ion against
Copenhagen,[170] I caused Portugal to be informed that all her
ports must be closed to England, and I massed an army of 40,000
men at Bayonne to join the Spaniards in enforcing this action, if
necessary. But a letter I have just received from the Prince
Regent [of Portugal] leads me to presume that this last measure
will not be necessary, that the Portuguese ports will be closed to
the English by the time this is read, and that Portugal will have
declared war against England. On the other hand, my flotilla will
be ready for action on 1st October, and I shall have a large army
at Boulogne, ready to attempt a _coup de main_ on England."

The letter concludes by ordering that all British diplomatists are to
be driven _out of Europe_, and that Sweden must make common cause with
France and Russia. Such were the means to be used for forcing
affrighted Peace again to visit this distracted earth.

In truth, the fate of the British race seemed for the time to hang
upon the events at Copenhagen and Lisbon. Very much depended on the
action of the Prince Regent of Portugal. Had he tamely submitted to
Napoleon's ukase and placed his fleet and his vast colonial empire at
the service of France, it is doubtful whether even the high-souled
Canning would not have stooped to surrender in face of odds so
overwhelming. The young statesman's anxiety as to the action of
Portugal is attested by many a long and minutely corrected despatch to
Viscount Strangford, our envoy at Lisbon. But, fortunately for us,
Napoleon committed the blunder which so often marred his plans: he
pushed them too far: he required the Prince Regent to adopt a course
of conduct repellent to an honourable man, namely, to confiscate the
merchandise and property of British merchants who had long trusted the
good faith of the House of Braganza. To this last demand the prince
opposed a dignified resistance, though on all other points he gave
way. This will appear from Lord Strangford's despatch of August 13th:

" ... The Portuguese Ministers place all their hopes of being able
to ward off this terrible blow in the certainty which they
entertain of England being obliged to enter into negotiations for
a general peace.... The very existence of the Portuguese Monarchy
depends on the celerity with which England shall meet the pacific
interference of the Emperor of Russia. The Prince Regent gives the