These declarations were immediately followed by the dismission of Mr Pitt and Mr Legge from their respec tive employments. Mr I lenry Fox, after these changes. accepted of the seals. The administration was new mo delled in other respects; but, though led by the talents of Fox, it was still divided and unpopular. The first efforts of the cabinet were directed to ward off a blow which France threatened when the war commenced.
namely, the invasion of the island ; and in these their conduct neither gave confidence, nor gained popularity. Instead of adopting a broad and patriotic plan of defence, that of arming the people to defend themselves, they grasped on all hands for mercenary aid, and 10,000 Ha noverians were brought over to defend ten million of Englishmen. While the nation and ministry were thus fearfully watching the preparations at Dunkirk and Brest, a formidable fleet was equipped at Toulon, which at last sailed to attack Minorca. When its destination was notorious, a squadron of ten ships of the line was dispatched under Admiral Byng, with orders to relieve Minorca, or, at any rate, to throw a body of troops into the garrison. Byng, with a fleet which, though infe rior to the French, would yet have been led to battle, and probably to victory, by a spirited commander, had a partial engagement with, and suffered them to escape. He returned home without accomplishing the relief of Minorca, was brought to trial, and perished by the sen tence of a court-martial. By one half of the nation his fate was regarded as a terrible, but necessary example ; by the other half he was considered, as he styles him self; not without appearance of reason, a victim, des tined to divert the indignation and resentment of an injured and deluded people. Notwithstanding the sa crifice of this victim, the nation exhibited symptoms of the highest dissatisfaction at the conduct of the admi nistration, under whose guidance nothing but disaster had occurred. The Duke of Newcastle and Mr Fox, finding the tide of popularity set strongly against them, determined, by a timely resignation, to avoid a compul sive dismission. In November 1756, Mr Pitt was ap pointed principal secretary of state, and Mr Legge reinstated in his post of chancellor of the exchequer. Yet, with all the popularity of the principal characters of this ministry, it soon became impossible to conceal, that the higher parts of it were in a convulsive state of quarrel with its lower and baser ingredients,—the sub servient creatures of the court, who had been allowed to remain in it. The favourite project of the king, for
strengthening the army in Germany with large reinforce ments from England, was not agreeable to the patriotic ministers Pitt and Legge. His majesty, irritated by their opposition, at length resolved upon an effort to relieve himself from their cont•oul; and in April 1757, they were suddenly dismissed from their offices, the chancellorship of the exchequer being consigned, pro tempore, to the chief justice of England. Mr Fox again took the lead in affairs; but the alarm of the nation at the dismission of the popular ministers was lively and undisguised. Mr Fox, perceiving it impossible to stem the torrent, wisely consulted the monarch to yield to the wishes of the people. And in June Mr Pitt resumed the seals of secretary of state; Alr Legge and the Duke of Newcastle their former stations at the board of treasury ; Lord Anson was placed at the head of the admiralty ; and Mr Fox himself, acceding to the new order of things, was gratified with the lucrative office of paymaster-general of the army.
The recal of Alt. Pitt to the helm of affairs produced, in a few years, the most successful efforts of national vigour that ever were made ; but the tide of success did not immediately change. An ineffectual attempt was made upon Rochefort by a naval, land, and marine force, under Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordannt, in which the commanders had no other success than that of reducing the little island of Aix, after which they returned immediately to England. But the indignation of the country could attach no blame to the administra tion that planned this enterprize; the whole fell upon its immediate conductors. In Germany, affairs were not more lortunate. There, the Duke of Cumberland, at the head of 50,000 confederates, was opposed to the Mareschal d'Etrees, the French commander, whom he suffered to cross the Weser without disputing the pas sage, and before whose forces he ordered his own to retreat, before the battle of Ilastenback was irretrieva bly lost. Retreating after this engagement, the duke was enclosed between the German Sea, the Elbe, and the Weser; and in September was obliged, at Cloister Seven, to sign the disgraceful capitulation known by that name, by' which his Hessians, Hanoverians, and Brunswickers, to the number of 40,000, were obliged to disarm and disband.