the nation. Petitions were voted in the city of London, and
in several counties, to his majesty, reprobating the whole conduct of
the war, and praying the dismissal of all his advisers, both public and
private. Still, though the warlike tone of the people was lowered,
the principle of the war was not generally unpopular, nor the public
indignation against our many enemies abated. It was the improbability of
success alone that called forth the petitions.

FOX'S MOTIONS FOR INQUIRY INTO THE NAVY.

Encouraged by the recent reverses, during the recess the opponents of
administration had been employed in forming and maturing a general plan
of attack. The chief conduct of this was intrusted to Mr. Fox, who, on
the re-assembling of parliament, moved for an inquiry into the causes of
the constant ill-success of the naval forces, and more especially during
the preceding year. This inquiry, it was stated, would resolve itself
into two distinct parts: whether Lord Sandwich, the first lord of the
admiralty, had the means of procuring a navy equal to the exigencies
of the state; and whether he employed the force which he possessed with
wisdom and ability? Lord Sandwich was defended by Captain Luttrel and
Lord Mulgrave; but Lord North declared that both himself and the object
of the attack were anxious that the subject should undergo a complete
investigation; and the motion passed without a division. An animated
debate took place respecting the papers to be produced; and finally
a suggestion of Mr. Pitt was adopted: namely, that the substance of
letters and documents relating to the subject, and not the letters and
documents themselves, should be laid before the house. The debate was
then postponed till the 7th of February, when, after the reading of the
papers which ministers consented to produce, Fox brought forward several
distinct charges against the board of admiralty. These were:--That de
Grasse was suffered to depart for the West Indies without any effort
to intercept his fleet; that the loss of the convoy sent home with
the booty captured at St. Eustatius might have been prevented, had a
squadron been sent out for its protection; that a letter sent by the
admiralty to the merchants of Bristol, had misled them with reference
to the presence of the French fleet in the Channel, whereby the trade
of their port was endangered; and that the fleets sent out with Admiral
Kempenfelt and against the Dutch, were insufficient for