 fatal field of Austerlitz, the Emperor of France be- 

 came actually master of all Italy, except the Neapo- 

 litan dominions ; for the sovereignty of the Pope 

 might now be considered as merely nominal. Naples, 

 Venice, and all its dependencies, were ceded by Aus- 

 tria; and he annexed Genoa to the French territory. 

 He possessed the means of crushing the King of 

 Naples as soon as his hands were disengaged ; and 

 that unfortunate power, by her precipitate devotion 

 to the cause of the allies, had already furnished him 

 with a pretext. 



Amidst the victories of France, and even amidst Motion of 

 her preparations which preceded them, the people of the French. 

 Britain watched with anxiety the motions of the ene- " nd " r ik 

 my's fleet, one of which, composed of Spaniards and 

 French, escaped to the West Indies, under the com- 

 mand of Admiral Villaneuve. The depredations of 

 that commander were evidently restrained in that 

 quarter by the terror of meeting with Lord Nelson, 

 who, with inferior force, pursued him twice across 

 the Atlantic. Returning to Europe, Villaneuve was 

 reinforced to the number of 20 ships of the line, and 

 encountered the fleet under Sir Robert Calder, off feau lhe 

 Cape Finisterre. In the action which ensued, Sir French 

 Robert Calder, with only 15 ships of the line, kept fleet, 

 at bay his superior enemy, and took two ot their 



The other members were Lord Melville, first Lord of the Admiralty, vice the Earl of St Vincent ; Lord HarrowBjr Se- 

 retary of State for Foreign Affairs, vice Lord Hawkesbury ; Lord Cunden for the war de|wrtmcut and colonies, viii Lord 

 ilobart; Lord Mulgnuc Chancellor cf the Duchy of Lancaster. 



