London; and
the King, by his courageous personal bearing and bold direction of
affairs, won momentary prestige. The news from America, moreover, was
brighter than for a long time, and the British defence of Gibraltar was
unshaken. Suddenly dissolving Parliament, the King employed every
resource of influence or pressure, and managed to secure once more a
majority in the House of Commons. During the year 1781, the North
Ministry breathed more freely, and was able to repel Whig attacks by
safe majorities. But the respite was short.

In the winter session of 1782, the news of Yorktown shook the Ministry
to its centre, and on top of that came the reports of the surrender of
Minorca, St. Kitts, and Nevis. Held together only by the inflexible
determination of George III never to yield American {117} independence
or "stoop to opposition," the Ministers fought bitterly though
despairingly against a succession of Whig motions, censuring the
Admiralty, demanding the withdrawal of the troops, and finally
censuring the Ministry. Majorities dwindled as rats began to leave the
sinking ship. On March 8, North escaped censure by ten votes only.
The King made repeated efforts to induce members of the Opposition to
come into some sort of coalition, but the hatred was too fierce, the
divergence of principle too wide. Rockingham would accept only
absolute surrender. On March 15, a resolution of want of confidence
was lost by nine only.

Five days later, in face of a renewed motion of the same kind, North
announced his resignation. The end had come. The system of George III
had broken down, ruined by the weaknesses of the Tory Cabinet in
administration, in war, and in diplomacy, the most disastrous Ministry
in the history of England. There was no possible doubt as to the
significance of the collapse, for Lord Rockingham took office with a
Whig Cabinet, containing Shelburne and Fox, steadfast friends of
America, as Secretaries of State, and with the avowed purpose of
conceding independence to the former colonies, while maintaining the
contest with Spain and France.

{118}

Interest now shifted from the battlefield to the regions of diplomacy,
where the situation was complicated and delicate, owing to the unusual
relations of the parties involved. The United States and France were
in alliance, each pledged not to make a separate peace. Spain was in
alliance with France for the purpose of recovering Gibraltar, Minorca,
and