hundred and eighty-two. Preparations were,
therefore, now made for sending the British fleet into the Baltic; and
this, it will be seen, together with the death of the Czar Paul, soon
put an end to this coalition.

RESIGNATION OF MR. PITT, ETC.

In bringing about the union of England and Ireland, Pitt had given
assurances to the Irish Catholics of a complete participation in
political privileges, as soon as that union should take place. This
proposition was submitted to the cabinet-council, some of the members of
which expressed their dissent to the measure. But its chief opposer was
the king, who alleged that the coronation oath precluded his compliance
with a scheme which might endanger the ecclesiastical establishment.
Under these circumstances Pitt felt bound to retire from the
administration; for although his majesty promised not to use his
influence in obstructing the progress of the measure through parliament,
it was manifest, that as he was known to be adverse to it, there would
be no chance of success. On the resignation of Mr. Pitt, his majesty
entrusted the formation of a new cabinet to Mr. Addington, who resigned
his post for that purpose. On account of financial arrangements,
however, and the difficulty of settling the new appointments, Mr. Pitt
consented to remain at his post a little longer. His majesty a few days
after was taken ill; and it appears that his indisposition was a return
of his former malady, brought on by the Catholic question and the
resignation of the premier. This caused him to remain at his post still
longer, and then further delay was occasioned. On the 18th of February
the house resolved itself into a committee of supply. The sum required
was L42,197,000 of which Ireland was to pay L4,324,000, and England
the remainder. To raise this, recourse was had to the old system:
L25,000,000 was borrowed, and the rest was raised by taxes, some of
which were newly imposed. Besides the money borrowed for England, it
was found necessary to borrow about L2,500,000 for Ireland. These
resolutions being agreed to, with some slight alterations, Pitt, on
the 14th of March, resigned office; and he was accompanied in his
resignation by Dunclas, Earl Spencer, Lord Grenville, and Windham; and
other changes took place shortly after. In the lords, the reasons of
their resignation were thuss given by Lord Grenville:--"We wished that
the benefits of the union should be rendered as great and extensive as