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.

We had, indeed, once the satisfaction of hearing that the fleet of Spain
was confined in the port of Cadiz, unprovided with provisions, and it
was rashly reported that means would either be found of destroying them
in the harbour, or that they would be shut up in that unfruitful part of
the country, till they should be obliged to disband their crews.

We, therefore, sir, bore with patience the daily havock of our trade, in
expectation of the entire destruction of the royal navy of Spain, which
would reduce them to despair of resistance, and compel them to implore
peace. But while we were flattering ourselves with those pleasing
dreams, we were wakened on a sudden with an astonishing account that the
Spaniards had left Cadiz, and, without any interruption from the
Britons, were taking in provisions at Ferrol.