arrier against her. This met the emperor's
views, for an enlargement of the Austrian Netherlands would forward his
plan of exchanging them for Bavaria. The proposed exchange, however, was
contrary to English policy, for it would have created a weak state on
the French frontier. As soon as war was declared, Dumouriez invaded
Holland, but was soon called back to Belgium, where the French were
losing ground. He was defeated at Neerwinden on March 18, and the French
withdrew from the Netherlands. They were unsuccessful on the Rhine, and
Mainz was threatened by the Prussians. Dissatisfied with the proceedings
of his government, Dumouriez intrigued with the enemy and finally fled
to the Austrian camp, but was unable to carry his army with him. On
April 8 a conference between representatives of the allies was held at
Antwerp. Lord Auckland, the British minister in Holland, appeared for
England, accompanied by the king's second son, the Duke of York, who was
to command the British and Hanoverian army. The allies agreed to make
conquests and keep them. Auckland declared that this was the policy of
his court. Austria was to gain places on the frontier which would shut
France out from the Netherlands, England would look to the conquest of
Dunkirk and the French colonies.[243]

On May 20 the British army with its Hanoverian and Hessian contingents
joined the Prince of Coburg, and took a distinguished part in driving
the French from their camp at Famars. The smart appearance of the
English troops was much admired, but their officers were careless. The
French army of the north was disorderly and discouraged. While the
regular troops generally behaved well, the volunteers, who had a
separate organisation and elected their own officers, were insubordinate
and lacking in soldierly qualities; the representatives of the people
who accompanied the army, though they did some good, meddled in military
matters; the generals were suspected, were constantly displaced, and
were fortunate if they escaped the scaffold; and the ministry of war was
utterly incompetent. The allies besieged Conde and Valenciennes; Conde
surrendered on July 13 and Valenciennes on the 28th, and the Austrians
took possession of both. Coburg's allies were anxious to secure
territory for themselves, and he had some difficulty in persuading them
to join him in an attack on the French at Caesar's camp, a strong
position covered by the Scheldt, the Sensee, and the Agache. The