[402] "W. O.," i, 323. In "F. O.," Holland, 57, is a memorial of Elphinstone and Craig to Grenville, stating why they had detained at the Cape the U. S. ship "Argonaut," whose owners now prosecuted them for L100,000. [403] "South Africa a Century ago." By Lady Anne Barnard. [404] "F. O.," Prussia, 70. Pitt to Harrowby, 27th October 1805. [405] "Nelson Despatches," ii, 5. [406] "Corresp. of Sir John Sinclair," i, 141-3. [407] Puisaye, "Mems.," ii, 594-603; Forneron, "Hist. des Emigres," ii, 13, 14. [408] Cornwallis, "Corresp.," iii, 289. [409] "F. O.," France, 44. Grenville to d'Harcourt, 19th June 1795. [410] On 19th January 1798 Pitt, Windham, and Canning agreed to give L9,082 and L9,400 for the discharge of debts due for services of the Royalists in France, incurred in England and France respectively, leaving a balance of L8,000 for future payment. The following sums were paid to the Duc d'Harcourt for the support of "Monsieur": in 1796, L3,000; in 1797, L9,000; and after May 1798 at the rate of L500 per month (B.M. Add. MSS., 37844). I have not found the sums allowed to the Comte d'Artois. CHAPTER XII PITT AS WAR MINISTER (1793-8) Si vous affaiblissez vos moyens en partageant vos forces, si vous rompez en Italie l'unite de la pensee militaire, je vous le dis avec douleur, vous aurez perdu la plus belle occasion d'imposer des lois a l'Italie.... La guerre est comme le gouvernement, c'est une affaire de tact.--NAPOLEON, _Letters of 14th May 1796_. In estimating the services of Pitt as War Minister during the first phases of the conflict we must remember that the ambition of his life was to be a Peace Minister. Amidst the exhaustion caused by the American War, he deemed it essential to ensure the continuous growth of savings and investments which, under favourable conditions, advance at the rate of Compound Interest. His success in the time of peace 1783-93, may be measured by the fact that, despite the waste of war, the rate of progress was not seriously checked in the years 1793-6. A Scotsman, MacRitchie, who travelled through England in 1795[411] was surprised to find the large towns in a most flourishing state; and it is well known that the exports of cottons largely increased in the last decade of the century. Seeing that the war became "a contention of purse," the final triumph of England may be ascribed to the reserve of strength which Pitt had helped to assure. He did not live on to witness the issue of the economic struggle brought about by the Continental System of Napoleon. But a study of the commercial war of the years 1806-13 shows that Pitt's forethought enabled Britain to foil the persistent efforts of her mightiest enemy.