CHAP. 74. lines, the convoy in the rear, towards the African 1781-1782. coast. At the close of the day, the van was seen from the rock; and the fleet passed eastward into the Mediterranean, although four transports succeeded in reaching the harbour.

In this crisis, Cordova, the spanish admiral, summoned a council of war, when it was unanimously decided not to attack the enemy before the fleet had repaired its damages. On the same night, several ships again suffered from the tempestuous weather; and it was not till the evening of the 13th that the combined fleet ventured to face the british.

During five successive days, the bourbon commanders had the mortification to see their antagonist keeping the sea in the most trying weather, neither courting nor declining a battle, and exhibiting a series of manœuvres which seemed to baffle the force of the elements. In spite of all their efforts, the transports, except one, reached the harbour; and the garrison was strengthened with a reinforcement of 1,400 men, besides a supply of provisions and ammunition.

They had also the additional mortification to follow the english fleet under an easy sail, when it re-passed the straits, as if to be mere witnesses of the superior skill with which the admiral disposed his course. At length, ashamed of being foiled by an inferior force,they crowded

sail, and, with the wind in their favour, came up CHAP. 74. with the english off Cadiz. They still, however, 1781-1782. avoided a close engagement, and after a cannonade of five hours with little effect, relinquished their pursuit, with the degrading reflection, that a fleet of thirty sail, embarrassed with a convoy, and without a port for shelter, had relieved the fortress in defiance of a fleet of seventy-four sail, close to their own shores, and favoured by every advantage of wind and position.

Notwithstanding these repeated failures, the siege was still continued; and a design, still more extravagant than that of the floating batteries, was formed, to ruin the works by a mine of vast extent, excavated in the rock. But this project seems rather to have been formed to gratify the sanguine hopes of the king of Spain, than with any rational expectation of success; and the besiegers, after considerable labour had been employed, were spared a new mortification by the cessation of hostilities.*

-D'Arçon

-Bec

* Drinkwater's Account of the Siege of Gibraltar.Memoire servir à l'Histoire du Siege de Gibraltar.pour catini, p. 328-365.-Hamburgh Politisches Journal for 1782, which contains a plan and profile of these floating batteries.Burgoing, v. 3, and in the Atlas, a plan of the position intended to be occupied, and that really occupied. Official accounts, english, french, and spanish.Statement of Florida Blanca, No. 9.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-FIFTH.

1781-1783.

Final event of the american war-Changes of the administration in England-Negotiations for peace-Difficulties arising from the demands of Spain-Discussions on the cession of Gibraltar-Signature of the preliminaries-Conclusion of the definitive treaty.

THE attack of Gibraltar was almost the last CHAP. 75. 1781-1783. event of the war.

During the period in which the whole power of the bourbon sovereigns had been united against England, the event of the contest was already decided in America; the insurgents, assisted by the succours of France, had finally succeeded in gaining the ascendancy. While the royal army remained entire, and concentrated their strength on a single object, their efforts were crowned with success. But when separated for the purpose either of aggression or defence, the insurgents succeeded in rendering even victory unprofitable; the divided portions of the army were overwhelmed with superior force, worn out in painful marches, or driven back with considerable loss.

Of these reverses, one of the most memorable

was the surprise of the hessians at Trenton, CHAP. 75. which roused the spirits of the colonists at the 1781-1783. moment of the deepest depression. Others of inferior importance, but equally fatal in effect, had occurred in the progress of the struggle; ⚫ but the last and most discouraging was the reduction of a body of 6,000 men under lord Cornwallis, who, after subjugating the two Carolinas and invading Virginia, were compelled to surrender to a combined army of french and americans. Although this loss was not intrinsically great, its effect was decisive, by the impulse which it gave to the insurgents, the discouragement which it spread through the british army, and above all, by the sensation it occasioned in England, where the people were impatient for the restoration of peace.

The intelligence of this disaster completed the series of misfortunes which had marked the ministry of lord North, and led to a change in the government. He and his partisans were succeeded by a motley administration, formed by the chiefs of that powerful opposition who had united in decrying the war. The ostensible head was the marquis of Rockingham; but the real minister was Mr. Fox, who filled the office of foreign secretary of state. To them was joined lord Shelburne, who, under the auspices of lord Chatham, had resisted the grant of ame

Oct. 19, 1781.

CHAP. 75. rican independence; but since had receded from 1781-1783. his opinion, in conformity with the national

voice. The known principles of the new administration increased the national eagerness for peace; and the news of the splendid victory obtained by Rodney arrived too late to counteract the public sentiment, though it cast a solitary gleam of splendour over the close of the late administration.

The first measure of the new ministers was consonant to their past declarations, and to the feelings which they had long and successfully laboured to excite. Before the late action, orders of recal had already been dispatched to Rodney, and to sir Henry Clinton, the military commander in America; and various measures were sanctioned in parliament, preparatory to the dereliction of british supremacy over the colonies. With an anxiety for peace, which, however laudable, was ill calculated to give weight to their negotiations, the ministry declared that the late victory should make no change in their views; and they testified their readiness to accept the mediation of Russia with Holland, and of Austria with France.

Too prudent, however, to rely on the lukewarm interference of powers unfavourable to their cause, they adopted the resolution of applying directly to France. With this view, they