Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY: OUTLINE OF EVENTS IN EUROPE, 1783–1793
- CHAPTER II THE CONDITION OF THE NAVIES IN 1793—AND ESPECIALLY OF THE FRENCH NAVY
- CHAPTER III THE GENERAL POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CONDITIONS, AND THE EVENTS OF 1793
- CHAPTER IV THE WEST INDIES, 1793–1810
- CHAPTER V THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF MAY, 1794, AND BATTLE OF THE FIRST OF JUNE
- CHAPTER VI THE YEAR 1794 IN THE ATLANTIC AND ON THE CONTINENT
- CHAPTER VII THE YEAR 1795 IN THE ATLANTIC AND ON THE CONTINENT
- CHAPTER VIII THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALY.—FROM THE EVACUATION OF TOULON IN 1793 TO THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FROM THAT SEA, IN 1796, AND BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT, IN FEBRUARY, 1797.—AUSTRIA FORCED TO MAKE PEACE
- CHAPTER IX THE MEDITERRANEAN IN 1797 AND 1798
- CHAPTER X THE MEDITERRANEAN FROM 1799 TO 1801
- CHAPTER XI THE ATLANTIC, 1796–1801.—THE BREST BLOCKADES.—THE FRENCH EXPEDITIONS AGAINST IRELAND
- Plate section
CHAPTER V - THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF MAY, 1794, AND BATTLE OF THE FIRST OF JUNE
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY: OUTLINE OF EVENTS IN EUROPE, 1783–1793
- CHAPTER II THE CONDITION OF THE NAVIES IN 1793—AND ESPECIALLY OF THE FRENCH NAVY
- CHAPTER III THE GENERAL POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CONDITIONS, AND THE EVENTS OF 1793
- CHAPTER IV THE WEST INDIES, 1793–1810
- CHAPTER V THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF MAY, 1794, AND BATTLE OF THE FIRST OF JUNE
- CHAPTER VI THE YEAR 1794 IN THE ATLANTIC AND ON THE CONTINENT
- CHAPTER VII THE YEAR 1795 IN THE ATLANTIC AND ON THE CONTINENT
- CHAPTER VIII THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALY.—FROM THE EVACUATION OF TOULON IN 1793 TO THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FROM THAT SEA, IN 1796, AND BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT, IN FEBRUARY, 1797.—AUSTRIA FORCED TO MAKE PEACE
- CHAPTER IX THE MEDITERRANEAN IN 1797 AND 1798
- CHAPTER X THE MEDITERRANEAN FROM 1799 TO 1801
- CHAPTER XI THE ATLANTIC, 1796–1801.—THE BREST BLOCKADES.—THE FRENCH EXPEDITIONS AGAINST IRELAND
- Plate section
Summary
The pressure of the allied armies upon all her frontiers, combined with the British mastery of the sea, had thrown France largely upon her own resources during the year 1793; while the distracted condition of the country and a bad harvest had united to cause a scarcity of bread-stuffs, which threatened a famine, with all its consequences of sufferings to the army and the people, and inevitable increase of disturbance and sedition.
The eyes of the government had therefore turned beyond the sea to the United States, and its representatives there had been directed to accumulate a quantity of provisions to be shipped to France. It was intended to despatch these in a great convoy, to be protected on the voyage by a force of ships-of-war; while its approach to the shores of Europe would be covered by a sortie of the great fleet from Brest and Rochefort, to occupy the attention of, and, if necessary, forcibly to contest the control of the sea with, the British navy. Experience had not yet corrected the sanguine confidence of the republican government, based upon the wordy enthusiasm of the crews, nor taught it that, with the departure of the trained officers and the spread of license among the men, the navy had ceased to be the strong power which had faced Great Britain with success in the war of the American Revolution.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1893