CHAP. XXI. 1779. CHAPTER XXI. GEORGE III. (CONTINUED.)-1779. Proceedings of parliament-Attacks on lord Sandwich-Motion respecting contractors-Motion for the removal of lord Sandwich-Investigation respecting the conduct of general and lord Howe, involving the conduct of ministers-Consideration of general Burgoyne's conduct-Riots in Scotland from apprehension of relief to papists-Lord Nugent's motion regarding the trade of Ireland-Relief defeated-Resolution of the Irish merchants-Armed associations in that country, and effects of them -Notice taken of them in the house of lords-Departure of the Spanish ambassador, &c.-Junction of French and Spanish fleets-Motions, &c. in parliament-Bill for the impressment of seamen-French and English fleets in the channel-Termination of the session-Supplies, &c.-Affairs in the West Indies-Loss of St. Vincent's and Grenada-Tobago saved-Naval actionD'Estaing's bad conduct-Seat of war transferred to the southern states-Operations in Georgia-D'Estaing arrives off the coast -Ineffectual attempt to reduce Savannah-D'Estaing returns to France-British incursions against Virginia-Capture of Stony Point and Verplanks-Fortification of West PointCommand given to Arnold-Expedition against ConnecticutStony Point re-taken by general Wayne, but deserted at the approach of the British-British garrison surprised at Paulus Hook -American disaster at Penobscot-Sir George Collier resigns the naval command-Washington's policy-American retaliation on the Indians-Spain attacks West Florida and the British settlements on the Mississippi-She next attacks the logwood cutters in the bay of Honduras-Capture of Omoa by the British— Action between Paul Jones and captain Pierson-Memorial to the States-General-Rodney appointed to the command of the fleet in the West Indies-Prince William Henry sails as a midshipman-Action of admiral Kempenfeldt-State of British government-Meeting of parliament-Changes in administration -Irish affairs. We must now return to the proceedings of parliament. ProceedMr. Fox followed up the acquittal of his friend admiral of par ings liament. XXI. 1779. CHAP. Keppel by a motion of censure on lord Sandwich, intended as the prelude to another, for his removal from office: the alleged reason for this was the inadequacy of the force furnished in the first instance to the British admiral, when ministers knew, or ought to have known, the superiority of the French fleet. It was answered, that no evidence existed of the fact charged against them; for it appeared from the papers of la Licorne that the stated number of ships was in preparation, not actually equipped or ready for sea; as a proof of which, the French did not leave their harbor till a fortnight after the capture of that frigate: the motion was rejected by 204 to 170; a smaller difference than had yet occurred on any question regarding the war. Mr. Fox made a second attack on the whole of lord Sandwich's administration, in which he was supported by admirals lord Howe and Keppel; but the motion of censure was rejected by 246 to 174. Great dissentions were at this time prevalent in the navy, and serious apprehensions entertained of their consequences: a declaration of admiral Keppel, on the last motion of Mr. Fox, that he would not accept any command under the present ministry, tended to increase the flame; several distinguished officers quitted the service, or declared they could not act under the existing system; the political parties reciprocally accused each other of raising this spirit of discord, which remained till the gallant Rodney took the command: for a time, it impeded even his exertions in the country's service, and snatched the laurels of victory from his brow; but it was finally subdued by his powerful mind. In the month of February, sir Philip Jennings Clerk, encouraged by partial success on a former occasion, made another attempt to disqualify contractors from sitting in the house of commons; but he soon found that a change of opinion had taken place; for his motion was rejected by a majority of 205 to 124. On the tenth of March, Mr. F. Montague proposed a bill for granting farther relief to protestant dissnting ministers and schoolmasters; which, though opposed by the high church party, was strongly supported by others, on views of political expediency, and carried through both houses. The chief business of this session seemed to consist in the discussion of executive conduct admiral Pigot now made the motion relating to his brother, which has been already noticed; and on the nineteenth of April, Mr. Fox moved an address to the king for the dismissal of lord Sandwich from his service, on account of misconduct in office. Mr. Fox, with considerable ingenuity, endeavored to show the difference between his previous motion for censure and the present for removal: the former was based on judicial inquiries; while the latter involved a deliberate question of expediency: a motion for censure required the specification and certainty of offences imputed; that for dismissal from employment might be adopted if the business of the employer could be performed better by another. The whole of the subject lay within a short compass-is lord Sandwich equal to the performance of his official duties with safety and honor to the nation? has he hitherto shown this? what reason is there for supposing, that he who has failed in his past duties will act more ably for the future? His lordship's defence was chiefly undertaken by lord Mulgrave, who convinced the house that the first lord of the admiralty deserved praise rather than blame; for when he was raised to his present post, there was not a year's timber in any of the yards; the arsenals were destitute of stores; and the whole navy was in a decaying state: by his activity and sagacity he had broken up an injurious mercantile combination; each yard now contained timber for the consumption of three years; the arsenals were full of stores; and the navy in a very florishing state: the motion therefore was negatived. A similar effort for his removal was made in the upper house by lord Bristol, who argued that the naval service was neglected in all its departments, and vast sums shamefully squandered, without any CHAP. XXI. 1779. XXI. CHAP. adequate provision for national defence: the navy had rapidly decayed since the time of lord Hawke, though its expenses had enormously increased. 1779. Investigation of Lord Sandwich in reply observed, that he was only jointly responsible for the employment of the navy, which was settled in the cabinet, and sanctioned by the king: he was answerable only for the use or abuse of the means placed peculiarly in his hands. He justified the increase of expense by the increased magnitude of the ships employed, and accounted for temporary wants by the fires which had occurred in the dock-yards the stores were nearly six times as large as during the administration of his predecessor; at which time ships were built of green timber, and were soon unfit for service; whereas now they were formed of the best materials, and well equipped. The motion was rejected by seventy-eight against thirtythree; with a short protest signed by twenty-five peers, and a longer by the earl of Bristol. : Invectives however still continued against the administration of the navy, and the character of the first lord: in the upper house the duke of Richmond made several motions, and examined several witnesses, reflecting on his lordship's personal character regarding the management of Greenwich-hospital; but, as it has been observed, parliamentary inquiries into the conduct of ministers had now become mere matters of form: the grossest neglect and mistakes were glossed over by plausibility, and the best-founded charges evaded by round assertions.1 Considerable censure having been cast on general general and Howe, both he and his noble brother took advantage ford Howe. of a committee of the house on the American war, to urge an inquiry into their conduct, as the surest means of vindicating their character: lord North replied, that as government had advanced no charge against them, no inquiry for the purpose of vindication was necessary; but though he did not approve, he Lord North's Administration, p. 348. With regard to Greenwich-hospital, very little attention seems to have been paid to the comfort of its inmates until Rodney was made governor -See his Life, vol. i. p. 102-104. XXI. 1779. would not oppose it; and readily assented to the CHAP. production of papers: in these was included the whole correspondence between ministers and commanders in America, from 1775 to 1778; also documents tending to show the state of the army at different periods, with the actual movements and operations, as well as the different plans of action. Ministers, apprehending that their own counsels, and not the conduct of commanders, was the real object of scrutiny, now proposed that the examination of witnesses should be confined to military affairs; and on the sixth of May, lord Cornwallis, general Grey, sir A. S. Hammond, major Montresor, chief engineer, and sir G. Osborne were examined. The result of their evidence was, that the force sent out to the colonies was at no time equal to their subjugation; that the grand difficulty arose from a general hostility in the people to the British government, and the natural obstructions of the country: their accounts of particular actions tended to justify the conduct of the general, who also endeavored to prove that he had uniformly stated to the secretary for America the utter impossibility of reducing that country without a larger force; that he had accompanied his proposed plan for the campaign of 1777 with a request for 20,000, or at least 15,000 additional troops, as indispensable; but that the minister had uniformly overrated the number of loyalists, and had not senta fifth part of the reinforcement required: concerning the northern expedition, no concert had been proposed between him and general Burgoyne; nor did he suppose that any co-operation was expected from him, until a letter from the secretary, which reached him in the Chesapeak, expressed a hope that he might be able to assist. Ministers, under these charges, determined to call witnesses for the vindication of their own conduct; the principal of whom were major-general Robertson, deputy-governor of New York, and Mr. Joseph Galloway, an American lawyer, who, after having been a member of the first congress, had joined the British |