■WILLIAM IKE TKIKD.

155

CHAPTEE XXII.

On the seventh of May 1G96, William landed in Holland* cnAP.Thence he proceeded to Flanders, and took the command of - mas.the allied forces, which were collected in the neighbourhood °f ^j,' r '“ ryGhent. Villeroy and Boufflers wore already in the field. All non* inEurope waited impatiently for great news from the Netherlands, theriands.but waited in vain. No aggressive movement was made. Theobject of the generals on both sides was to keep their troopsfrom dying of hunger; and it was an object by no means easilyattained. The treasuries both of France and England wereempty. Lewis had, during the winter, created with great dif-ficulty and expense a gigantic magazine at Givet on the frontierof his kingdom. The buildings were commodious and of vastextent. The quantity of provender laid up in them for horseswas immense. The number of rations for men was commonlyestimated at from three to four millions. But early in the springAthlone and Cohorn had, by a bold and dexterous move, sur-prised Givet, and had utterly destroyed both storehouses andstores.** France, already fainting from exhaustion, was in nocondition to repair such a loss. Sieges such as those of Monsand Namur were operations too costly for her means. Thebusiness of her army now was, not to conquer, but to subsist.

The army of William was reduced to straits not less painful.

The material wealth of England, indeed, had not been veryseriously impaired by the drain which the war had caused: but

* London Gazette, May 4. 1696.

** Ibid. March 12. 10. 1696; Monthly Mercury for March, 1696,

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