men were impressed into a service for which they were totally unqualified, and against a nation with whom they had no reasonable ground of quarrel. However, these murmurs were sileneed by the well-timed remonstrances of the ministry, though the majority bore with secret indignation an ignominious yoke, which had been imposed upon them by their dismayed and irresolute governors. A. D. 1797. No sooner had the vanquished fleet retired to Cadiz than it was followed thither by the victors, who blocked it up so completely that not one of the Spanish ships in that capacious harbour durst venture out beyond the batteries which had been erected for their defence. Emboldened by this circumstance, and eager to achieve something of importance, the British admiral resolved to attempt a bombardment of the city of Cadiz, and commodore Nelson conducted this hazardous enterprise with extraordinary spirit and dexterity. But owing to the bad condition of the mortar piece, employed on this occasion, the project was partly frustrated. The conflict, however, was extremly obstinate, and both sides behaved with becoming intrepidity. Don Miguel Tyrasom, the commanding officer of the Spaniards, attacked the commodore with astonishing resolution, and positively refused to yield till eighteen of his men were killed, and the remaining nine with himself were desperately wounded. A second bombardment was attended with greater effect, insomuch, that ten of the largest men of war were obliged to quit their stations, and the inhabitants of the town began to provide for their safety by a precipitate flight. flight. But the third attempt was prevented by a strong wind which blew directly out of the harbour, and obstructed the approach of the enemy's shipping: and a subsequent attack on the town of Santa Cruz, in the island of Te neriffe, proved extremely unfortunate to the assailants. A. D. 1799. In consequence of a convention between his Britannic majesty and the emperor of Russia, the latter declared war against Spain, on the twenty-sixth of July, and his catholic majesty published an answer in very spirited language; but no exertions of importance seem to have been made by either of the nations. About this time Don Joseph de Boligni, the Spanish chargé d'Affaires at Constantinople, received an order to quit the dominions of the Sublime Porte within fourteen days. A. D. On the fifth of October a British fleet, from the Mediterranean, consisting 1800. of twenty-two sail of the line, twentyseven frigates, and ten smaller armed vessels, with eighty-four transports, appeared off Cadiz, where an epidemic distemper then raged with great violence. The governor, Don Thomas de Morla, immediately sent a letter to the English admiral, in which he pathetically described the distress of the inhabitants, and intimated an expectation that so humane an enemy as the English would not attempt to increase the public consternation by making an attack upon the town. To this letter lord Keith replied, that as the ships in that port were to be employed in augmenting the naval force of the French republic, and, consequently, of prolonging the calamities calamities of Europe, an attack was only to be averted by the surrender of those vessels. As this message was received with the utmost indigna, tion, Sir Ralph Abercomby, the British general, began to make arrangements for a descent: but, on consideration of the strength of the fortifications and the extreme danger of infection, this design was laid aside. A. D. In the spring of this year, the court of Madrid, in obedience to the command 1801. of their new allies, declared war against Portugal; and formidable preparations were made on the part of each nation: yet it was sufficiently obvious that both were averse to hostile measures. However it was absolutely necessary that some exertions should be made to satisfy the French republic. Accordingly a Spanish army, consisting of near forty thousand men, entered Alentejo from different points, and, in a short campaign, reduced all the important fortresses and magazines in that province: but his catholic majesty embraced the earliest opportunity of terminating this unpleasant business, and a pacification was signed with Portugal two days before the signing of the preliminaries of peace between France and Great Britain. 9 MR 52 END OF THE FIFTEENTH VOLUME, OR THE 3. Gillet, Printer, Salidbury Square. |
