victory Jamaica was
saved, and the dominion of the ocean recovered, and the intelligence of
it excited great exultation among all ranks of people. Sir George Rodney
received the unanimous thanks of parliament, with a peerage, and a
perpetual annuity of L2000 was annexed to his title. Sir Samuel Hood
was also made a baron in the peerage of Ireland, and Admiral Drake and
Commodore Affleck, who had distinguished themselves in the engagement,
were made baronets. The news of Rodney's victory reached London about
the middle of May, and it is probable that if it had happened two months
earlier, Lord North's administration would still have been in existence.
So great was the impression which the success made on the people, that
Rodney's praise resounded from one end of the kingdom to the other; and
many a "Rodney's head" met the gaze of travellers both in the towns and
villages of all England. But although ministers were compelled to give
their meed of praise to North's favourite admiral, yet it was evident
that they did not look upon his newly-gained honours with an unjaundiced
eye. The Rockingham administration had previously superseded him by
naming the Whig Admiral Pigott to the command in the West Indies, and
the order for recalling him was never cancelled. This conduct, which was
as unwise as it was unjust, produced the deep indignation of the people,
and created a bad impression of his ministers' integrity on the mind of
the monarch. It was probably from this cause that the king is said to
have received the resignation of Fox with marked satisfaction. True
patriotism knows nothing of party, but rejoices in the welfare of the
country, be it promoted by either Whig or Tory.

AFFAIRS OF THE WAR IN AMERICA.

The surrender of Lord Cornwallis virtually terminated the war in
America; but peace was not yet restored to that country. On hearing of
the defeat of de Grasse, indeed, the whole republican party were filled
with dismay; and some confessed that unless France sent them more men
and money they were as far off from peace and independence as ever.
On the other hand, the royalists took heart on hearing the news, and
retaliated on the republicans for the wrongs they had endured at their
hands since their recent successes. Thus they hanged one Joshua Huddy,
a captain in Washington's army, leaving a label on the tree, which
set forth that it was in retaliation for the murder of one White, a
royalist, whom the republicans