XLIV.

1782.

12th and 13th Dec.

CHAP. cefs, the ridicule of their own countrymen, as of all other foreign nations, while the applause of Elliot and his brave affociates was univerfally celebrated in a tone fo full and clear, as to filence even envy and detraction. The officers and privates of the garrison were gratified with the thanks of parliament; general Elliot received the Order of the Bath, with which he was invested by deputation on the spot which he had preferved, and dignified by his conduct and prowefs. He was afterward raised to the peerage by the title of baron Heathfield, enriched with a penfion, granted by parliament, and his paternal arms were enlarged by adding thofe of the fortrefs he had fo ably defended.

11th Sept.

relieves Gibraltar. 10th Oct.

11th

Two days only before the grand attack, lord Howe Lord Howe failed for the relief of Gibraltar with thirty-four ships of the line and fome frigates. On his arrival, a tremendous hurricane difperfed the enemy's fleet, and drove on fhore, under the guns of Gibraltar, the St. Michael of feventy-four guns, while the British squadron weathered the ftorm uninjured. The next morning they entered the Straights in line of battle, and landed their ftores with fifteen hundred barrels of gunpowder. The enemy with fixty-four fail, of which forty-two were of the line, kept in fight of the British flect for fome days, but though they always had the option, no fuperiority of ftrength or advantage of wind could tempt them to hazard more than a partial action, and the grand fleet returned safely and profperouíly.

Negotiations

for peace.

June.

THE further profecution of the fiege affords no circumftance worthy of particular notice.

THE fuccefs of the British arms had great influence on the negotiations for peace. On the refignation of Mr. Fox and his friends, Mr. Grenville quitted Paris, and the new cabinet appointed Mr. Fitzherbert in his ftead. The French miniftry, still temporizing, deli

• From Drinkwater and the Gazettes.

1782.

vered only vague and inexplicable propofals, and their CHA P. agents infidioufly excited the pride and refentment of XLIV. the imperial courts, on the fuppofed contempt which Great Britain had fhewn towards their mediation. In the courfe of the fummer, however, the failure of the attempts against the profperity of England in India became apparent. The emprefs of Ruffia was conciliated by reafons affigned for the answer to the infinuation verbale; her ambition pointed in a direction remote from the quarrels between Great Britain and the confederate powers; and before the relief of Gib. September, raltar, France began to conduct the negotiation in a manner which promifed a favourable conclufion. Her terms, though too lofty for admiffion, were clear and definitive, and after the failure at Gibraltar, she was earnest in perfuading Spain to renounce all hopes of obtaining that fortrefs by treaty. The French government obferved, during the progrefs of the treaty, a cautious fecrecy: their own embassadors, and even thofe of the most friendly courts, were excluded from all information.

THE first authentic intelligence published on the 22d Nov. fubject, was contained in a letter from the secretary of state to the lord mayor of London, in which, for the purpose of preventing mifchiefs occafioned by fpeculations in the funds, he announced that the negotiations promised a decifive conclufion, either for peace or war, and that parliament would on that account be prorogued from the twenty-fixth of November, the intended day of meeting, to the fifth of December.

EVEN at this period, minifters could not form a decifive opinion on the final event. The treaty with France was most advanced, but that crafty power held the ultimate decifion in her own hands. If really dif posed to make peace, fhe could influence Spain and Holland; if otherwife, fhe could throw on them the blame of continuing hoftilities. Mr. Fitzherbert fuc

ceeded,

CHA P. ceeded, however, by his ability and judgment, in obXLIV. taining from the American commiffioners the fignature of provisional articles P.

1782. 30th Nov. Provifional

America.

State of

parties. July.

DURING the recefs of parliament, the efforts of treaty with party were exerted with uncommon industry to interest the public in the cause of those who expected or poffeffed the direction of affairs. The curiofity to ascertain the precife caufes of the late furprising change in the cabinet, was only gratified by partial ftatements and general rumours. Mr. Fox declared in parliament, that he had fome time before the death of the marquis of Rockingham, refolved to refign, from an impoffibility of concurring in the opinions and fyftems of lord Shelburne; many complaints were made, though not fupported by fpecific allegations, of the predominating influence of that minifter's counfels, which drove his late colleagues from office; but neither the crimination nor the defence of the new cabinet afforded authentic infight into the motives of difunion. The kingdom was divided into three parties, who defended and attacked with equal zeal and acrimony. The acts of the late adminiftration were reviewed with afperity, not more by those who confidered their reforms too violent, than by those who had formed exaggerated hopes from their promises, and thought they had not fulfilled the expectations to which they had given birth. The fincerity of the miniftry in the negotiations for peace, was queftioned by both parties in oppofition, and the adherents of lord North feemed affured that the collifion of opinions, and expofition of the views

1

From correfpondence and private information. Mr. Coxe gives the following account of Mr. Fitzherbert's judicious conduct. "Mr. Fitzherbert, who was deputed to Paris in the room of Mr. Grenville, fulfilled his delicate office with great ability and addrefs: while he treated with Vergennes, he fucceeded in alarming Franklin, Adams, and Jay, the three American commiffioners, and prevailed on them to fign feparate and provifional articles, which fevered America from France." Coxe's Houfe of Auftria, vol. ii. p. 603.

See particulars of a conversation at the anniversary of Fox's election. Remembrancer, vol. xiv. p. 290.

of