rable
for his majesty and his allies; and, in order to effect that great end,
they assured him they would cheerfully grant such supplies as should
be found necessary to sustain, and press with effect, all his extensive
operations against the enemy. They did not fail to re-echo the speech,
as usual; enumerating the trophies of the year, and extolling the king
of Prussia for his consummate genius, magnanimity, unwearied activity,
and unshaken constancy of mind. Very great reason, indeed, had his
majesty to be satisfied with an address of such a nature, from a
house of commons in which opposition lay strangled at the foot of
the minister; in which those demagogues, who had raised themselves to
reputation and renown by declaiming against continental measures,
were become so perfectly reconciled to the object of their former
reprobation, as to cultivate it even with a degree of enthsiasm
unknown to any former administration, and lay the nation under such
contributions in its behalf, as no other ministry durst ever meditate.
Thus disposed, it was no wonder they admired the moderation of their
sovereign in offering to treat of peace, after above a million of men
had perished by the war, and twice that number been reduced to misery;
after whole provinces had been depopulated, whole-countries subdued, and
the victors themselves almost crushed by the trophies they had gained.

Immediately after the addresses were presented, the commons resolved
themselves into a committee of the whole house; and having unanimously
voted a supply to his majesty, began to take the particulars into
consideration. This committee was continued till the twelfth of May,
when that whole business was accomplished. For the service of the
ensuing year they voted seventy thousand seamen, including eighteen
thousand three hundred and fifty-five marines, and for their maintenance
allotted three millions six hundred and forty thousand pounds. The
number of land-forces, including the British troops in Germany, and the
invalids, they fixed at fifty-seven thousand two hundred and ninety-four
men, and granted for their subsistence one million three hundred and
eighty-three thousand seven hundred and forty-eight pounds and tenpence.
For maintaining other forces in the plantations, Gibraltar, Guadaloupe,
Africa, and the East Indies, they allowed eight hundred forty-six
thousand one hundred and sixty-eight pounds, nineteen shillings: for the
expense of four regiments