CHAPTER XII.

REIGN OF GEORGE III. (_continued_).

Rodney takes St. Eustatia--Destruction of Dutch Commerce--Loss of Minorca--Naval Actions--Meeting of Parliament--Vehemence of the Opposition--Losses in the West Indies--Breaking up of the Ministry--Their Defeat on Conway's Motion--Lord North's Resignation--Shelburne refuses the Premiership--New Whig Government--Agitation in Ireland--Grattan's Motion for Legislative Independence--The Volunteer Meeting at Dungannon--Grattan's Motion carried--Demands of the Irish Parliament conceded--Flood's Agitation--Economic Reforms--Pitt's Motion for Parliamentary Reform--Unsuccessful Negotiations for Peace--Rodney's Victory over De Grasse--Lord Howe's Exploits--The Siege and Relief of Gibraltar--Negotiations for Peace--Folly of Oswald and Duplicity of Shelburne--The Negotiations continued--Franklin throws over Vergennes--Conclusion of a Secret Treaty between England and America--Fate of the American Royalists--Announcement of the Peace in Parliament--Terms of Peace with France, Spain, and Holland--Opposition to the Peace--Coalition of Fox and North--Fall of Shelburne--Pitt's Attempt to form a Ministry--The Coalition in Office--Reform and the Prince of Wales--Fox's India Bill--Its Introduction--Progress of the Measure--The King's Letter to Temple--Reception of the News in the Commons--Dismissal of the Ministry--Pitt forms a Cabinet--Factious Opposition of Fox--Pitt's India Bill--He refuses to divulge his Intentions--The Tide begins to Turn--Attempt at a Coalition--Increasing Popularity of Pitt--Fox's Resolution--The Dissolution--"Fox's Martyrs" 284