This was the most disastrous period of the war: the Bank of England stopped payment; mutinies broke out in the army and navy, which were attended by much bloodshed; Ireland was on the verge of rebellion; and the sum required for the year's service amounted to the abominable and increased sum of FORTY-TWO MILLIONS OF MONEY, of which thirty-four millions were raised by loans, and three millions by Exchequer Bills. The premier also proposed to extort seven millions from the people by a new impost, under the name of "the triple assessment!" The year 1798 presented a continuation of grievances amongst most classes in humble life. Revelry and uproarious riot, however, were ever to be found in the residences of the royal, yet unnatural, husband of the Princess of Wales; and each succeeding year seemed but to _improve_ him in all sorts of infamous engagements. He had at his command some of the most desperate and inhuman characters by which society was ever debased. One in particular, M'Mahon, who would at any time seduce a female from her home, under some specious pretence, in order to take her as a prize to his master, whose favour thereby might be secured! The intrigues of the Duke of York were also of a most abandoned character; and the other brothers _merit_ some notice in the "Annals of Infamy!" During Frederick's residence in Germany, he contracted habits and indulged in excesses abhorrent to human nature, and we should be spared much deep humiliation, as Englishmen, if we had not occasion to recur again to these sickening facts; but the recording angel of TRUTH forbids our silence, and we must not, therefore, disobey her mandate. 1799 will be remembered, and reference made to it, as long as humanity can reflect upon the desolations and calamities occasioned by war. The earth, in many quarters, was covered with "killed and wounded," while the money of the tax-payers paid the _legal assassins_! In the mean time, the minister at home was racking his brains how new taxes might be levied, to supply the means for the continuation of carnage. Property, liberty,--nay, even life itself, were deemed toys in the hands of Mr. Pitt, whose passions seemed to centre in rapine, enmity, and ambition. His heart was steeled against the cry of the widow and the plaintive sigh of the destitute orphan. The queen's account in the day of retribution must also be rather enormous, for the minister acted in concert with her in this complicated trickery. Mr. Pitt and the queen seemed to think their only part consisted in draining the resources of the people to their last ability, and in refusing all overtures of peace, whatever offers might be made. This year, France made proposals of peace with these kingdoms, which were _refused_, and war, desolating war, with all its attendant and consequent horrors, still reared its "gory banners" over the principal part of the world!