nsports built at Flushing were to be
conveyed to Ostend by canal in order to avoid the British fleet, a force
of 1,200 men was sent to destroy the sluices of the Bruges canal. They
landed near Ostend and blew up the great sluice. A storm prevented them
from re-embarking and, after a smart engagement, they were all taken
prisoners. If the thing was worth doing, a sufficient force should have
been sent to do it.

[Sidenote: _INVASION THREATENED._]

The threatened invasion rallied the nation to the support of the
government. Though Fox and the other seceders had ceased to attend
parliament, they kept up an agitation against the ministry. Fox's
birthday, January 24, was celebrated by a public dinner. The Duke of
Norfolk in proposing his health said that Washington began the war of
independence with only 2,000 men, yet America was free; he saw that
number before him, let them apply his words. He afterwards called on the
company to drink "our sovereign's health, the majesty of the people".
Considered in connexion with the circumstances of the time his words
were in the highest degree seditious. The government, strong in the
support of the nation, took up the silly and insolent challenge, and the
duke was deprived of his lord-lieutenancy and the command of his militia
regiment. In May, Fox repeated the toast at a meeting of the whig club.
The ministers discussed what notice should be taken of his offence. It
is not pleasant to find Pitt considering whether he might be led on to
utter similar words in parliament and be sent to the Tower for the rest
of the session. With all his greatness Pitt lacked the generosity which
was a redeeming trait in Fox's character. The anxieties of the past
year, combined with his unfortunate failing, had shaken his health and
his temper had suffered. It was finally decided that Fox should be
removed from the privy council, and the king struck his name out of the
council book with his own hand.

The belief that the country was in danger evoked patriotic enthusiasm,
and L2,300,000 was subscribed to augment the produce of the triple
assessment. Pitt's supplementary budget announced a further loan of
L3,000,000 and imposed fresh taxes. Chiefly as a means of supporting
credit he brought forward a scheme for the commutation of the land tax.
For many years the tax had been granted at four shillings in the pound;
he proposed to make it perpetual at that rate, to enable landowners to
redeem it, and to a