e
frontier, his officers declared their distaste for the task, and knew
they were reflecting the sentiments of an overpowering majority of
their own nation. The invasion turned out a farce, and was rather in
the nature of a friendly reception by the inhabitants.

Francis therefore hoped for something from Alexander's lukewarmness.
The latter, however, would do nothing, for nominally, and in
occasional skirmishes really, he was fighting Turkey, and meant, after
the peace, to claim the fulfilment of Napoleon's promise. It would be
impolitic to jeopardize his whole ambition by any deviation from the
letter of the Erfurt agreement. Francis therefore was informed that he
must make the best terms with Napoleon that he could. As to Great
Britain, the chances seemed better. In the seas that bordered Italy
and the Ionian Isles, off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, on the
waters of the Baltic, her flag was seen. Wellesley had been landed in
the Iberian peninsula, and, driving Soult before him, had not only
expelled the French from Portugal, but had defeated Victor at
Talavera, and was preparing for the invasion of Spain. The English
government had in readiness another army of forty thousand men and
another fleet of thirty-five ships of the line. Where best could they
employ them? After long deliberation the selfish policy was adopted of
using them, not to cripple Napoleon, but for England's immediate
advantage. They were not sent to reinforce Wellesley and insure the
conquest of Spain, nor to save Schill, nor to strengthen Austria. By
any one of these courses the European uprising against the French
emperor would have been inaugurated that very year.

As it was, they were despatched to destroy the dockyards of the
Netherlands, where it was said, and perhaps believed, that Napoleon
was building ships to dispute British supremacy at sea. After
disembarking on the island of Walcheren, the army combined with the
fleet in a successful attack on Flushing, which fell on August
fifteenth. This was their only success. Fouche raised an army of
national guards, and Bernadotte, who, having incurred the Emperor's
displeasure at Wagram for his slowness and lack of success, had been
sent home in disgrace, was induced to put himself at its head. The
army and navy officers of the English disagreed as to how they should
meet him. The result was separation and disaster; the fleet sailed
back to England and the army withdrew to Walcheren, where i