found with the way in which money was provided
for it. That Pitt's subsidies were sometimes unwise may be conceded;
that his coalitions disappointed him is certain. He had to contend with
selfishness and deceit in the rulers of Europe, and laboured with
ability and courage to keep them steadfast to the common cause, again
and again taking up his task, undismayed by failures which are not to be
laid to his charge. While mistakes in the conduct of the war forbid us
to call him a great war minister in the narrow sense of the term, we
should scarcely refuse that praise in a wider, truer sense to a minister
so dauntless in adversity, so fertile in resource, so deservedly trusted
by the nation as "the pilot that weathered the storm".

[Sidenote: _THE COALITION FORMED._]

In March the government hired troops from Hanover and Hesse Cassel; and
during the year, Holland being already an ally, made treaties hostile
to France with all the other Christian powers of Europe except Denmark,
Sweden, the Swiss, Tuscany Venice, and Genoa, which decided on
neutrality. The emperor and the Prussian king agreed to carry on the war
in concert with England. Catherine of Russia made a treaty of commerce,
and another promising co-operation against the commerce of France. Her
army was engaged in Poland, and she took no part in the war beyond
carrying out her engagement by means of her fleet. In May, the
convention declared war on Spain and the king entered into the
coalition. The King of Sardinia was already at war, and the British
government granted him a subsidy of L200,000 to enable him to keep up
his army, and agreed to send a fleet into the Mediterranean. A treaty
for concerted action in the Mediterranean was made with the king of the
Two Sicilies, and another treaty with Portugal, our ancient ally, which
became of importance after Spain deserted the coalition. The accession
of England to the enemies of France gave them a new weapon against her.
Great Britain and Russia agreed to prevent neutral ships from supplying
her with provisions, and, on June 8, British officers were ordered to
stop all ships so engaged and send them to England, where their cargoes
would be sold and their freights paid by the government.

The emperor did not relish the idea of a disinterested war; and
Grenville agreed that the allies should indemnify themselves, and should
make conquests on the Belgian frontier of France, which in Austrian
hands would form a strong b