gmertca, , ?|emp, an& JUapoleon - Vote Hemp

America, Russia, Hemp, and NapoleonAlthough Russia maintained a squadron of men-of-war inEnglish waters (commanded, by the way, by Admiral GeorgeTate, of Massachusetts!), 32 her significant contribution to theSecond Coalition against France was all on land. Paul sent hisarmies deep into Europe. Whe n they were defeated, Paulangrily blamed their failure on the cowardice and treachery ofthe other members of the Coalition. Napoleon, now FirstConsul, sensed the weakness in the Coalition and bent hisefforts to tempting Paul into the French camp—or, at least,into neutrality. Napoleon freed his Russian prisoners andoffered Malta to Paul. A s the French on Malta were no wisolated by the British navy and bound eventually to surrenderto the attack the British were launching on them, Napoleon'sgenerosity was perhaps questionable. His offer was a perfect"bait on purpose laid to make the taker mad" because Paul'sally, Britain, would no more tolerate a Russian Malta than aFrench. Britain fancied the Mediterranean a British lake,which meant she claimed Malta for herself. 33Britain further assisted Napoleon's courtship of Paul byacting her customary role on the high seas. A s usual in wartime,she took it upon herself to investigate the papers andcargo of every neutral vessel her cruisers could overhaul. Neu ­trals, the United States included, objected. Denmark particularlyobjected to British search of Danish merchantmen underconvoy by Danish men-of-war. In December, 1799, and July,1800, British and Danish men-of-war clashed over this question.In the latter encounter, blood was shed and the Britishcaptured a Danish frigate.Thus the affairs of North Europe stood in July, 1800, the82