stained from direct hostilities; but the uninterrupted career of success, that attended every where the arms of the republic, inclined the most prudent among the Swiss to act with more caution than they had hitherto done. The first of the cantons that acquiesced in the recognition of the republic, was that of Basle; nor was this canton prevailed upon to take that step, till the treaty between France and Prussia had been concluded: the lofty conduct of the French on that occasion had made a profound impression upon their neighbours. Their minister refused to sign his name in any instrument of negotiation, subsequently to the signature of any foreign minister: the consequence of which was, that each party signed separate papers, to be delivered by each other. this determined spirit shewed how they were disposed to act, it was judged advisable not to exasperate them by delays, which must end at last by yielding to the necessity of coming to terms with them. The Protestant cantons followed the example of Basle, in acknowledging the French republic; but the Romish cantons, instigated by their clergy and by the French emigrants, still continued averse to any accommodation; and, by the inveteracy of their conduct, laid the foundation of an enmity to them, of which the consequence proved fatal, at last, to all their countrymen. As Among the preceding treaties, that between France and Prussia was peculiarly beneficial, by fixing a line of neutrality, beyond which the belligerent powers were not to extend their operation, and by producing two other pacific treaties; the one was with the landgrave of Hesse Cassel, by which he agreed to furnish no more troops to serve against the republic; and the other with the king of Great Britain, as elector of Hanover, and by which he acceded to make the same con. ditions. These two treaties, which took piace about the close of August, left the French at liberty to pursue their plans in other parts, without fear of molestation on their frontiers to the North, and on the Lower Rhine. This was an advantage of the greatest importance, as they propo ed to direct their chief exertions against the countries situated on the Upper Rhine, and to open the next campaign by an invasion of the Austrian domi. nions in Italy. In addition to the foregoing treaties, one of alliance, offensive and defensive, was framed, in the course of the year, between France and the Seven United Provinces, now styled the Batavian republic. As these provinces were wholly in the hands of the French, their government was entirely at their dis. posal; and whatever they demanded was immediately complied with, as resistance or complaint would be vain. They now drew up a treaty, the articles of which were manifestly dictated by their own convenience, and completely calculated to render their Dutch allics subservient, in every respect, to the interests of France, which were alone and exclusively consulted throughout the whole tenour of this treaty. All the strong towns, that guarded the frontiers of the provinces, were, without exception, retained by the French, together with Dutch Flanders, and the chief islands in Zea. land. CHA P. VIII. Incorporation of the Austrian Netherlands with the French Republic.-An Object of Alarm to the Neighbouring Natims.-Debility of the French Marine.-Naval Exertions of France confined to Depredations on the British Trade.-Revolt under the Auspices and Conduct of Victor Hughes, of the French West-India Islands, that had been reduced by the English. -Superior Skill, Bravery, and Success, of the British Officers and Seamen. The Dutch Calmy at the Cape of Good Hope taken by the English. -Success of the French in Piratical Warfare.—Bold and musterly Retreat of Admiral Cornwallis.—Prosperous State of French Affairs on the Continent.-Interference of the French in the Government of the small State of Geneva.-This new-modelled after the Fashion of the French Republic.Insurrections.—Violence.—A Revolutionary Tribunal.-Intrigues of the French, for bringing the City of Geneva under Subjection to the French Republic.-The Influence of the New Principles of the French extends across the Atlantic-and excites dangerous Commations in America.-The Authority of Government maintained in the United States of America, by the Moderation, Prudence, and Vigour, of General Washington.-In. surrection of Emigrants from Ireland, and the Highlands of Scotland, in the Western Parts of Pennsylvania.-Quelled by the Approach of a great and irresistible Force under General Washington.—A Dispute between the American States and the Indians, on the Frontiers, supported by a Body of Canadians and British Colonists.-Settled by the spirited and judicious Conduct of General Wayne. BUT the transaction which occu pied the chief attention of Europe, was that famous decree which the convention passed a short space before its dissolution, and which it considered as a legacy left to the French nation, by those men who had founded its liberty, and preserved it, by their exertions, against the united powers of Europe. By that decree all the Austrian Ne therlands were formally incorporated with France, and a solemn admoni. tion given to consider them as constituent parts of the French repub. lic, never to be ceded, but retained at all events against all claims and pretences. This decree was universally viewed, by the political world, as a firebrand that would eventually kindle no less a confiagration than the celebrated decree of November, 1792, by which the convention had virtually invited the subjects of all princes to throw off their obedience. The Austrian Ne. therlands, if suffered to remain in the possession of France, would, in the perception of all discerning men, prove such an addition of territory, of population, of wealth, and of strength, to France, as would render it irresistible. Never, therefore, it was said, should the powers of Europe permit these countries to be annexed to France, whether it continued a republic, or resumed the form of a monarchy. Its neigh. bours especially, if they valued their independence, should think no cost too excessive in reducing France to its former limits. Unless this were done, not only the balance of Europe, but the national existence of every people around, would be continually exposed to the hostile en terprises of this ambitious and restless nation. The great victory obtained by lord Howe, on the 1st of June, 1794, had so completely ruined the marine of France, and extinguished all expectation of its being able, during a long time, to meet that of Great Britain in battle, that the French government abandoned all designs of this nature, and deter.. mined henceforth to confine its naval exertions to depredations on the British trade and navigation; a system to which the politics of France had constantly resorted, under the monarchy, after experiencing such disasters at sea, as had disabled her marine from encountering that of Britain in open fight. In this species of maritime warfare they proved more successful than the other. The list of captures, by the French, at the close of 1795, amounted, it has been reported, to more than two-thirds of their own losses: they had taken three thousand vessels, and had lost only eight hundred. How far such estimates may ascertain the respective da mages of either party, it may be difficult to decide, without a specific return of the tonnage and cargoes of the shipping thus taken. But the detriment to this country must certainly have been very considerable, adverting only to the number of seamen that must have fallen into the enemy's hands, and allowing the other damages to have been equally balanced. One material cause of debility, that befel the French marine, was the inexpertness of those multitudes that crowded their ships. The necessity of supplying without delay their armies on the frontiers, which were daily losing such numbers, compelled government to collect able-bodied men as soon as they could be procured, and wherever they could be found. Hence their shipping of all descriptions was stripped of sailors, who were sent to fight the battles of the republic at land. The French administration was severely censured for sacrificing their seamen, instead of the many others that might have been furnish. ed out of those classes that had little or no employment in the general scarcity of trade and business: but necessity and expedition was their plea, and appeared unanswerable during the dangerous crisis to which the republic continued reduced, while pressed on the frontiers by the numerous armies of the coalesced powers, Great complaints were made at the same time in England, that with a fleet superior in point of real strength, considering the skill of the officers and men, to that of all Ep. rope combined, still the transmarine possessions of France were able to resist the exertions of the naval strength of this country, and to maintain the contest in some of those parts on more than equal ground. The year 1794 had been marked by the successes obtained in the West [K3] Indies Indies by sir Charles Grey, and sir John Jervis. Martinico, St. Lucia, and Guadaloupe, had been taken from the French; but before the conclusion of the year, the last was recaptured; and early in the year ensuing, the French compelled St. Eustatius, the great magazine of all the Dutch islands, to surrender; and put it into so strong a posture of deience as to frustrate all expectations of retaking it without the greatest difficulty. Encouraged by these advantages, they formed a plan for the reduction of the other islands seized by the English in the preceding year. .The French forces were under the command of the noted. Victor Hughes, a man of a ferocious disposition, but uncommon activity and courage, and remarkable for his hatred of the English. He had been sent from France, as commissioner from the convention, with particular orders to execute the famous decree by which the negroes were to be declared free. He carried it accordingly into the fullest execution, and furnished with arms and uniforms all the blacks and mulattoes that were willing to enter into the French service. It was at the head of this desperate multitude, aided by three or four thousand regular troops, that he had retaken Guada loupe, and now projected to recover the other French islands. As a preparatory step to this undertaking, a secret correspondence was set on foot with the disaffected French inhabitants of those islands, and emissaries were sent among the negroes and people of colour to excite them against the English government. The result was, that, in the spring of this year, a concerted re. volt took place at the same time in all these islands. In that of St. Lucia it broke out so suddenly, and the insurgents were so numerous, that they overpowered the British garrison, most of which was obliged, after a gallant but in. effectual resistance, to retire into the fort. Collecting their scattered force, they attacked the principal post of the insurgents, and after a severe dispute, threw them into disorder. But they rallied, and after a second conflict, wherein the British forces were repulsed with great loss, the insurgents remained masters of the field, and the garrison retreated to the fort; and, after suf fering a three months blockade, evacuated the island. Grenada being a place of more importance than the former, the French commissioner dispatched a body of chosen men ; assisted by whom, the blacks, and their associates of all colours, furi ously attacked the British troops, and defeated them in several engagements. As soon, however, as these had been reinforced, they fell with so much vigour on the insurgents, that they drove them from the open country, and forced them to take shelter in the mountainous parts of the island. Here they were reduced to the greatest distress for provisions: though such was their obstinacy, that they refused to sur render, and chose rather to encoun ter all hardships, in those wretched but inaccessible fortresses, than return to their former subjection. The island of Dominica was attacked in like manner by a body of troops sent from Guadaloupe by the French commissioner, and who were joined by a multitude of negroes and many of the old French inhabitants. The number of British regulars was very small; but the British settlers themselves supplied that deficiency by |