CHAPTER XII. The Shelburne Administration - Pitt Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Dundas Treasurer of the Navy - Fox's Expla nation of His Conduct and Attack on His Former Colleagues - Reply of Pitt - Lord Shelburne's Defence in the Upper House Rodney Vanquishes the French Fleet under De Grasse - Naval Tactics - "Breaking the Line" — Termination of the Siege of Gibraltar - Independence of America Acknowledged - Peace with France, Spain, and Holland — Ignorance of Englishmen on American Affairs — The King's Distress at the Loss of the American Colonies - Weakness of the Government - Attempt to Conciliate Fox - Rivalry of Fox and Pitt-Coalition of Fox with Lord North - Debates in Parliament - Ministers Defeated - Resignation of Lord Shelburne. LORD SHELBURNE found but little difficulty in filling up the vacant places in the ranks of the ministry. Lord Grantham and Mr. Thomas Townshend, afterward Lord Sydney, succeeded Lord Shelburne and Fox as secretaries of state; Earl Temple was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the room of the Duke of Portland; Pitt, at the age of twenty-three, became chancellor of the exchequer, and the lord advocate, Henry Dundas, afterward Lord Melville, treasurer of the navy. Thus commenced, between the two latter eminent men, that long political partnership and private |