The moral effect of this victory was very great.  Hitherto our troops, except in Egypt, had had no opportunity of showing their splendid qualities.  More than half a century had passed since at Minden a British force had triumphed over a French force in Europe; and Napoleon expressed the current opinion when he declared to Joseph his joy that at last the slow and clumsy English had ventured on the mainland.[86] Moreover, the success at Maida, the general rising of the Calabrias that speedily followed, and Stuart’s capture of Reggio, Cortone, and other towns, with large stores and forty cannon destined for the conquest of Sicily, scattered to the winds the French hope of carrying Sicily by a coup de main.

If there was any chance of the Russian and British Governments deserting the cause of the Bourbons, it was ended by the news from the Mediterranean; and Napoleon now realized that the mastery of that sea—­“the principal and constant aim of my policy”—­had once more slipped from his grasp!  On their side the Bourbons were unduly elated by a further success which was more brilliant than solid.  Queen Caroline, excited at the capture of Capri by Sir Sidney Smith, sought to rouse all her lost provinces:  she intrigued behind the back of the King and of General Acton, while the knight-errant succeeded in paralyzing the plans of Sir John Stuart.[87] Meanwhile Massena, after reducing the fortress of Gaeta to surrender, marched southward with a large force, and the British and Bourbon forces re-embarked for Sicily, leaving the fierce peasants and bandits of Calabria to the mercies of the conquerors.  But Maida was not fought in vain.  Sicily thenceforth was safe, the British army regained something of its ancient fame, and the hope of resisting Napoleon was strengthened both at St. Petersburg and London.

Peace can rarely be attained unless one of the combatants is overcome or both are exhausted.  But neither Great Britain nor France was in this position.  By sea our successes had been as continuous as those of Napoleon over our allies on land.  In January we captured the Cape from the Dutch:  in February the French force at St. Domingo surrendered to Sir James Duckworth:  Admiral Warren in March closed the career of the adventurous Linois; and early in July a British force seized great treasure at Buenos Ayres, whence, however, it was soon obliged to retire.  After these successes Fox could not but be firm.  He refused to budge from the standpoint of uti possidetis which our envoy had stated as the basis of negotiations:  and the Earl of Lauderdale, who was sent to support and finally to supersede the Earl of Yarmouth, at once took a firm tone which drew forth a truculent rejoinder.  If that was to be the basis, wrote Clarke, the French plenipotentiary, then France would require Moravia, Styria, the whole of Austria (Proper), and Hanover, and in that case leave England her few colonial conquests.