difcipline, the judgement, and glory of fir John Jervis for glory, I maintain, fir, does not always confift in fuccefs--what would they have faid, if, in defiance of all thofe fuperior abilities for which the character of the British officers and feamen are fo eminently confpicuous, the reverse of the pleafing picture of this brilliant victory had this night been held up to us, and we had been told that fir John Jervis had been defeated, in confequence of, the immenfe fuperiority of numbers in the fleet which the enemy brought into action against us? I have no doubt, fir, but the voice of the country at large would undoubtedly and inevitably have called loudly and univerfally for an impeachment of the firft lord of the admiralty. I think, fir, that this houfe would, in fuch a cafe, have been pretty ready to join the voice of the people, and to fecond them in fo neceflary a measure. The unparalleled fuccefs which has attended the skill and bravery of our fleet, by no means alter the state of the question. It was the duty of the firft lord of the admiralty, and of his majefty's minifters in general, to have taken care that our fleet should bear fome degree of proportion to that of the enemy; and, therefore, it evidently appears, that the inferiority being fo very great, it is high time an inquiry into the conduct of minifters fhould immediately take place, I hope, fir, the time is not far diftant, nay, I flatter myself it is very near, indeed, when this house will think it neceflary to go feriously and actively into an extenfive and deep inquiry into the nation at large.. Such an inquiry has long been wanted. The very momentous in-. formation which has been laid be

portion of two to one. While, therefore, we view the fplendour of this victory with every degree of admiration, and joyful exultation it fo eminently deferves, it becomes us ferionfly to confider, whether the circumftance alone does not loudly call on us to inftitute an inquiry into the conduct of the first lord of the admiralty, for his neglect of reinforcing the fquadron which was in a fervice fo diftant as that of the Mediterranean, when he knew that the Spaniards added to the lift of our naval adverfarics. In my opinion, in the fame degree of proportion in which we praife and admire the glorious victory which fir John Jervis has obtained a victory, the confequences of which must be fo valuable and important to the first interests of this country; in an equal degree ought we to affix blame and culpability for fo grols and glaring a neglect as that of leaving him with fuch a prodigious inferiority of force. We are told, fir, by the right honourable fecretary of flate, in the detail which he has juft given the houfe of this fortunate and gallant atchievement, that with fifteen fhips fir John Jervis has defeated a fleet of the Spaniards, which confifted of twenty-feven line of battle fhips, of which he has taken four. Fortunate and glorious as this action has proved, to the reputation of the British navy, and thofe who command and conduct it, we cannot help calling to mind how dreadful it would have been the reverfe of the fate of that memorable day, had victory declared itfelf in favour of the enemy. What, fir, at this moment must have been the fenfations of the people of this Country? What would they have faid, if, in fpite of the bravery, the

fore

Our

fore the house, and which has engaged their most ferious and deliberate, as well as anxious confideration, fince Monday laft, fhews, beyond a poffibility of doubt, the inevitable neceffity of inquiry, upon the broadeft and most efficacious bafis." Mr. Whitbread proceeded 10 notice the melancholy change that had taken place in the afpect of public affairs in the space of one week: public credit fhaken to its foundation. The mifmanagement, he faid, of his majefty's minifters, had become notorious to every beholder, and the cry of inquiry into their conduct was not now confined to the members of oppofition in that houfe alone, but was echoed back upon them from every corner of the kingdom. Having touched on the expences of the war, and the numerous captures of merchant fhips, though we had a fleet of more than five hundred fhips of war, of various denominations, he came to speak of that particular neglect and mifconduct, which more immediately gave rife to the prefent motion. The first intimation, on authority, he faid, which that houfe received relative to the intention of the enemy to invade this country, was conveyed by his majesty's fpeech on the opening of the prefent feffion of parliament. Information had been received, through various channels, that Ireland was one object of the meditated attack. Yet it appeared from a letter from general Dalrymple, that, instead of any effectual means having been previously taken for an efficient defence, every thing remained to be done, even after the appearance of the enemy in Bantry-Bay in which part of the country there was not any thing

like an adequate force for her defence: not more, if fo many, as three thoufand regular troops, to oppofe to the whole force of the French. The city of Cork was, therefore, in danger of falling into their hands, with all its ftores and provifions: to the amount of nearly, if not quite, a million and a half. Mr. Whitbread, after thefe and other obfervations, went through a regular ftatement of the numbers of the French fleet, and thofe of our own, from the time of the enemy quitting the harbour of Breft, and a fhort time before. On the twenty-first, the enemy caft anchor in Bantry-Bay; fo that they were at fea, and on the coaft of Ireland, from the eighteenth of December, to the fixth of January. On the twentieth of December, news arrived in England, that the French fleet had quitted Breft. From the twenty-third to the twen ty-fifth, the wind was favourable for the fquadron, under the command of lord Bridport, to have failed. It continued fair on the twenty-fixth and twenty-feventh, after which it came a-head, and the fleet could not fail for fome days. On the thirty-first, intelligence came to this country, that the French fleet was off the coaft of Ireland; and, on the fame day, exactly, admiral Colpoys, with the fleet under his command, arrived at Portfmouth. The reafons given for his return, with this fquadron, are various and contradictory. One was, that his force was not fufficient to encounter thofe of the enemy. If that was a true reafon, it furnifies an additional caufe of inquiry into the conduct of minifters, and of the firft lord of the admiralty in particular. What, when they had received information

portion of two to one. While, therefore, we view the fplendour of this victory with every degree of admiration, and joyful exultation it fo eminently deferves, it becomes us ferioufly to confider, whether the circumftance alone does not, loudly call on us to inftitute an inquiry into the conduct of the firft lord of the admiralty, for his neglect of reinforcing the fquadron which was in a fervice fo diftant as that of the Mediterranean, when he knew that the Spaniards added to the lift of our naval adverfarics. In my opinion, in the fame degree of proportion in which we praife and admire the glorious victory which fir John Jervis has obtained-a victory, the confequences of which must be fo valuable and important to the first interests of this country; in an equal degree ought we to affix blame and culpability for fo grofs and glaring a neglect as that of leaving him with fuch a prodigious inferiority of force. We are told, fir, by the right honourable fecretary of ftate, in the detail which he has juft given the houfe of this fortunate and gallant atchievement, that with fifteen fhips fir John Jervis has defeated a fleet of the Spaniards, which confifted of twenty-feven line of battle ships, of which he has taken four. Fortunate and glorious as this action has proved, to the reputation of the British navy, and thofe who command and conduct it, we cannot help calling to mind how dreadful it would have been the reverse of the fate of that memorable day, had victory declared itfelf in favour of the enemy. What, fir, at this moment must have been the fenfations of the people of this Country? What would they have faid, if, in spite of the bravery, the

difcipline, the judgement, and glory of fir John Jervis-for glory, I maintain, fir, does not always confift in fuccefs--what would they have faid, if, in defiance of all thofe fuperior abilities for which the character of the British officers and feamen are fo eminently confpicuous, the reverse of the pleafing picture of this brilliant victory had this night been held up to us, and we had been told that fir John Jervis had been defeated, in confequence of, the immenfe fuperiority of numbers in the fleet which the enemy brought into action against us? I have no doubt, fir, but the voice of the country at large would undoubtedly and inevitably have called loudly and univerfally for an impeachment of the firft lord of the admiralty. I think, fir, that this houfe would, in fuch a cafe, have been pretty ready to join the voice of the people, and to fecond them in fo neceflary a measure. The unparalleled fuccefs which has attended the skill and bravery of our fleet, by no means alter the state of the queftion. It was the duty of the firft lord of the admiralty, and of his majesty's minifters in general, to have taken care that our fleet fhould bear fome degree of proportion to that of the enemy; and, therefore, it evidently appears, that the inferiority being fo very great, it is high time an inquiry into the conduct of minifters fhould immediately take place, I hope, fir, the time is not far distant, nay, I flatter myself it is very near, indeed, when this houfe will think it neceffary to go feriously and actively into an extenfive and deep inquiry into the nation at large.. Such an inquiry has long been wanted. The very momentous in formation which has been laid be

fore

fore the house, and which has engaged their most ferious and deliberate, as well as anxious confideration, fince Monday laft, fhews, beyond a poffibility of doubt, the inevitable neceffity of inquiry, upon the broadeft and most efficacious bafis." Mr. Whitbread proceeded 10 notice the melancholy change that had taken place in the afpect of public affairs in the fpace of one week: public credit fhaken to its foundation. The mifmanagement, he faid, of his majefty's minifters, had become notorious to every beholder, and the cry of inquiry into their conduct was not now confined to the members of oppofition in that house alone, but was echoed back upon them from every corner of the kingdom. Having touched on the expences of the war, and the numerous captures of our merchant fhips, though we had a fleet of more than five hundred fhips of war, of various denominations, he came to speak of that particular neglect and mifconduct, which more immediately gave rife to the prefent motion. The first intimation, on authority, he faid, which that house received relative to the intention of the enemy to invade this country, was conveyed by his majefty's fpeech on the opening of the prefent feffion of parliament. Information had been received, through various channels, that Ireland was one object of the meditated attack. Yet it appeared from a letter from general Dalrymple, that, instead of any effectual means having been previoufly taken for an efficient defence, every thing remained to be done, even after the appearance of the enemy in Bantry-Bay in which part of the country there was not any thing

like an adequate force for her defence: not more, if fo many, as three thoufand regular troops, to oppofe to the whole force of the French. The city of Cork was, therefore, in danger of falling into their hands, with all its ftores and provifions: to the amount of nearly, if not quite, a million and a half. Mr. Whitbread, after these and other obfervations, went through a regular statement of the numbers of the French fleet, and thofe of our own, from the time of the enemy quitting the harbour of Breft, and a fhort time before. On the twenty-first, the enemy caft anchor in Bantry-Bay; fo that they were at fea, and on the coast of Ireland, from the eighteenth of December, to the fixth of January. On the twentieth of December, news arrived in England, that the French fleet had quitted Breft. From the twenty-third to the twen ty-fifth, the wind was favourable for the fquadron, under the command of lord Bridport, to have failed. It continued fair on the twenty-fixth and twenty-feventh, after which it came a-head, and the fleet could not fail for fome days. On the thirty-firft, intelligence came to this country, that the French fleet was off the coaft of Ireland; and, on the fame day, exactly, admiral Colpoys, with the fleet under his command, arrived at Portfmouth. The reafons given for his return, with this fquadron, are various and contradictory. One was, that his force was not fufficient to encounter thofe of the enemy. If that was a true reafon, it furnifies an additional caufe of inquiry into the conduct of minifters, and of the first lord of the admiralty in particular. What, when they had received information