The retreat of the allies through the Netherlands and Holland, had become unavoidable at the close of 1794. From the latter country, the stadtholder and his family made their escape in an open boat, and arrived in England. The whole country followed tile example of the Dutch capital in submitting to the French. departure of the duke of York for England, had, in the mean time, appeared as a signal, that the British des paired of preserving Holland. The shattered remains of our army, during a dreadful winter, retreated through Holland towards Bremen, which they reached in the month of March, after experiencing incredible hardships, and after having traversed, or rather fought their way across the provinces of Utrecht, Guelderland, Overys sel, and Groningen. The campaign of 1795 was, how ever, much less disastrous to the allies in other parts of the continent, than that of the preceding year. By a se vere defeat which the French sustained on the Rhine, they were driven to seek shelter under the walls of Man beim, and were obliged to raise the siege of Mentz. Both Jourdan and Piehegru were driven back from the Rhine ; the imperialists recovered the Palatinate ; Man helm was reconquered ; and at the end of the campaign, the Austrians had been so succesful as to form the pro ject of attacking Luxembourg.
The declaration of the Dutch republic, in favour of France, was thought to justify Britain in making repri sals. In the course of the summer, their valuable set tlement at the Cape of Good IIope, surrendered to Admiral Elphinstone.
In the month of June an unfortunate descent was made in the bay of Quiberou, by an army of some thou sand emigrants, who were debarked from a British squadron under sir J. Borlase Warren, and who, it was vainly hoped, would revive the spirit of royalty, so lately crushed in La Vendee. But their force was suddenly surprised by the republican forces of Ifoche. Their leaders, among whom were the venerable bishop of Dol, and the gallant and young count Sombreuil, were consigned to military execution ; and about 60,000 stand of arms, intended for the expected associates in the cause of royalty, fell into the enemy's hands.
The naval events of the year were not important. In I‘larch, an indecisive engagement took place between our fleet in the Mediterranean, under admiral Hotham, and the French, under admiral Richery, in which the enemy lost two ships of the line. In the month of June, admiral Cornwallis, with only five ships of the lint, maintained a running fight, for a whole day, with 13 sail of the enemy's line, without suffering them to gain any advantage. The same ships of the enemy fell in with lord Bridport's fleet, and were defeated off Port L'Orient, with the loss of three first rates. In the West Indies, the French recovered Fort Tiberon, in St Do mingo, and the islands of St Eustatia, and St Lucia.
The war, although supported by a powerful party in the country, was, by this time, become extremely un popular among'the lower community. A scarcity, at the same time, prevailed throughout the kingdom; and such was the state of the poor, that some wretched in dividuals had died of hunger. In this state of discon
tent, the multitude, while they demanded the real bless ings of peace, were also clamorous for the visionary blessings of annual parliaments, and universal suffrage ; and the associations formed for the latter objects, had grown exceedingly bold and licentious.* Parliament met on the 29th of October 1795, a clay remarkable for the disagreeable events attending it. His majesty was beset by a furious multitude, in passing from St James's : a stone was thrown into the state coach, and the inter position of the horse guards was necessary, to preserve his person from the insults of the mob. Ascribing this ebullition of popular fury to the inflammatory influence of the reforming associations, ministers introduced into parliament two bills, which struck at the meeting of the disaffected, and enlarged the treason law, and en acted severer punishments for sedition. The first of these bills, which passed the peers, at the instance of lord Grenville, the pains of death were attached, not merely to the actual conspiracy against the king, but to the guilt of speaking or publishing what might tend to produce rebellion. By the other bill, which Mr Pitt carried through the commons, a right was given to ma gistrates to disperse, at their pleasure, any meeting suspected of seditious objects. The term of three years was prescribed to the duration of these acts. The financial business of the session necessarily included the imposition of fresh taxes : the most important of these was one on legacies, and an addition of 10 per cent. to the already assessed taxes. One hundred and ten thousand seamen were voted for the year 1796, and two hundred and seven thousand men for the land ser vice. A loan was negotiated for 18 millions, and after wards for seven millions and a half.
The first declaration of a pacific disposition was now made by the British ministry, in the fourth year since the commencement of the war. The destruction of the Jacobins, and the return of a comparatively mild and humane system in France, had, for some time, taken away the difficulty of having no government, with whom we could treat. On the 8th of December 1795, a mes sage from his majesty announced to parliament his wil lingness to meet any negotiation on the part of the enemy ; and Mr Pitt, in consequence, obtained a vote of the commons, that Great Britain might now safely treat with France. It was objected, by his opponents, that this cold and general declaration was altogether in expressive of a real determination, that ministers would open a treaty. The minister, however, could pledge himself to no specific promise on the subject. A com mission was given to Mr Wickham, our agent at Basle, to sound Mr Bartholemi, respecting the willingness of the French government to come to terms ; but the de claration, on the part of France, that she never would concede Belgium, put an immediate termination to the affair.