ENGLAND. 247 



one. But before a change of policy could be effectually adopted, the 

 treaty of Tilsit had been signed, and all Europe, Sweden excepted, 

 was arrayed in arms against Great Britain. The French government 

 was now actively employed in fresh endeavours to create a naval force. 

 The Danes had a considerable fleet, which it was evident must fall 

 into the hands of one or the other of the belligerents. An armament 

 of 30 sail of the line and 25,000 men was dispatched to the Belt, un- 

 der the command of lord Cathcart and admiral Gambier. This force 

 appeared before Copenhagen on the 14th of August, 1807, and de- 

 manded an immediate surrender of the Danish fleet, promising to 

 deliver it up again at the conclusion of the war. These proposals 

 being rejected, the army landed without opposition on the morningf 

 of the 16th, and on the evening of the 2d of September the land bat- 

 teries and bomb and mortar vessels opened such a tremendous fire 

 upon the city, that a general conflagration was thought to have taken 

 place. On the night of the 3d the fire was slackened ; but on the 

 4th it was resumed with so much effect, that proposals for a truce 

 were sent from the city. On the 8th the capitulation was signed, and 

 the British troops entered the city. The Danish vessels being rig- 

 ged with the utmost dispatch, the whole fleet was safe in the British 

 ports before the end of October. 



The war in the Spanish peninsula, which broke out this year, and 

 in which the British took so active a part, forms a part of Spanish. 

 and Portuguese history. See Spain and Portugal. This war en- 

 gaged the principal part of the resources of England and France till 

 1809, when hostilities commenced between France and Austria. A 

 diversion was attempted in favour of the latter power, by landing a 

 number of troops on the island of Walcheren, with a view of attack- 

 ing the French fleet at Antwerp. They found the fleet, however, too 

 strongly protected, and the expedition returned without effecting any 

 thing. After the submission of Austria, Spain again became the on- 

 ly theatre of war. In 1810 the prince of Wales was appointed re- 

 gent, the mental derangement of the king having rendered that mea- 

 sure necessary. The islands of Bourbon and Amboyna this year sub- 

 mitted to the British arms. 



Early in 1812 hostilities commenced between France and Russia. 

 A treaty was concluded with the latter power, and immense subsidies 

 were made by Great Britain for the support of her armies. By this 

 ^var the perseverance of England was at length crowned with suc- 

 cess, and to her is principally to be attributed the happy revolution 

 which has once more restored the ancient governments and balance 

 of Europe. The particulars of the war will be found under the arti- 

 cles Russia, France, Austria, Prussia, &c. 



Peace was the immediate consequence of the restoration of the 

 Bourbons to the throne of France. In the treaty signed at Paris on 

 the 30th of May, 1814, England stipulates to restore to France all the 

 colonies, fisheries, factories, and re-establishments of every kind, 

 which France possessed on the 1st of Jan. 1792, in the seas and on 

 the continents of America, Africa, and Asia, excepting the islands of 

 Tobago and St. Lucia, and the Isle of France, and its dependencies, 

 which the king of France cedes in full property and sovereignty to 

 his Britannic majesty. 



