ve laws might be no longer unavoidable.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

{WILLIAM IV. 1832-1833}

During this year a prospect of the close of the dreadful calamities
which had so long weighed down the people of Portugal dawned upon
them. At its commencement Oporto still continued to be the scene of
operations; the regent occupying that city, and Don Miguel maintaining
his positions and his battery on the left bank of the river and to the
north of the city itself. The operations continued to consist of
partial bombardments across the river, or engagements of detachments,
occasionally varied by more regular attacks and sallies to destroy works
already erected, or prevent new ones from being raised. There was not
much blood shed, and the results of the operations made no decisive or
permanent change in the relation of the armies to each other. At the
beginning of March, indeed, a battle was fought, in which it was stated
that the Miguelites lost fifteen thousand men, and their adversary only
one hundred; but still it left matters where it found them--Oporto was
still besieged. At length, however, a decisive blow was struck at the
power of Don Miguel on the seas. While the operations on land were going
forward, Don Pedro was involved in a dangerous quarrel with his admiral,
Sartorius, which resulted in his giving up the command of the fleet,
and with his being replaced by another British officer, Captain Napier.
Under his command an expedition sailed to the Algarves, the most
southern province of the kingdom, having on board two thousand five
hundred men, commanded by the Duke of Terceira, for the purpose of
invading that part of the country. The cities of Tavira, Faro, and Lagos
were soon captured, and in the course of a week the whole province
of Algarves was in possession of Don Pedro. But a still heavier blow
awaited Don Miguel. Admiral Napier, having disembarked the troops and
witnessed their success, set sail to return to the mouth of the Tagus to
watch the squadron of Don Miguel, or bring it to battle. He fell in with
it on the 2nd of July, off Cape St. Vincent, and a battle ensued, in
which the squadron of Don Miguel was annihilated. He had now only the
land to trust to, and there he was soon defeated. Having regained the
province of Algarves, the Duke of Terceira marched towards Lisbon, and
having reached the left bank of the Tagus he was encountered by an army
said to have consisted of five thousand men, under the comma