execution of their project for universal empire. With this project, it is sufficiently known, successive generations had burned ; and the republican form of government, by the popular enthusiasm attached to it, tended pre-eminently to its success. While, in a state of peace, they plausibly represented themselves as concerned only in the reformation of their internal concerns, principles at war with all the other political institutions of Europe became diffused with a facility that threatened to revolutionize the world.—And the force of opinion was rapidly about to effect that which had in vain been attempted by the utmost force of arms.

Against this mighty and reactive power the energies of Great Britain were speedily directed by her minister, and by land and sea produced results that may alone immortalize the British name.

If the just claims of the Navy seem to appropriate exclusively the glorious tributes due to the earlier periods of the war, tributes in which none joined more ardently

than those senators connected with the land Army, it will be in course explained by the fact that it had not then entered into the plan of administration to keep a large native military force in the field.* Had this been the case, the illustrious minister who first wielded the power of the country, would not have lived to see successive coalitions destroyed by the failure of subsidiary armies, nor died too soon to witness the glorious completion of the vast enterprize he had undertaken.

The troops, were however greatly employed at the same time, not merely on the Continent and in conjunct expeditions, but as marines on board the ships of war; and thus shared the toils and triumphs of the Navy.

NAVAL VICTORY OF LORD HOWE, 1st JUNE, 1794.

IT is sufficiently known that although hostilities had previously commenced between Germany and France, it was not till the death of the French Monarch in 1793, that Great Britain commenced operations, nor till the ensuing year, that an opportunity for triumph' occurred.

This occasion was the justly celebrated First of June, when a veteran on the verge of man's ordinary term of existence, who after a retirement of twenty two years had last relieved Gibraltar, in defiance of a combined French and Spanish fleet of forty six sail of the line, had again appeared, and under many disadvantages vindicated the honor of the British flag in a manner to astonish the world.

It is to be lamented that in consequence

This term must be taken in its great sense, since the French Colonies had been previously captured, though they had not yet produced the thanks of Parliament.

of the promptitude with which so glorious and particular an occasion naturally elicited the proud rewards about to be recorded, the advantage of a personal address is lost, and the common form of motion supplies its place. In this instance however, it will be permitted us, from the accounts of the venerable commander, and also from the enemy, to supply this defect in a material degree.

The occasion on which Lord Howe was directed to cruize off Brest, would appear to have been chiefly for the purpose of intercepting a great fleet from America, bearing supplies for the French Republic, without which it seemed impossible for it to maintain itself, and which in consequence was protected by ships of war.

The result was terrible, though from some circumstance not so completely destructive as might have been expected-six French ships were taken, a seventh sunk, and the

'The thanks of Parliament, as well as other testimonies, were announced to Lord Howe, within a fortnight after the action.

remainder of twenty-nine dispersed, chiefly in a shattered condition.

Of the character of the conflict it is a singular testimony that of the Vengeur of 74 guns which sunk, every soul on board determinately perished, after having dressed out their ship on all sides with the flags and streamers bearing the national colours, and exclaiming in death the usual wishes for their country.

In such a contest it can scarcely be less remarkable also that the youngest daughter of the conqueror, then Countess of Altamont, accidentally passed through the French fleet, in an interval of the action, with her lord, on their way from Lisbon to England.

On the thirteenth of June 1794, in the House of Peers, it was moved by the Right Honourable the Baron Grenville, and on the following day by the Minister in the Commons.

"That the thanks of the House be transmitted to Admiral Earl Howe, and the other