itional alliance against Russia. Prussia, hoping for
Russian aid still, put aside the French demands, but the Tsar Alexander
expressed a decided preference for a defensive campaign against France,
and refused any assistance unless the French should commit an unprovoked
aggression on Koenigsberg. Scharnhorst seems to have seen the wisdom of
this policy. He now turned to Austria, but there again a definite
alliance was refused. Russia was equally unable to move Austria to join
her, so that Russia and Prussia were each isolated in their opposition
to Napoleon.

In the months of August and September of this year a British force,
commanded by Auchmuty, effected the conquest of Java, the wealthiest of
the East Indian islands. The island had been a Dutch colony, and like
other Dutch colonies had passed into the hands of France. Sumatra fell
into English hands along with Java, so that the supremacy of Great
Britain in the East Indies was fully established.

[Pageheading: _LIVERPOOL'S MINISTRY._]

The new ministry which entered on office in June, 1812, differed largely
in composition from that which had preceded it. Ryder and Yorke retired
at the death of Perceval, Harrowby returned to office, and places in the
cabinet were found for Sidmouth's adherents, Buckinghamshire,
Vansittart, and Bragge-Bathurst. Sidmouth himself succeeded Ryder as
home secretary, while Harrowby succeeded Sidmouth as president of the
council. Earl Bathurst took Liverpool's place as secretary for war and
the colonies. Vansittart succeeded Perceval at the exchequer and
Bragge-Bathurst in the duchy of Lancaster. Robert Dundas, now Viscount
Melville, followed Yorke at the admiralty, and Buckinghamshire took
Melville's place at the board of control, which became once more a
cabinet office. Eldon, Castlereagh, Westmorland, and Mulgrave retained
their former offices, while Camden remained in the cabinet without
office. In September Mulgrave was created an earl, and Camden a marquis.
The internal history of England during the first two years of
Liverpool's premiership has been entirely dwarfed by the interest of
external events. For this period comprised not only the Russian
expedition--the greatest military tragedy in modern history--the
marvellous resurrection of Germany, with the campaigns which culminated
in the stupendous battle of Leipzig, and the invasion of France which
ended in the abdication of Napoleon at Fontainebleau, but also the
brilliant concl