the incessant volleys of musketry directed upon his boats from the French flagship and the wall of the royal battery.

Much of the proceedings that followed, and the causes that produced them, must for ever remain enveloped in mystery. Recriminations and charges, many and bitter, have taken place between the English and Spanish, concerning these atrocities. Perfidy and treachery have been openly alleged against our allies. For ourselves, we are rather inclined to suppose that the Spaniards and Italians were so confounded at the novel situation in which they found themselves, that, in doing they knew not what, they left undone that which it was their imperative duty to do, and thus, through their fear-impelled commissions and omissions, they seemed to be treacherous when they were only cowardly.

The grounds of affixing the black stigma of treachery upon the Spaniards are principally these. Early in the occupation of the place, the Spanish admiral communicated to Lord Hood the very bold intelligence that his Catholic Majesty had appointed him, Langara, to be sole commanderin-chief. This, of course, Lord Hood resisted; but whether the treason (if any) sprang from this quarrel, or this quarrel was but the arranged commencement of the treason, we will not pretend to

determine. However, the Don took up a very menacing attitude, for he placed his twenty-one ships of the line so that he completely enclosed the British fleet, consisting only of ten, placing his own ship alongside the Victory, and one threedecker on her bow, and another on her quarter.

The next indication of treachery was an insidious proposal to Lord Hood that the combined fleets should depart from Toulon, and make a diversion in favour of Paoli in Corsica, thus leaving the place at the mercy of the Republicans. He then wished to tempt the English admiral away on an expedition against Tunis; and finally endeavoured to raise a quarrel, because some Corsican men-of-war were riding in the roads with their national flag at their mastheads.

Now, when we look at the supineness of the Spaniards, and consider it in reference to the whole course of their proceedings, though we may not fully condemn, yet we certainly must hesitate to acquit them. Unfortunately the spirit of the two antagonist principles of monarchy and democracy ran so high at this time, that the evidence of the writers of that day, even as to the simplest facts, cannot be relied on. A work was published in France, and translated into English, which distinctly stated that Robespierre said, in one of his official despatches, Arguments of

weight, and especially golden arguments, seldom fail of having some effect. The Spanish admirals and generals in the Mediterranean had instructions rather to watch than to act with the English." And also, "It was at one time determined to withdraw the army from before Toulon, and retire on the other side of the Durance; when, fortunately, the Spanish courier arrived, and everything was settled between my brother on our part, and Major S. on the other, with respect to Toulon." This brother was one of the commissioners attached to the army of Toulon. It is still further stated that Robespierre asserted, "The Spaniards, in consequence of this agreement, fled on all sides, (being attacked at an appointed time,) and left the English everywhere to bite the dust; but particularly at a stronghold called by them Fort Mulgrave. The ships which the Spaniards had to burn, they did not set fire to. The British ships had more than one escape at this period. Conformably to the agreement, the Spaniards were to attempt the destruction of some others, by cutting the cables, and by blowing up some old French men-of-war, laden with powder, in the harbour. This, indeed, they did, but too late to cause any damage to the English; and in this instance alone have we any reason to complain of the Spaniards."

Speaking of the conflagration of the ships, Bonaparte himself says, "Sir Sidney Smith set them on fire, and they would have been all burned, if the Spaniards had behaved well. It was the prettiest feu d'artifice possible."

This dictum certainly goes no farther than a corroboration as to the incapacity of these allies, to assist whom has caused, and is still causing, the loss of so much money, anxiety, and blood.

To return to Sir Sidney Smith's proceedings. Our officer, finding affairs in this critical situation, immediately proceeded to burn, after having liberated the prisoners, the two prison-ships, Le Héros and Thémistocle, which he completely effected. Hardly was this service performed, when he and his gallant little party were astonished by the explosion of the Montreal, another powder-ship, by means equally unexpected and base, and with a shock even greater than that of the former disaster; but the lives of Sir Sidney Smith and the gallant men who were then serving under him were again providentially saved from the imminent danger in which they were so suddenly placed.

Threading a thousand perils, and literally pulling through showers of grape and musketry, the brave band which had thus so much damaged the enemy and served their country, at length reached the Victory in safety. This exploit was

the most striking and the most glorious feature of these ill-conducted proceedings. The fame of our officer was commensurately increased. Men began to look up to him a sone destined, hereafter, to extend the conquests and uphold the honour of the British empire. From the kindness of his natural disposition, and the amenity of his manners, his successes, great and dazzling as they were, created for him less envy than usually attends transcendent merit. Men of all classes and of all ranks spoke well of him. By the seamen he was all but idolised.

We present our readers with Sir Sidney's despatch on this momentous occasion:

"Toulon, Dec. 18. 1793.

"MY LORD,-Agreeably to your lordship's order, I proceeded with the Swallow tender, three English and three Spanish gunboats, to the arsenal, and immediately began making the necessary preparations for burning the French ships and stores therein. We found the dock-gates well secured by the judicious arrangements of the governor, although the dockyard people had already substituted the three-coloured cockade for the white one. I did not think it safe to attempt the securing any of them, considering the small force I had with me, and considering that. a contest of any kind would occupy our whole