rade of Ireland..... War
with Spain..... Debates on the Militia Bill..... Bill for
the Impressment of Seamen..... Parliament prorogued..... The
Causes of the Rupture with Spain..... Spanish Attempt upon
Gibraltar..... French and English Fleets in the Channel.....
Affairs in the West Indies..... Operations in Georgia.....
Ineffectual Attempt of the Americans to reduce Savannah.....
British Incursions into Virginia...... Capture of
Stony Point and Verplanks..... British Expedition
against Connecticut..... Stony Point re-captured, but
deserted at the Approach of the British..... British
Garrison surprised at Paulus Hook..... American Disaster at
Penobscot..... American Retaliation on the Indians, &c......
Spanish Incursions..... Action between Paul Jones and
Captain Pearson..... Changes in the Ministry..... Meeting
of Parliament..... Lord Shelburne attacks Ministers in the
case of Ireland..... Lord Ossory's Attack on Ministers
respecting Ireland..... Lord Worth's Proposition for the
Relief of Ireland..... Debates on Economical Reform.

{A.D. 1779}

TRIAL OF ADMIRAL KEPPEL AND VICE-ADMIRAL PALLISER.

The trial of Admiral Keppel commenced on the 7th of January, at the
governor's house, Portsmouth. It lasted thirty-two days, and the
unanimous sentence of the court-martial was:--"That it was their opinion
the charge against Admiral Keppel was malicious and ill-founded; it
having appeared that so far from having by misconduct or neglect of duty
lost an opportunity of rendering essential service to the state, and
therefore tarnished the honour of the British navy, he had behaved as
became a judicious, brave, and experienced officer." The acquittal of
Keppel was followed by illuminations and other demonstrations of joy on
the part of the public, with whom he was in favour; and he also received
the thanks of the city and the two houses of parliament. On the other
hand, the house of Sir Hugh Palliser was broken open by a mob at
midnight, and the whole of the furniture either destroyed or thrown out
of the window, while effigies of the vice-admiral were carried about
suspended by the neck and afterwards burnt. Work for the glaziers was
also made by the destruction of the windows of the Admiralty, and of the
houses of Lords George Germaine and North. The mob even took the great
gate of the Admiralty from its hinges, and