At length several fleets were fitted out, Vernon was sent to America,
and Haddock into the Mediterranean, with what coqsequences it is well
known; nor should I mention them at this time, had I not been awakened
to the remembrance of them by a proposal of thanks for the conduct of
the war.
The behaviour of the two admirals was very different; though it has not
yet appeared but that their orders were the same. Vernon with six ships
destroyed those fortifications, before which Hosier formerly perished,
in obedience to the commands of our ministry. How this success was
received by the minister and his adherents, how much they were offended
at the exultations of the populace, how evidently they appeared to
consider it as a breach of their scheme, and a deviation from their
directions, the whole nation can relate.
Nor is it to be forgotten, sir, how invidiously the minister himself
endeavoured to extenuate the honour of that action, by attempting to
procure in the address, which was on that occasion presented to his
majesty, a suppression of the number of the ships with which he
performed it.
In the mean time, sir, the nation expected accounts of the same kind
from the Mediterranean, where Haddock was stationed with a very
considerable force; but instead of relations of ports bombarded, and
towns plundered, of navies destroyed, and villages laid in ashes, we
were daily informed of the losses of our merchants, whose ships were
taken almost within sight of our squadrons.
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