anish peninsula, 1808-1812. The land force depended upon the
water, and the water was controlled by the Navy.

[Footnote 18: This was just below the mouth of the Schuylkill, a short
distance below the present League Island navy yard.]

CHAPTER IV

WAR BEGINS BETWEEN FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN. BRITISH EVACUATE
PHILADELPHIA. NAVAL OPERATIONS OF D'ESTAING AND HOWE ABOUT NEW YORK,
NARRAGANSETT BAY, AND BOSTON. COMPLETE SUCCESS OF LORD HOWE. AMERICAN
DISAPPOINTMENT IN D'ESTAING. LORD HOWE RETURNS TO ENGLAND.

1778

The events of 1777 satisfied the French government that the Americans
had strength and skill sufficient to embarrass Great Britain
seriously, and that the moment, therefore, was opportune for taking
steps which scarcely could fail to cause war. On the 6th of February,
1778, France concluded with the United States an open treaty of
amity and commerce; and at the same time a second secret treaty,
acknowledging the independence of the late Colonies, and contracting
with them a defensive alliance. On the 13th of March, the French
Ambassador in London communicated the open treaty to the British
government, with the remark that "the United States were in full
possession of the independence proclaimed by their declaration of July
4th, 1776." Great Britain at once recalled her Ambassador, and both
countries prepared for war, although no declaration was issued. On
the 13th of April, a French fleet of twelve ships of the line and five
frigates, under the command of the Count d'Estaing,[19] sailed from
Toulon for the American coast. It was destined to Delaware Bay,
hoping to intercept Howe's squadron. D'Estaing was directed to begin
hostilities when forty leagues west of Gibraltar.

The British ministry was not insensible of the danger, the imminence
of which had been felt during the previous year; but it had not got
ready betimes, owing possibly to confident expectations of success
from the campaign of 1777. The ships, in point of numbers and
equipment, were not as far forward as the Admiralty had represented;
and difficulty, amounting for the moment to impossibility, was
experienced in manning them. The vessels of the Channel fleet had to
be robbed of both crews and stores to compose a proper reinforcement
for America. Moreover, the destination of the Toulon squadron was
unknown, the French government having given out that it was bound to
Brest, where over twenty other ships of the line were in an advanced
s