it wicked." Neison conceived that nothing more was essential to the tranquillity of Naples than the recovery of Rome; and this he effected by a small detachment of his fleet, under the able conduct of captains Trowbridge, Hallowel, and Louis. The French having no longer any hope in arms soon concluded a capitulation for all the Roman states; and Captain Louis, rowing up the Tiber in his barge, hoisted the British standard on the capitol, and acted for a time as governor of Rome.

While the arms of France were thus occupied in Germany and Italy, a favourable opportunity seemed to offer itself for the liberation of Holland. A treaty was effected with the Emperor Paul, by which 17,000 Russian troops were engaged to co-operate with 20,000 English troops in that country. Troops set sail from England in the month of August; and the fleet, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, after encountering much bad weather, came to anchor off the Helder, a point which commands the entrance of the Zuyder Zee. The troops were disembarked on the 27th, and on the next day took possession of Helder, the French and Dutch republicans having abandoned it in the night; and the Dutch fleet in the Texel surrendered to the British admiral without firing a shot. The main part of the army destined for this enterprise was still in England, and the Russian auxiliaries had not yet arrived. Before they received re-enforcements the invaders were attacked by about 12,000 men; but so strong was their position on the Zuyp, and so bravely was it defended, that the assailants were defeated, with the loss of nearly one thousand men. The Duke of York, with the main force from England, arrived on the day after this battle; and as the allied troops now Amounted to 35,000 men, his royal highness, who superseded Abercrombie in the chief command, ventured on active operations. The army advanced, on the 19th, in four columns. That on the extreme right, consisting chiefly of Russian troops, under General De Hermaun, made an unsuccessful attack upon Bergen. Abercrombie with a column penetrated to the city of Hoorn, which surrendered; and the two other columns under Generals Dundas and Pulteney, also forced their way through great difficulties, in a tract of country intersected with deep ditches and canals. The rash confidence of the Russians, however, soon exposed the whole army to such danger that it was compelled to retire to its original position. For some time, in consequence of tempestuous weather, the invading force was blocked up by inferior numbers; but on the 2nd of October the British army resumed the offensive, and commenced an attack on the enemy's whole line. A battle was fought at Egmont, which was favourable to the British; for, although it was indecisive, yet the retreat of the enemy in consequence gave them an opportunity of occupying several strong positions. The republican soldiers took up a strong post between Beverwyck and the Zuyder Zee; and the Duke of York resolved to attack them there, before their position could be strengthened by fresh works or re-enforcements. An action took place on the 6th of October, and it terminated so far in favour of the British and the allies, that they were left masters of the field; but the loss on both sides was very severe; and the enemy, who soon afterwards received a re-enforcement, maintained their position. The allied army, indeed, soon found itself in so critical a situation from the strength of the enemy, the severity of the weather, and the indifference of the party of the stadtholder, that the Duke of York suddenly issued an order for the troops to assemble; and they commenced a retreat toward Pelleu and Alkmaer. Before the troops could reembark, however, the Duke of York was compelled to conclude a convention, by which it was agreed that the English and Russians should be allowed to leave Holland without molestation, on condition that 8000 prisoners of war, French and Batavians, then detained ir England, should be released.

CAMPAIGN IN EGYPT.

It has been seen that Napoleon had entered Cairo, and that his fleet while there was annihilated in Aboukir Bay. In the month of February he quitted Cairo, with the intention of dispersing the Turkish forces that were collecting near the Syrian frontier, and then of conquering all Syria. Gaza and Jaffa were stormed; the man of destiny, as Napoleon styled himself in Egypt, swept everything before him until he came to the walls of Acre. This place, which is the key of Syria, was defended by the Pasha Djezzar; by Colonel Philippeaux, an emigrant royalist; and by Sir Sidney Smith, with some of his sailors and marines. It was in vain that Napoleon attempted to break through the crumbling walls of this ancient place: sixty days were spent before them, and seven or eight assaults made; but he was every time repulsed, and after losing three thousand men, he was compelled to raise the siege and return to Cairo. During his absence General Desaix had ascended the Nile, and had driven the remnant of the Mamelukes from Upper Egypt and beyond the cataracts of Assonau; and soon after his return he was called down to the coast, where Nelson had annihilated the French fleet, by the arrival of a Turkish army, amounting to 18,000 men. A terrible battle was fought on the 25th of July; but the French were victorious-10,000 Turks perished. Napoleon now began to make secret preparations for returning to France; and on the 23rd of August he embarked secretly in a frigate, leaving his army, which was reduced to 20,000 men, behind him.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONSULAR
GOVERNMENT IN FRANCE.

The return of Napoleon agitated all France and all Europe. The character of this bold soldier was, indeed, now well known, and none could tell what game fraught with blood he next might play. Suspicion was well founded: Napoleon had designs in view when he returned from Egypt which time alone could unfold. The fact is, when in Egypt, letters from his brothers Joseph and Lucien, and from some of his admiring friends, informed him that Italy was lost; that the French armies were everywhere defeated; that the directory were quarrelling among themselves; and that the people, sick of the present state of affairs, were ripe for another revolution. Here then was another field for the ambitious to play their part; and Napoleon resolved to return to it. He had arrived in Paris two days before the directory knew anything about it; and in the meantime he had been consulting with chiefs of parties and officers of the army as to what step should be taken. Talleyrand and the Abbé Sieyes gave his councils the benefit of all their abilities; and a plan of attack upon the constitution was soon agreed upon. The Council of Ancients were easily' persuaded that a new constitution was wanting; but the Council of Five Hundred vowed that they would die for that which they had already got. On the 9th of November it was agreed in the Council of Ancients that the assembly should adjourn to St. Cloud, and that Napoleon should put this into execution, being made supreme commander of all the force for that purpose. The sitting was then dissolved; and Napoleon instantly issued two proclamations, announcing his command, and inviting the army and national guard to aid him in restoring liberty, victory, and peace to France. In this state of affairs, Barras, Sieyes, and Ducos, three of the directory, resigned; Moulins and Gohier remained to support the present constitution. These, however, by the orders of Napoleon, were guarded in the Luxembourg, so that the directory was in point of fact dissolved. It remained now for the councils to form a new executive; and to this end they met at St. Cloud, surrounded by troops. The Council of Five Hundred swore fidelity to the constitution; and Nano

was dissolved on the 2nd of August, and with it the existence of the Irish parliament. On the subject of this union Dr. Miller remarks:-"The whole history of Ireland up to the union presents a series of events most curiously combined. Its early period, unhappy as it was, prepared that party of Roman Catholics which, in the struggles terminated by the English revolution, was opposed as an antagonist force t the Scottish Presbyterians, and thus assisted in effecting the adjustment of the English goverment. When this important function had been discharged, Ireland had to prepare itself for entering with advantage into the general incorporation of a united empire; the preceding period of its history, however beneficial in assisting to adjust the balance of the English constitution, having been inauspicious to the domestic interests of the country. Of that preparation it was a necessary condition that one of the two parties by which it was distracted should suffer a temporary depression, so entire that the other should not be embarrassed or obstructed in its efforts to obtain national independence. The prosperity, however, thus acquired extended its influence even to the party by whose depression it had been obtained; and the Roman Catholics, participating in the advantages of Protestants, rose again to a political importance, in which they were opposed to the ascendancy of the prevailing party. A short struggle of rebellion, the natural result of an ungoverned desire of independence among a portion of the Protestants, aided by the ancient disaffection of the adverse party, brought the country into a situation in which the minister was able to consolidate the empire by the union of Ireland." It was hoped that this great measure would have the effect of conciliating the Irish Catholics; but experience has proved that they are still dissatisfied with the rule of England. It is evident, in fact, that ages will elapse before the Irish consider themselves to be "one and indivisible" with the English-before they are satisfied with the sway of the house of Brunswick.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. Parliament was prorogued on the 29th of July. His majesty's speech expressed peculiar satisfaction at the effecting of an entire union between England and Ireland, he being persuaded that it would tend to their mutual interests. There were other less cheerful notes in the royal speech; for the campaign of this year, which had been commenced with success, had by a sudden reverse ended in defeat.

CAMPAIGN IN ITALY.

It has been seen that the Russian troops had plucked the laurels which the French had gained in Italy from their brows. Thus situated the French government sent Massena across the Alps, together with generals Soult, Oudinot, and Brune, to refix the national banners on the banks of the Po. Their efforts were vain ; Massena was finally driven by the Austrians within the ramparts of Genoa. Assisted by a British squadron the Austrians formed the siege of Genoa; and Massena had in a little time no other alternative but to force his way through the enemy or to surrender. In this emergency Soult attempted to open the blockade, and leading on his division he attacked their fortified post of Monte Creto, and penetrated into the enemy's camp. But his career was checked. Recovering from their surprise, the Austrians met the French with firmness, and they were put to flight. Massena was obliged to capitulate, and Genoa was evacuated. But here the success of the allied armies was checked. Giving the command of the Rhine to Moreau, Napoleon assumed the direction of the army of Italy. A battle was fought in the plain of Maren, which annihilated the fruit of all the Austrian victories in the preceding campaign, and put

Italy again under the power of France. Melas saw himself forced, by the hopelessness of his position, to the proposal of an armistice as the only means of deliverance; and it was granted upon these conditions:-that the Austrians should retreat beyond the Mincio; and that Genoa, Tortona, Alessandria, Turin, Arona, Coni, Ceva, Savona, Milan, and several other cities, with all Piedmont and Liguria, and nearly all Cis. alpinia should be given up to the French government. The star of Napoleon shone more brilliant than ever; and leaving the Italian army under Massena, he returned to Paris to reap the fruit of his conquest. In the meantime the Austrians had been likewiso defeated in Germany. On the 25th of April Moreau crossed the Rhine upon six points; and in several battles at Enger, Stockach, and Moesskirch, defeated Field-marshal Kray, who was now at the head of the Austrian troops. Kray was compelled to retreat before him; and Moreau finally occupied a large part of Bavaria as well as Munich. Lecourbe also drove the Austrians from the Grisons and entered the Tyrol ; while on the left another army of French and Batavians were preparing to penetrate into Franconia and Bohemia. The court of Vienna now sued for an armistice, which was granted; and on the 28th of July preliminaries of peace, on the basis of that of Campo Formio, were signed at Paris. The world now expected peace. The emperor, however, having received his subsidy from England, and concluded a new treaty with that power, again unsheathed his sword. He declared the truce at an end; and both sides prepared again for the strife. The emperor putting himself at the head of his army, endeavoured to rouse the whole force of Germany; but the north was kept inactive by the neutrality of Prussia, and other princes were overawed by the invaders. Another armistice was purchased by him for the short space of forty-five days, by the delivery of Philipsburg, Ulm, and Ingoldstadt; and when this period expired, late as the season was, both parties took the field. The contest was soon decided. On the 2nd of December a battle was fought at Hohenlinden, between the rivers Iser and Inn, in which the Austrians, under Archduke John, were utterly defeated. Moreau advancing occupied Saltzburg; and the road to Vienna was not only open to his army, but also to the armies of Brune and Macdonald. In this emergency the Emperor Francis was compelled to sue for a separate peace, and the British government obliged to release him from the terms of his alliance. A treaty was signed in the ensuing February, which ratified all the conditions of the treaty of Campo Formio, and included several new articles of an humiliating nature to the house of Austria. Tuscany was taken away from the Grand Duke Ferdinand and bestowed upon Louis, son of the Duke of Parma; and the emperor again acknowledged the independence of the Cisalpine and Ligurian republics, renouncing all right or pretension to any of those Italian territories. A new and extended frontier also was drawn for the Cisalpines, the line of the Adige being taken from where that river issues from the Tyrol down to its mouth on the Adriatic. Piedmont was for the present left to the King of Sardinia; and shortly after this monarch, through the mediation of the Czar Paul, obtained a peace, agreeing on his part to close his ports against the English, withdraw some troops sent into the Roman states, and to give up the principality of Piombino, with some other detached territories on the Tuscan coast. Through the same mediation Italy was treated by Napoleon with leniency; and Pope Pius VII., recently elected to the Pontificate, was allowed to retain the reins of government.

CAPTURE OF MALTA.

During this year the island of Malta, which had been blockaded for more than two years, was surrendered

to Major-general Pigot. The French troops who had defended it were permitted to return to France, on condition of not serving till regularly exchanged. This was a great prize, for Malta is the citadel of the Mediterranean, as Gibralter is its key: from this time it became a pillar of the British throne.

NAVAL OPERATIONS.

The naval operations of England this year were various, though no very important results accrued therefrom. The small island of Goree on the western coast of Africa surrendered to Sir Charles Hamilton; and the British captured the Dutch island of Curaçoa. A squadron was sent under Sir Edward Pellew to the peninsula of Quiberon; but all that was done was to destroy some brigs, sloops, gun-boats, and a few trading vessels. This armament proceeded to the coast of Spain to destroy the arsenal and the shipping at Ferrol; but it was attended with the same ill-success. The land forces accompanying it under Sir James Pulteney then joined to those of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who, with the Mediterranean fleet under Lord Keith, was to make an attack upon Cadiz, and to capture or destroy the Spanish fleet. But this enterprise was given up as impracticable; and soon after General Pulteney was sent to Lisbon for the defence of Portugal, now threatened by Spain; and General Abercrombie received information that his troops were to be employed in Egypt. The year, however, was now far spent, and it was the middle of December before the armament arrived as far as Malta.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

In the midst of these foreign reverses-for such many of the events may be termed the scarcity of grain still continued in England. The national spirit was greatly depressed by these circumstances, and notwithstanding the hand of charity was active in the alleviation of distress, several riots took place throughout the kingdom. London was much agitated: but the Lord Mayor, Mr. Combe, by the aid of volunteers, succeeded in repressing the commotion without bloodshed. In order to obtain relief, the city of London and other places petitioned the King to convene parliament; and it assembled in the month of October, and passed in rapid succession a number of acts, granting bounties on the importation of foreign corn, enjoining the baking of mixed and inferior flour, &c. The distillation of spirits from grain was also suspended. But the hand of private charity did more good than all this legislation: it was opened wide, and the sufferings of the poor were thereby greatly alleviated.

MOTIONS FOR PEACE, ETC.

On the 1st of December, after sundry attacks on the foreign policy of the ministers, Sheridan moved for an address to his Majesty, praying him to enter into a separate negociation with France, for a speedy and honourable peace. This was negatived; and on the 4th of December, Mr. T. Jones moved another address, imploring his Majesty to dismiss his present ministers; but this was likewise rejected. The supplies voted were for three lunar months only; 120,000 men were granted for the service of the navy, from the 1st of January to the 1st of April, 1801. The king closed the session of parliament on the last day of the year. His majesty said that the time fixed for the commencement of the union of Great Britain and Ireland necessarily terminated their proceedings, and that the IMTERIAL PARLIAMENT as the united parliament was to be denominated-was appointed to meet on the 22nd of January, 1801. Before he retired, his majesty ordered the chancellor to read a proclamation, declaring that the individuals who composed the

expiring parliament, should be members on the part of Great Britain, of the New or IMPERIAL PARLIA MENT.

CHAPTER XXV.

Commencement of the Union with Ireland-Meeting of ParliamentResignation of Mr. Pitt, &c.-The New Ministry--Motion for an Inquiry into the State of the Nation-Parliamentary Measures--War with the Northern Powers-Dissolution of the Northern Confederacy -Expedition to Egypt-Affairs on the Continent-Naval Operations Treaty of Amiens-Meeting of Parliament-Parliamentary Measures Preparations for Hostility- -Meeting of the New Parliament Trial of Colonel Despard- -Parliamentary ProceedingsAct to Relieve Catholics, &c.-War Proclaimed with France-The Causes for the renewal of War with France-War with HollandMilitia Bill, &c.-Financial Measures-Prorogation of ParliamentInsurrection in Ireland-Letter of the Prince of Wales- -Movements of the French-Naval Conquests-East India Affairs-Meeting of Parliament.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNION WITH IRELAND.

A.D. 1801.

On the 1st of January a royal proclama

tion was issued, concerning the style and titles appertaining to the imperial crown of Great Britain and Ireland; and also to the ensigns, armorial flags, and banners thereof. The regal title was thus expressed: -" George the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith." The great seal was made in conformity with the alterations made in the titles and arms. In the new heraldic arrangement the fleur de lis was omitted, and the title of the King of France wisely expunged. The arms or ensigns armorial were ordered to be quarterly :-first and fourth England, second Scotland, third Ireland. In honour of the union, many new titles were conferred on the Irish nobility, and several of them were created peers of the United Kingdom.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

The first imperial parliament was opened by commission on the 22nd of January. The king did not meet his parliament till the 2nd of February, when, in his speech from the throne, after adverting to the happy accomplishment of the union, and to the adverse course of events on the continent, he announced a fresh storm in the north. The court of Petersburgh, he said, had proceeded to commit outrages against the ships, property, and persons of his subjects; and a convention had been concluded by that court with those of Copenhagen and Stockholm, by which they were engaged to re-establish a new code of maritime law, inconsistent with the rights and hostile to the best interests of the country. His majesty stated that he had taken the earliest measures to repel the aggressions of this confederacy, and he called upon both houses of parliament to afford him the aid required in the emergency. The debates which ensued were of an interesting character. In both houses opposition recommended conciliatory measures; and some even proposed the suspension of the right of search we claimed at sea, or a tacit assent to the principles of the armed neutrality, on the ground that terrible consequences would attend the closing of the corn-ports on the Baltic in this season of scarcity. In the upper house an amendment to the address was moved by Earl Fitzwilliam; but on a division the address was carried. Mr. Grey was the chief opposer of the address in the commons; he likewise moved an amendment; but the address was there carried by a majority of one hundred and eighty-two. Preparations were, therefore, now made for sending the British fleet into the Baltic; and this, it will be seen, together with the death of the Czar Paul, soon put an end to this coalition.