tal day extended his left too far at Salamanca, and had
suffered overwhelming defeat; southern Spain was lost to France.
Suchet, having taken and held Tarragona, concentrated to the eastward,
so that by his holding Aragon and Catalonia for Napoleon, Joseph could
set up a government temporarily at Valencia. Wellington, hampered by
the distracted condition of English politics, had felt bound, in spite
of victory, to withdraw to the Portugal frontier.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN[46]

[Footnote 46: References: Foucart: Bautzen, une bataille de
deux jours, 20-21 mai, 1813. Fievee: Correspondance et
relations avec Bonaparte, Memoires of Savary. Rousset: La
grande armee de 1813.]

War Between Great Britain and the United States -- Napoleon
Renews his Strength -- His Administrative Measures -- Social
Forces and Political Results -- Ideas of Peace -- The Military
Situation -- The Czar's Resolutions -- The Convention of
Tauroggen -- Defection of Prussia -- Supreme Exertions of France
in Napoleon's Cause -- Napoleon as a Wonder-worker.

[Sidenote: 1813]

By stringently enforcing the Orders in Council Canning had seriously
injured Great Britain. It was in some sense the outcome of general
exasperation that early in May, 1812, Perceval, the Tory premier, was
assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons by Bellingham, a
bankrupt of disordered mind. In the consequent reconstruction of the
cabinet, Castlereagh had succeeded the Marquis of Wellesley. On May
thirteenth the disastrous orders were repealed, but the United States
had already declared war. By land the Americans failed dismally at the
outset; but at sea they were five times victorious in as many
different engagements, two English frigates striking their flags to
what was then considered as fairly equal force. This was a moral
victory of immense importance. It was disproportionate of course to
the actual English loss, which was easily reparable, but it was an
appalling novelty to the British, who unwillingly realized that the
sons had shown a seamanship of the highest quality and were not
unworthy of their sires. The anxiety of Wellington and the maritime
successes of the Americans were not unwelcome lights in the otherwise
dark picture of European affairs upon which Napoleon was forced to
look after his return from Moscow.

The prodigal Emperor was undismayed; as he had recuperate