marched to Augsburg,
leaving the French once more absolute masters of Switzerland.

The Neapolitan kingdom was recovered in the course of the months of
June and July by Cardinal Ruffo, assisted by Lord Nelson. A sanguinary
vengeance was taken on the republicans by the Neapolitan government; and
Nelson himself tarnished his fair fame by deeds at which a right-minded
Englishman must shudder, and which no one will venture to palliate. It
had been guaranteed to the republican garrisons that their persons and
property should be respected; but these garrisons were delivered over
to the vengeance of the Sicilian court, and that by the brave Nelson. "A
deplorable transaction," says his biographer, "a stain on his memory and
on the honour of England! to palliate it would be vain; to justify
it wicked." Nelson conceived that nothing more was essential to the
tranquillity of Naples than the recovery of Rome; and this he effected
by a small detachment of his fleet, under the able conduct of captains
Trowbridge, Hallowel, and Louis. The French having no longer any hope in
arms soon concluded a capitulation for all the Roman states; and Captain
Louis, rowing up the Tiber in his barge, hoisted the British standard on
the capitol, and acted for a time as governor of Rome.

While the arms of France were thus occupied in Germany and Italy, a
favourable opportunity seemed to offer itself for the liberation of
Holland. A treaty was effected with the Emperor Paul, by which 17,000
Russian troops were engaged to co-operate with 20,000 English troops in
that country. Troops set sail from England in the month of August; find
the fleet, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, after encountering much bad
weather, came to anchor off the Helder, a point which commands the
entrance of the Zuyder Zee. The troops were disembarked on the 27th,
and on the next day took possession of Helder, the French and Dutch
republicans having abandoned it in the night; and the Dutch fleet in the
Texel surrendered to the British admiral without firing a shot. The main
part of the army destined for this enterprise was still in England,
and the Russian auxiliaries had not yet arrived. Before they received
re-enforcements the invaders were attacked by about 12,000 men; but so
strong was their position on the Zuyp, and so bravely was it defended,
that the assailants were defeated, with the loss of nearly one thousand
men. The Duke of York, with the main force from England, arrived