eir plan was wrecked by their utter defeat at Tourcoing on May
16, where the British suffered heavily. The French attacked the camp
near Tournai on the 23rd with the object of forcing the line of the
Scheldt, but were foiled, and the British infantry highly distinguished
themselves by their gallant recapture of the post at Pont-a-chin.
Prussian help was urgently needed for the protection of the Netherlands,
and, though paid for by English gold, was not forthcoming. A formidable
insurrection broke out in Poland, and Frederick William marched to quell
it, ordering Mollendorf to confine himself to the defence of the empire.
Malmesbury and Cornwallis went to Mainz and urged Mollendorf to proceed
to Flanders; nothing would move him. The emperor was more anxious about
his interests in Poland than the defence of the Netherlands, and
returned to Vienna. On June 26, Coburg was defeated by Jourdan at
Fleurus and rapidly retired on Waterloo. On July 11, the French entered
Brussels. The Austrians retreated to the Meuse, and York's corps to
Malines where it was joined by 7,000 men under Lord Moira, who had
landed at Ostend on June 26. Disgusted at the supineness of the
Austrians, who were leaving the British and Dutch to their fate, the
English government insisted that Coburg should be superseded.[250] They
urged the emperor to make an effort to reconquer the Netherlands. Thugut
replied that Austria had no money, that the Netherlands were more
important to England and Holland than to the emperor, who did not get
L200 a year from them, and that the Prussian subsidy ought to be
transferred to Austria, or a large loan guaranteed.[251] Austria was set
on her interests in Poland, and it is scarcely too much to say that she
virtually betrayed the common cause.

These negotiations were brought to an end by the success of the French
arms in Germany. The Austrians retreated across the Rhine in October,
and England was not going to pay for the defence of the empire. The
useless subsidy to Prussia was stopped on the 17th, and Mollendorf
withdrew his army across the Rhine. Meanwhile York's army had fallen
back on the line of Dutch fortresses; it was driven across the Meuse,
was forced to retreat from Nimeguen, and encamped behind the Waal.
Dissatisfied with his generalship, Pitt, as early as October 11,
represented to the king that the division of command between him and the
Prince of Orange was mischievous, and suggested that some experienced