During this year the island of Malta, which had been blockaded for
more than two years, was surrendered to Major-general Pigot. The French
troops who had defended it were permitted to return to France, on
condition of not serving till regularly exchanged. This was a great
prize, for Malta is the citadel of the Mediterranean, as Gibralter is
its key: from this time it became a pillar of the British throne.

NAVAL OPERATIONS.

The naval operations of England this year were various, though no very
important results accrued therefrom. The small island of Goree on the
western coast of Africa surrendered to Sir Charles Hamilton; and the
British captured the Dutch island of Curacoa. A squadron was sent under
Sir Edward Pellew to the peninsula of Quiberon; but all that was done
was to destroy some brigs, sloops, gun-boats, and a few trading vessels.
This armament proceeded to the coast of Spain to destroy the arsenal and
the shipping at Ferrol; but it was attended with the same ill-success.
The land forces accompanying it under Sir James Pulteney then joined to
those of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who, with the Mediterranean fleet under
Lord Keith, was to make an attack upon Cadiz, and to capture or destroy
the Spanish fleet. But this enterprise was given up as impracticable;
and soon after General Pulteney was sent to Lisbon for the defence of
Portugal, now threatened by Spain; and General Abercrombie received
information that his troops were to be employed in Egypt. The year,
however, was now far spent, and it was the middle of December before the
armament arrived as far as Malta.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

In the midst of these foreign reverses--for such many of the events
may be termed--the scarcity of grain still continued in England. The
national spirit was greatly depressed by these circumstances, and
notwithstanding the hand of charity was active in the alleviation of
distress, several riots took place throughout the kingdom. London was
much agitated: but the Lord Mayor, Mr. Combe, by the aid of volunteers,
succeeded in repressing the commotion without bloodshed. In order to
obtain relief, the city of London and other places petitioned the King
to convene parliament; and it assembled in the month of October, and
passed in rapid succession a number of acts, granting bounties on the
importation of foreign corn, enjoining the baking of mixed and inferior
flour, &c. The distillation of spirits from grain was also s