CHAP. LX.

Campaign of 1797.-Operations in Italy--settlement of Italy-displays the politi cal abilities of Bonaparte.-Address and versatility of Bonaparte-attempts to revolutionize the minds of the people. He marches against the Austrians.The archduke Charles is appointed general of the Austrians.-Formidable armies of the archduke and Bonaparte.-After successive victories, Bonaparte advances towards Vienna-Bonaparte offers peace to Austria-a negotiation is opened.-Bonaparte changes the government of Venice-and of Genoa — Treaty of Campo Formio--iniquitous disposal of the territories of Venice.-Britain only remains to combat the ambition of France.--France proposes to overmatch our navy, exhaust our finances, and excite rebellion--mighty preparations in the ports of Spain, France, and Holland--and plan of the naval campaign.--Distribution and disposition of the British navy--admiral Jervis encounters a Spanish fleet of superior force off St. Vincent's--able and dexterous scheme for dividing the enemy's force--bold and masterly execution-decisive and important victory--totally disconcerts the plans of the enemy.-Powerful armament equipped by the Dutch--proposes to join the French at Brest--opposed by admiral Duncan--battle off Camperdown---Duncan, fearless of a lee shore, breaks the enemy's line...the British fleet gains a most brilliant victory-admirals Jervis and Duncan are called to adorn the peerage....This year, repeating the lesson of former wars, shows France and her allies the futility of contending with the navy of England.---Internal state of France---the royalists revive.alleged conspiracy---arrestation and banishment of the suspected persons without any proof---New negotiation for peace---Lord Malmsbury sent to Lisle--propositions on the part of Britain---preliminary requisitions of France--farther demands--propose entire restitution without any equivalent.--. 'Lord Malmsbury declares so unreasonable a proposition totally inadmissible... French temporize and pretend a disposition to modification--dilatory pretexts of, until their internal changes were fixed-resume their proposition of restitution without any equivalent---Britain refuses such dishonourable conditions--lord Malmsbury ordered to depart.---The rupture of this negotiation unquestionably owing to France.---Causes of the hostile disposition of France.---Discontents in Scotland---misapprehension of the militia bill---riots---alarming tu mults in Perthshire---illustrating the operation of democratic principles---leaders fortunately ignorant, though daring---riots quelled.

ENCOURAGED by the signal successes of the former year, the French republic made most powerful dispositions for commencing the campaign against Austria. The progress which she had effected by her land operations, she apprehended also enabled her to devote a considerable portion of her efforts against the maritime power of England. Having the direction of the navies of both Spain and Holland, her plan was to employ the united force of these countries with her own, in an attempt to deprive Britain of the dominion of the ocean, whilst her military energies continued to be exerted in extending the acquisitions of the former campaign. Italy had been the great scene of her military success, though not the sole field of her military glory. In that quarter the republic determined most strenuously to push her advantages, without invading Germany on the side of the Rhine. Bonaparte, having driven the Austrians from Italy, and quelled insurrection at Rome, before he resumed his pursuit of the enemy, devoted his attention to civil arrangements. He

[Political genius, address and versatility of Bonaparte.]

proposed to give the northern Italian states such strength as would eventually enable them, in dependence upon, France, to sustain themselves against the attacks of Austria on the one side, or of Rome on the other. In the former year, a republican confederation had been framed under his auspices, composed of the four cities of Reggio,* Modena, Bologna, and Ferrara, on the southern confines of the Po. This scheme he now extended, and formed two republics on the model of the French constitution; the Transpadane, 'consisting of the states on the north, and the Cispadane, of the states on the south, of the Po. The population of the countries on the north and south of the Po, that composed the two republics, was computed at upwards of four millions. This was amply adequate to their defence against their neighbours, without requiring the assistance of France, which would only be needed to protect them from the hostile designs of Austria; and thus they would soon be able to co-operate in resistance. The influence of France in Italy would henceforth be established on the surest foundation, the necessity of adhering faithfully to it by those states that depend on it for their preservation. In order to conciliate the minds of the people to republican institutions, Bonaparte carefully attended to those rules and manners which republicans adopt and value. He cautiously avoided all ostentation, and, in his personal demeanour, readily put himself on a footing of perfect equality with all persons of decent situations in society: hence he acquired a number of friends, not only among the French, but among the Italians, who had hitherto experienced little of that condescension, especially from the Germans, who seldom studied to make their authority acceptable among the natives. One great purpose of his expedition was to revolutionize the minds of the Italians the better to fit them for those changes in their various governments that would assimilate them to the system of France. This end he completely attained, and established his influence very extensively in Italy. The solicitude he manifested, in effecting and consolidating the federal union between the republics, of which he had encouraged the foundation, more than any other circumstance, raised his fame and credit among the Italian politicians, who had long wished for the revival of such systems in their country, recollecting how much it had formerly flourished under their influence. Having completed his civil arrangements, Bonaparte now resumed military operations; he proposed to pursue the enemy in the Tyrol; to drive them before him to Vienna, and either to dictate peace, or capture the metropolis and overwhelm the power of Austria. Meanwhile the Austrians were making preparations, not for longer dişputing the empire of Italy, but for defending their country. Animated by that generous and indignant patriotism which strains every nerve to resist foreign invaders, they made most formidable efforts to vindicate their independence, which they now conceived to be at stake. Generals of ability, skill, and reputation, the Austrians possessed; but as the first purpose was not to conduct armies, but to inspirit and invigorate the people, and to recruit the exhausted force, the primary consideration was, from their many capable generals, to select, one in whom the nation

*The geographical reader will recollect that there is another Reggio, much more noted, in the southern extremity of Italy (the ancient Rhegium.) The Reggio mentioned in the text is a few leagues from Modena, nearer the Po. † See Otridge's Annual Register for 1797, p. 21,

VOL. VIII-63

[He defeats the archduke Charles. Offers peace to Austria.]

reposed the greatest confidence. The conduct and successes of the archduke Charles, in compelling the republican armies to evacuate Germany, raised the public voice in his favour. All their other great commanders had been defeated; he alone was victorious; to render his appointment supremely popular, this single circumstance was sufficient. He was nominated commander in chief against Bonaparte, and all possible vigour and expedition were employed in equipping an army adequate to the service. The patriotism, honour, and loyalty of the brave Germans, stimulated them to flock to the standard of the gallant young prince.* If this were to be their last effort in defending their country, they were resolved it should be an effort worthy of the Austrian glory. In the end of February, prince Charles took the field. Valiant and meritorious as this young commander was, yet unequally was he matched when placed opposite to Bonaparte.. He brought enterprise and heroism to combat enterprise and military talents, supported by a victorious army, elated with success, and confident of future victory. The soldiers of the archduke were chiefly new raised, whereas Bonaparte commanded veterans. New troops, however valiant, engaged against a disciplined army, inspirited by enthusiasm, and so long accustomed to uninterrupted triumph, were and must be inferior, The archduke Charles was unequal to his opponent because their, respective forces were not equally habituated to war; commanding recruits against victorious veterans, the magnanimous youth found himself overmatched, like Hannibal in similar eircumstances. After various conflicts, one battle was fought near Tarvis,† in which the Austrians were completely and decisively defeated: a line of French armies, severally headed by Massena, Bernadotte, and Joubert, with the principal force under the immediate command of Bonaparte himself, extending from the Tyrolese mountains to Carniola, rapidly proceeded towards Vienna. The Austrians, repeatedly vanquished, renewed the contest; the republicans still advancing, reduced the strong fortress of Carniola and Carinthia ; and having entered Stiria, were within a hundred miles of the Austrian capital. Charles again made a stand at Hundmark, upon the river Murh, but was again defeated: this last army by repeated losses being entirely broken, no means appeared to remain of defending Vienna, but by terminating the war. With some renowned heroes war appears to have been an end; with Bonaparte, war seemed only a means; and, when triumphant, he uniformly professed to offer peace. After the last victory, he wrote a letter to the archduke Charles, expressing his desire of accommodating a contest, which was ruinous to the vanquished, and wasteful to the conquerors. "Brave soldiers made war, but desired peace; the war had now lasted six years; men enough had been slaughtered, and evils enough committed against suffering humanity." The archduke declared himself equally desirous of peace, and sent Bonaparte's letter to Vienna: a suspension of arms was appointed. One part of the consummate policy of Bonaparte, consisted in offering liberal terms to a vanquished enemy. With a view to secure permanent peace with the emperor, he proposed such conditions as might have even satisfied alternate victory; and a negotiation was opened at Campo Formio.

Whilst this treaty was pending, Bonaparte directed his views to the † Annual Register, 1797, p. 26.

Annual Register, 1797, chap. ii.

[Changes the government of Venice and Genoa. Treaty of Campo Formio.] situation and conduct of Venice,* which republic had long viewed with dissatisfaction the victorious progress of the French in Italy. The house of Austria, though at all times formidable, had never been an object of terror to Venice, not even when it united Spain and Germany in the same family. The turbulent and restless disposition of the French, and their propensity to democratical innovation, alarmed the Venetian aristocracy, which feared that the changes might extend to the subversion of their authority: they took no open share in the contest, but they favoured the imperialists, and rendered them as much service as they could without avowing hostilities against their adversaries. Bonaparte was far advanced into Austria, and reports were spread that the French army had been drawn into a defile, and were about to capitulate the Venetians believing this rumour, in an evil hour sent a large army of their desultory troops to attack the posts which Bonaparte had left in Italy. In executing these orders, the Venetians massacred the French wherever they were to be found. Being informed of the outrages, Bonaparte or dered a great body of troops to march into the Venetian territories. The republicans easily defeated such opponents; and, on the 16th of May, took possession of the city of Venice. Bonaparte established a new government on the French model, instead of the aristocracy which had lasted so many centuries, and acquired such eminence among European na tions: he also compelled them to pay a contribution amounting to upwards of three millions sterling.

In Genoa also the nobles were friendly to the Austrian cause, but the people were attached to the French, and desirous of a popular government Bonaparte, soon after the revolution of Venice, established a democratical government in Genoa; but as the nobles had never been active in hostility, and did not oppose the change, they escaped exactions. Meanwhile, the negotiation at Campo Formio was proceeding, the preliminaries were signed in the month of July, and the definitive treaty on the 17th of October.†

By the peace of Campo Formio, the emperor ceded in full sovereignty to the French republic the whole of the Austrian Netherlands; and consented to their remaining in possession of the Venetian islands of Corfu and Zante, Cephalonia, and all their other isles in the Adriatic, together with their settlements in Albania, situated in the southeast of the gulf of Lodrino: he acknowledged the republic newly constituted under the name Cisalpine, to be an independent state; he ceded to it the sovereignty of the countries that had belonged to Austrian Lombardy, and consented to its possessing the cities and territories of Bergano, Brescia, and others, late the dependencies of Venice; together with the duchies of Mantua and Modena; the principalities of Massa and Carrara; and the cities and territories of Bologna, Ferrara, and Romagna, lately belonging to the pope. The cessions of the French republic to the emperor were Istria, Dalmatia, with all the Venetian islands in the Adriatic, lying to the northwest of the gulf of Lodrino, the city of Venice, with a large portion of the dominions of that republic, chiefly those lying between the Tyrol, the lake of Guarda, and the Adriatic. Besides these public articles, there was a secret convention, by which it appears that the dismemberment of the Venetian territories was determined, and the emperor was See state papers, Oct. 17th, 1797.

Annual Register, 1797, chap. iii.

[Naval preparations of the French. Victory of admiral Jervis.]

to compensate his losses in the Netherlands by the iniquitous seizure of dominions before independent. Here, indeed, the emperor chose for his model his neighbours of Russia and Prussia.

encounter.

One enemy now only remained to oppose the victorious career of the French republic, but that was the most formidable that they did or could Having now at their command the navy of Spain as well as that of Holland, the French government proposed to combat Britain upon her own element: naval warfare, however, was only a part of their intended hostilities. Their objects in their contest with England were principally three; to overmatch our navy, exhaust our finances, and excite rebellion. In the earlier part of 1797, the circumstances of England appeared favourable to the realization of these hopes: the bank was,'as we have seen, represented by very eminent senators as insolvent; the sailors were mutinous, and great discontents prevailed, especially in Ireland. Immense preparations were made in the ports of Spain and Holland. The French plan of the naval campaign was, that the greater part of the Spanish navy should be formed into one armada, sail early in the spring to Brest, join the French ships, meet a powerful Dutch fleet, and bear down upon England with more than seventy sail of the line. As it was the policy of France to effect a junction of the three naval armaments, so it was the policy of England to keep them separate. Admiral Dun

can was appointed to watch the motions of the Dutch in the Texel, and sir John Jervis to intercept the Spaniards on their own coast; the Spanish fleet consisted of six ships of a hundred and twelve guns, one of a hundred and thirty-two, reckoned the largest vessel in Europe; two of eighty-four, and eighteen of seventy-four guns; the squadron destined to oppose this armada, amounted to fifteen ships of the line, and some frigates. On the 14th of February, cruising off cape St. Vincent, Jervis descried the hostile fleet; so inferior in force, the British admiral saw that his policy was to divide the enemy: rapid in executing as well as wise and bold in planning, he formed his line with wonderful despatch, passed through the Spanish fleet, separated one third of it from the main body, and by a vigorous cannonade compelled it to remain to leeward, and prevented its junction with the centre till the evening. After having thus broken through the enemy's line, and, by this daring and fortunate measure, diminished his force from twenty-seven ships to eighteen, he perceived that the Spanish admiral, in order to recover his superiority, was endeavouring to rejoin the ships separated from him, by wearing round the rear of the British lines; but commodore Nelson, who was in the rearmost ship, directly wore, and by standing towards him prevented his design. He had now to encounter the Spanish admiral of one hundred and thirty-two guns, aided by two others, each of them three deckers: he was happily relieved from this dangerous position by the coming up of two ships to his assistance, which detained the Spanish admiral and his seconds, till he was attacked by four other British ships; when, finding that he could not execute his design, he made the signal for the remainder of his fleet to form together for their defence. The British admiral, before they could get into their stations, directed the rearmost of them, some of which were entangled with others, to be attacked, and four were captured. In the mean time, that part of the Spanish fleet which had been separated from its main body had nearly rejoined it, with four other ships, two of which were not in the engagement: this was a strength more than