t Porto Ferrajo. A new danger, however,
threatened the fleet, for Spain, influenced by Bonaparte's successes,
made an offensive and defensive alliance with France by a treaty signed
on August 19; and as the Spaniards had over fifty ships of the line, the
position of the British fleet became critical. And there was work for it
elsewhere, for Portugal was in need of help. The Austrian cause in Italy
seemed almost hopeless, and Jervis received orders to evacuate the
Mediterranean.

Then better news came to England; the Austrians had achieved a signal
success in Germany. Two French armies under Jourdan and Moreau crossed
the Rhine in the summer and acted independently of each other. After a
campaign of about two months Jourdan was defeated by the Archduke
Charles at Amberg, and again near Wurzburg on September 3, and was
forced to recross the Rhine. Moreau advanced as far as Munich, for
Bonaparte intended, after the fall of Mantua, which he believed would
not be delayed, to effect a junction with him in Bavaria. Jourdan's
overthrow left Moreau in a critical position, and he only saved his army
by a masterly retreat through the Black Forest. Bonaparte's hope that he
would soon bring the war to an end by marching into Bavaria, and on
Vienna, was disappointed. His army was kept on the Mincio, for Mantua
remained untaken, and another army under Alvinzi was preparing to march
to its relief. Italy was not conquered yet, and on October 19 the
cabinet decided that the fleet should remain in the Mediterranean.[266]
It was then too late. Corsica and Elba were abandoned; Ferdinand of
Naples made peace with France, and Jervis sailed for Lisbon. After three
years in the Mediterranean the fleet retired from its waters; its
departure left that sea closed to British commerce, assured Bonaparte's
communications, and strengthened his hold over Italy.

[Sidenote: _NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE._]

Pitt, driven into war against his will, was sincerely anxious for peace.
He had entered on the war for political reasons, and would not be
deterred from negotiation by dislike of the French republican
government. His views were not shared by all his colleagues; Windham and
Pitt's whig supporters generally were averse from peace because they
desired the overthrow of the revolutionary system. The king fully
sympathised with them, and their sentiments were stimulated and
expressed by Burke, whose first _Letter on a Regicide Peace_ appeared in
the autumn. P