and the ships of war were detained to assist in suppressing the
attempts of the negroes. By this delay the Americans gained time for
equipping their privateers. After the fleet sailed it was dispersed by
stormy weather and many of the ships, richly laden, fell into the hands
of the American cruisers who were permitted to sell their prizes in the
ports of France, both in Europe and in the West Indies.

The conduct of France was now so openly manifested that it could no
longer be winked at, and it drew forth a remonstrance from the British
cabinet. The remonstrance was civilly answered, and the traffic in
British prizes was carried on somewhat more covertly in the French
ports in Europe; but it was evident that both France and Spain were in
a state of active preparation for war. The British ministry could no
longer shut their eyes against the gathering storm, and began to
prepare for it. About the middle of October (1776) they put sixteen
additional ships into commission, and made every exertion to man them.

On the 31st of October the parliament met and was opened by a speech
from the throne, in which his majesty stated that it would have given
him much satisfaction if he had been able to inform them that the
disturbances in the revolted Colonies were at an end, and that the
people of America, recovering from their delusion, had returned to
their duty; but so mutinous and determined was the spirit of their
leaders that they had openly abjured and renounced all connection and
communication with the mother country and had rejected every
conciliatory proposition. Much mischief, he said, would accrue not only
to the commerce of Great Britain but to the general system of Europe if
this rebellion were suffered to take root. The conduct of the Colonists
would convince every one of the necessity of the measures proposed to
be adopted, and the past success of the British arms promised the