POINTED TO THE COMMAND
ON THE CONTINENT--PROGRESS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS--LORD FITZWILLIAM
NOMINATED TO THE LORD-LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND--HIS CONDUCT ON THAT
OCCASION.

Parliament was convened on the 21st of January, 1794; and the Speech
from the Throne expressed a sanguine hope on the part of His Majesty
that the resources of France would be speedily exhausted. There was
certainly little in the operations of the last year upon which the
country could be congratulated; and the only remaining encouragement
that could be held out was in reference to the future. The prodigious
exertions of the Republic undoubtedly justified the expectation, that
she could not long continue to meet the increasing demands which the
extension of the war was making upon her means and energies; but it was
difficult, in the heat and excitement of the conflict, to form an
adequate estimate of the devotion with which the French were prepared
to follow up their successes. A series of fortunate incidents and some
brilliant achievements had inflamed the national vanity to such a height
of exultation as to produce a perfect military mania in all parts of the
country; and when Mr. Pitt, in the course of the opening debate,
declared that "France had been converted into an armed nation,"--an
expression that elicited much criticism at the time--he described
accurately the exact state of the people, and the lengths they were
prepared to go in the assertion of the principles they had baptized in
the blood of the Sovereign.

There were not wanting persons in England who sympathized with the
republicans of France, and regarded their martial spirit with something
of the admiration which the impassioned and the thoughtless bestow upon
gallantry and heroism. But the bulk of the nation entertained a
different opinion, and viewed with alarm and detestation the sanguinary
excesses by which the war was initiated and sustained. While the former
class, few in number, and confined chiefly to the lowest dregs of the
population, continued to give occupation to the Government at home, the
latter were ready to make any sacrifices the exigency of circumstances
required to support the policy of the Government abroad.

Parliament unanimously voted an augmentation of eighty-five thousand men
to the navy, and sixty thousand to the army. Ample preparations in other
respects were made for the approaching operations; and, amongst the
extraordinary measures resorted to, arrangemen