The French crowed over the expedition to the Scheldt, as well as that into the heart of Spain under lord Wellington, with the force of reason, the bitterness of sarcasm, and the playfulness of ridicule. The British government had supposed Antwerp to be precisely in the same situation that it was fourteen years ago. They observed, that half the force that was dispersed in Spain, Italy, and the marshes of Holland, brought to bear against one point judiciously chosen, might probably have been of greater avail to the common cause of Britain and her allies. The British nation acknowledged that the exultation and ridicule of the French was not for once misplaced; and lamented that the main strength of the British was not sent for co-operation with the Austrians to the gulph of Trieste, or for co-operation with the Spaniards to the gulph of Rosas. The British government seemed to entertain some vague idea that the common cause of the deliverance of Europe was to be served by Great Britain by a system of diversions; by hanging on the skirts of the enemy, and seizing some sequestred points and corners, instead of meeting the enemy face to face where he was strongest. Their avowed object was to assist the nations on the continent in their endeavours to emancipate themselves by their own exertions; not considering that before the incumbent and overwhelming weight and oppres sion of the enemy should be removed, it was impossible for the unarmed and isolated inhabitants to unite and organize themselves into any system of defence or of aggression. The few with arms in their hands, and the authority of government in all countries, govern the many. In the war of the Spanish succession, lord Godelphin and the duke of Marlborough, and the other ministers or counsellors of queen Anne, never dreamt of gaining their object, which was to break the neck of French usurpation, by splitting the force at their command into variety of detachments; but sent their undivided strength to cooperate with the Austrians, in bearing with the whole power of the allies against the main strength of the enemy. In a word, the councils of Great Britain were under the influence and direction of men: so weak and improvident, that their continuance in power at such a crisis was a matter of general astonishment. CHAP. CHAP. XIV. British Affairs, Naval and Colonial.-Destruction of the French in the Roads of Aix by a Squadron commanded by Lord Cochrane, detached from the Fleet under Lord Collingwood. Destruction of a French "Squadron with Transports on their Way to relieve Barcelona. The Government of the Seven Islands restored by a British Force, Naval and Military, in Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Cerigo.Reduction of Martinico and the City of St. Domingo-Affairs in India. HE operations of Great Bri more prosperous at sea and in islands than on the continent of Europe. A French fleet, consisting of nine or ten sail of the line and some frigates lay in the Roads of Aix under the protection of the forts of that island. In the evening of the 11th of April lord Cochrane, who was under the orders of admiral lord Gambier, proceeded to attack this fleet thus stationed, with a number of fire ships, frigates, and other vessels, under a favourable strong wind from the northward, and the advantage of flood tide. On the approach of our squadron to the ships of the enemy, it was discovered that a boom was placed in front of their line for a defence. This, however, the weight of the Mediator fire-ship soon broke; and the usual intrepidity of British seamen, led by such a commander as lord Cochrane, advancing under the fire of both the forts and the ships, overcame all difficulties. The greater part of the French ships cut or slipt their cables, and the anchorage being confined, avoided explosion, by running on shore. These, how ever, were afterwards either toና . tally destroyed or rendered alto ships of the line were taken and blown up at their anchorage.* At daylight the following day lord Cochrane communicated to admiral lord Gambier by telegraph, that seven of the enemy's ships were on shore, and might be destroyed. The admiral immediately made the signal for the fleet to unmoor and weigh, intending to proceed with it to effect their destruction. The wind, however, fresh from the northward, and the flood tide rendered it, in the judgment of the admiral, too hazardous to run into the shallow waters of Aix Roads: he therefore cast anchor again at the distance of about three miles from the forts of the island. In the Mediterranean, towards the end of October, a French squadron, consisting of three sail of the line and four frigates, with twenty large transports, from Toulon for the relief of Barcelona, was destroyed by a division of the fleet under lord Collingwood. The transports separating from the ships of war, ran for shelter to the Bay of Rosas; where they, too, though under the protection of some armed ships and gun London Gazette Extraordinary. APPEN. CHRON. p. 492. Q 2 boats, boats, were attacked and destroyed.* Nearly about the same time, a small squadron detached from lord Collingwood's fleet, with 1,600 troops sent from Sicily, under the command of brigadier-general Oswald, took the islands of Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Cerigo. The French garrisons in those islands surrendered to the British arms after a very faint resistance. The government of the Seven Islands was declared to be restored. In the Indian ocean the Isle of Bourbon surrendered to a British force on the 21st of September. In the West Indies, the island of Martinico and the city of St. Domingo were added to our numerous possessions in that part of the world. The city of St. Domingo surrendered without resist ance. In the North, or English America, the embargo act was repealed by one prohibiting all intercourse either with France or Great Britain. But in case either France or England should so revoke or modify her edicts, as that they should cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States, the trade suspended might be re newed with the nation so doing A treaty for restoring amity and commerce between Great Britain and America, after a good deal of negociation, was signed by Mr. David Erskine, envoy and minister plenipotentiary from London; and American vessels in great numbers poured into the ports of England. But the proceedings of Mr. Erskine were disavowed, as altogether exceeding his powers, by the British government. No loss, however, was suffered to accrue to the American merchants or captains of ships who had proceeded to England under the idea that Mr. Erskine had clearly understood the object of his mission and the terms on which he was authorized to conclude a treaty of amity and commerce. This year disturbances broke out in India, which in their origin and progress threatened with immediate dissolution the authority of Great Britain; which, in that widely, extended, populous, and remote country, as was well observed by Mr. Hastings, hangs on "the slender thread of opinion." They were quelled, but how? By an appeal which betrayed the slenderness of that thread; an appeal to the native troops, the sepoys, Ib. pp. 487, 519. See APPEND. CHRON. p. 568, + Ib. p. 588. The dispatch from major general Carmichael to lord Castlereagh, announcing this conquest, is a striking, aud, if we could suppose it to be intended, no unhappy burlesque on that intolerable minuteness which has long, and that religious cant, which has lately become fashionable in the dispatches of both our generals and admirals. "With humble submission to the Almighty Disposer of events, &c. &c. the general proceeded to make dispositions for the reduction of the city of St. Domingo. The zeal, abilities, courage, and indefatigable exertions of the officers under his command are extolled-yet there was no fighting. The enemy did not make any resistance. A continual fire of musketry from the walls was indeed heard for a short time, even when the white flag was up; and the general moved forward with a party of dragoons to demand the cause. The French general assured las aid-de-camp that the inhabitants were firing at immense numbers of wild pigeons that were flying over the walls, but that they should instantly be stopt!! See Correspondence between Mr. Erskine and Mr. Sinith. State Papers, p.756. against against their European officers! They originated in the measures taken by sir G. Barlow, governor of Madras, for enforcing a system of economy that had been devised by sir J. Craddock, which interfered with the emoluments to which the army had been accustomed. This system consisted in the abolition of the allowance for camp equipage, which, till July, 1808, when the measure was adopted by sir. G. Barlow, had been supplied on contract by officers commanding native regiments. In the adoption of this measure the opinion of general Hay Macdowall, commander in chief of the army, was not consulted. This plan of economy was not only injurious to the interest of the officers, but calculated to hurt their feelings as men of honour. The statement of reasons, or the principle or spirit on which a new arrangement was founded, ran thus: "Six years' experience of the practical effects of the existing system of the camp equipage equipment of the native army has afforded means of forming a judgment relative to its advantages and efficiency, which were not possessed by the persons who proposed its introduction, and an attentive examination of its operation during that period the following observations regarding it. The granting the same allowance in peace and war for the equipment of native corps, while the expences incidental to that charge are unavoidably much greater in war than in peace, places the interest and duty of officers commanding native corps in direct opposition to one another. It makes it their inte rest that their corps should not be. in a state of efficiency fit for field service; and therefore furnishes strong inducements to neglect their most important duties." The discontent and indignation of the European officers, commanding native corps, was raised into a flame. The civil and military government of Madras were in a state of opposition to each other. Lieut. col. Munro, quarter-master general, who had drawn up the offensive memoir, on the strength of which sir G. Barlow proceeded in his determination to abolish the tent contract by orders of the commander in chief, was put under arrest. Colonel Capper and major Boles, who had complied with the orders of the commander in chief in publishing a general order in the end of January, 1809, reflecting on the Madras government, were suspended by the government of Madra from the service of the company. From this strong and arbitrary step, and others of the same nature relating to many other individuals, the officers were led to the humiliating conclusion, that their commissions were held merely at the caprice of an individual. The alarm produced an unanimity of sentiment throughout the army, and a confederacy for the purpose of mutual preservation. A charge drawn up against colonel Munro was signed by thirty-two out of fifty-four officers, and the remainder would have signed the charge also if they had not been at too great a distance. The government of Madras, in opposition to the conciliating system recom The commander in chief after publishing this order took leave of the arr determined to come home. The governor removed him from his command after his embarkation. mended by Mr. Petrie, late govenor, and still a member of council, set itself to garble the army to its mind, and by a system of intrigue, particularly by presents and promises the Soubadhars to separate the inclinations of the native troops from the authority of their officers. The unprecedented and harsh measures pursued by government raised in the minds of all the military an universal hatred mingled with contempt, which rendered their mind indifferent as to consequences. A compliment paid by sir G. Barlow to the force stationed at Hydrabad, with a view of detach ing them from other divisions of the army, was deemed a greater insult than any that had hitherto been shewn to the army. The officers of that subsidiary force, apprehensive that so unexpected a compliment might possibly have impressed their brother officers with an idea that they tacitly approved of the acts of government, addressed to the different divisions of the army a paper, declaring that they viewed with the most lively emotions of concern, the extreme acts of power by which so many respectable officers had been displaced from their com mand, and suspended from the service and their resolution to contribute to their support. The discontents of the army, at first expressed in indignant declarations and memorials at Masulipatam, Hydrabad, and Seringapatam, burst into action. The officers of Hydrabad, on the 15th of June, forwarded an address to sir G. Barlow, recommending an abrogation of his orders, suspending a number of officers from the service; on the 8th of July they absolutely refused to permit a battalion to be moved from the subsidiary force, though directly ordered by the government; and on the 21st of the same month, they made a peremptory demand of indemnity to the officers of Masulipatam. In this situation of affairs, a test was framed by the government, requiring the officers to whom it was tendered to promise that they "would obey the orders and support the authority of the governor in council of Fort St. George. In many instances, when officers were sent for to head-quarters to subscribe the test, their return from thence was cut off by troops drawn up * Recourse had been had before to a test of another kind. Sir G. Barlow, although aware that no officer, excepting those who held situations at the will of the government, would voluntarily go where colonel Munro was frequently to be met, sent cards, inviting the officers of one regiment in Fort St. George to dinner on the 1st of March, and to those of another to dinner on the 4th of March. The greatest part of the officers of both regiments sent apologies. In order to prevail on the apologizing officers to consent to dine at the governor's, various threats and promises were conveyed to them through the medium of lieutenant-colonel Barclay. His efforts were altogether ineffectual. Colonel Barclay was directed by sir G. Barlow to apply for the assistance of major-general Goudie. The officers invited on the 1st of March were induced by a very natural apprehension of danger to their own interest, at last to accept of the invitation. The officers invited on the 4th did not go, but they were required to make an apology, which they did, by stating in writing, that fin declining to accept sir G. Barlow's invitation, they did not mean any disrespect towards the public character of the governor." These bickerings about invitations to dinner became the subject of ridicule, and other emotions throughout the whole presidency. to |