From the termination of the campaigns of Marlborough&mdash;at which<br />time the British army won for itself a reputation rivalled by that of<br />no other in Europe&mdash;to the year when the despatch of a small army<br />under Sir Arthur Wellesley marked the beginning of another series<br />of British victories as brilliant and as unbroken as those of that great<br />commander, the opinion had gained ground in Europe that the<br />British had lost their military virtues, and that, although<br />undoubtedly powerful at sea, they could have henceforth but little<br />influence in European affairs. It is singular that the revival of<br />Britain&rsquo;s activity began under a Government which was one of the<br />most incapable that ever controlled the affairs of the country. Had<br />their deliberate purpose been to render nugatory the expedition<br />which&mdash; after innumerable vacillations and changes of purpose&mdash;<br />they despatched to Portugal, they could hardly have acted otherwise<br />than they did.