d within gunshot of the enemy, and sent a
summons to the Dutch admiral; and seeing that resistance was useless,
he delivered up his squadron without having fired a gun. The prizes
were two sail of the line, three smaller ships of war, and three armed
vessels.

FRENCH EXPEDITION TO IRELAND.

In Ireland the Papists had long sought to overthrow the Protestant
supremacy, while the liberals were anxiously seeking the triumph of
their principles. The disposition which prevailed among these two
powerful parties was known to the French directory; and they were
encouraged thereby to attempt the striking of a blow of no common
magnitude in that quarter. On the 20th of December General Hoche
embarked at Brest with 15,000 troops, to co-operate with the Irish
insurgents; but the fleet, which was under the command of Vice-admiral
Morard de Galles, had scarcely left the harbour when it was dispersed by
a storm. Only eight sail out of eighteen ships of the line reached the
Irish coast, and the weather was so stormy that the French could not
land; and the whole expedition, after having suffered great loss,
was obliged to return to France. One of the line-of-battle ships was
attacked, before she could reach a port, by two English frigates, and
was finally driven on shore, where she went to pieces, and many of the
crew perished in the sea. In the whole, the French lost three ships of
the line and three frigates from the adverse elements; and they narrowly
escaped the attack of a British fleet, under Lord Bridport, who arrived
off the Irish coast immediately after their departure. During the whole
of this year, indeed, the maritime power of France suffered greatly;
and her remaining commerce was much diminished by the exertions of the
British cruisers. Upwards of seventy sail of armed vessels belonging
to the enemy were captured; among which were five ships of the line
and twelve frigates. On the other hand, the French made a successful
expedition to Newfoundland, where shipping and merchandise to a large
amount were captured or destroyed.

DISPUTES BETWEEN FRANCE AND AMERICA.

The new government of France had scarcely commenced operations when it
became involved in a quarrel with America. This dispute arose from the
treaty recently executed between America and Great Britain; which treaty
the directory supposed was inimical to France, and incompatible with
the idea of neutrality. By the treaty of 1778, which was still in fo