OPERATIONS IN THE WEST INDIES, 1778-1779.

THE BRITISH INVASION OF GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA Conditions of season exerted great influence upon the time and place of hostilities during the maritime war of 1778; the opening scenes of which, in Europe and in North America, have just been narrated.
In European seas it was realised that naval enterprises by fleets, requiring evolutions by masses of large vessels, were possible only in summer.

Winter gales scattered ships, impeded manoeuvres, and made gun-fire ineffective.

The same consideration prevailed to limit activity in North American waters to the summer; and complementary to this was the fact that in the West Indies hurricanes of excessive violence occurred from July to October.

The practice therefore was to transfer effort from one quarter to the other in the Western Hemisphere, according to the season.
In the recent treaty with the United States, the King of France had formally renounced all claim to acquire for himself any part of the American continent then in possession of Great Britain.