invasion of Florida and Louisiana.... The
conquest of Havana had in great measure interrupted the
communications between the wealthy American colonies of Spain
and Europe. The reduction of the Philippine Islands now excluded
her from Asia. The two together severed all the avenues of
Spanish trade and cut off all intercourse between the parts of
their vast but disconnected empire."[107]

The selection of the points of attack, due to the ministry of Pitt,
was strategically good, cutting effectually the sinews of the enemy's
strength; and if his plans had been fully carried out and Panama also
seized, the success would have been yet more decisive. England had
lost also the advantage of the surprise he would have effected by
anticipating Spain's declaration of war; but her arms were triumphant
during this short contest, through the rapidity with which her
projects were carried into execution, due to the state of efficiency
to which her naval forces and administration had been brought.

With the conquest of Manila ended the military operations of the war.
Nine months, counting from the formal declaration by England in
January, had been sufficient to shatter the last hope of France, and
to bring Spain to a peace in which was conceded every point on which
she had based her hostile attitude and demands. It seems scarcely
necessary, after even the brief summary of events that has been given,
to point out that the speed and thoroughness with which England's work
was done was due wholly to her sea power, which allowed her forces to
act on distant points, widely apart as Cuba, Portugal, India, and the
Philippines, without a fear of serious break in their communications.

Before giving the terms of peace which ought to summarize the results
of the war, but do so imperfectly, owing to the weak eagerness of the
English ministry to conclude it, it is necessary to trace in outline
the effect of the war upon commerce, upon the foundations of sea power
and national prosperity.

One prominent feature of this war may be more strongly impressed upon
the mind by a startling, because paradoxical, statement that the
prosperity of the English is shown by the magnitude of their losses.

"From 1756 to 1760," states a French historian, "French
privateers captured from the English more than twenty-five
hundred merchantmen. In 1761, though France had not, so to
speak, a single ship-of-the-line at sea, and