although expecting decided military
successes, and convinced that the terms as now reduced would be very
unpopular in England; "but I feel too strongly the inconvenience of a
continuance not to make me desirous of concluding it at the expense of
some popularity."

It was in this spirit, doubtless, that Bathurst instructed the envoys
that, if the Americans wished to refer the very modified proposals, or
to sign them conditional upon ratification at home, either proposition
would be accepted; an assurance repeated on October 5.[505] Were
neither alternative embraced as to the Indian settlement, the
negotiation should be closed and the commission return to England.
British military anticipation then stood high. Not only was the
capture of Washington over-estimated, but Ross and Cochrane had
impressed their Government with brilliant expectations. "They are very
sanguine about the future operations. They intend, on account of the
season, to proceed in the first instance to the northward, and to
occupy Rhode Island, where they propose remaining and living upon the
country until about the first of November. They will then proceed
southward, destroy Baltimore, if they should find it practicable
without too much risk, occupy several important points on the coast
of Georgia and the Carolinas, take possession of Mobile in the
Floridas, and close the campaign with an attack on New Orleans."[506]
This was a large programme for a corps of the size of Ross', after all
allowance made for the ease with which Washington had fallen. It is
probably to be read in connection with the project of sending to
America very large re-enforcements; so numerous, indeed, that Lord
Hill, Wellington's second in the Peninsula, had been designated for
the command. This purpose had been communicated to Ross and Cochrane;
and at the time of the capture of Washington they had not received the
letters notifying them that "circumstances had induced his Majesty's
Government to defer their intention of employing so considerable a
force in that quarter."[507] For this change of mind America doubtless
was indebted to European considerations. Besides the expectations
mentioned, the British Government had well-founded reasons to hope for
control of Lake Ontario, and for substantial results from the handsome
force placed at the disposal of Sir George Prevost, to which the
triumphant expedition of Cochrane and Ross had been intended only as a
diversion.

Under the