to invade Ireland.  The navy of France was reduced to helplessness.  Pitt, before his resignation, had planned a series of new operations, including an attack on Martinique, with other West Indian islands still left to France, and then in turn on the Spanish possessions of Havana, Panama, Manila, and the Philippines.  Now, more than ever before, the war appeared in its true character.  It was a contest for maritime and colonial ascendency; and England saw herself confronted by both her great rivals at once.

Admiral Rodney sailed for Martinique, and Brigadier Monckton joined him with troops from America.  Before the middle of February the whole island was in their hands; and Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent soon shared its fate.  The Earl of Albemarle and Admiral Sir George Pococke sailed in early spring on a more important errand, landed in June near Havana with eleven thousand soldiers, and attacked Moro Castle, the key of the city.  The pitiless sun of the tropic midsummer poured its fierce light and heat on the parched rocks where the men toiled at the trenches.  Earth was so scarce that hardly enough could be had to keep the fascines in place.  The siege works were little else than a mass of dry faggots; and when, after exhausting toil, the grand battery opened on the Spanish defences, it presently took fire, was consumed, and had to be made anew.  Fresh water failed, and the troops died by scores from thirst; fevers set in, killed many, and disabled nearly half the army.  The sea was strewn with floating corpses, and carrion-birds in clouds hovered over the populous graveyards and infected camps.  Yet the siege went on:  a formidable sally was repulsed; Moro Castle was carried by storm; till at length, two months and eight days after the troops landed, Havana fell into their hands.[873] At the same time Spain was attacked at the antipodes, and the loss of Manila and the Philippines gave her fresh cause to repent her rash compact with France.  She was hardly more fortunate near home; for having sent an army to invade Portugal, whichwas in the interest of England, a small British force, under Brigadier Burgoyne, foiled it, and forced it to retire.

[Footnote 873:  Journal of the Siege, by the Chief Engineer, in Beatson, II. 544.  Mante, 398-465.  Entick, V. 363-383.]

The tide of British success was checked for an instant in Newfoundland, where a French squadron attacked St. John’s and took it, with its garrison of sixty men.  The news reached Amherst at New York; his brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Amherst, was sent to the scene of the mishap.  St. John’s was retaken, and its late conquerers were made prisoners of war.