NAVAL OPERATIONS.
The naval operations of England this year were various, though no very important results accrued therefrom. The small island of Goree on the western coast of Africa surrendered to Sir Charles Hamilton; and the British captured the Dutch island of Curaçoa. A squadron was sent under Sir Edward Pellew to the peninsula of Quiberon; but all that was done was to destroy some brigs, sloops, gun-boats, and a few trading vessels. This armament proceeded to the coast of Spain to destroy the arsenal and the shipping at Ferrol; but it was attended with the same ill-success. The land forces accompanying it under Sir James Pulteney then joined to those of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who, with the Mediterranean fleet under Lord Keith, was to make an attack upon Cadiz, and to capture or destroy the Spanish fleet. But this enterprise was given up as impracticable; and soon after General Pulteney was sent to Lisbon for the defence of Portugal, now threatened by Spain; and General Abercrombie received information that his troops were to be employed in Egypt. The year, however, was now far spent, and it was the middle of December before the armament arrived as far as Malta.