In Parliament the Whigs cheered at military defeats which might serve to discredit the Tory Government.

The navy was torn by faction.

When, in 1778, the Whig Admiral Keppel fought an indecisive naval battle off Ushant and was afterwards accused by one of his officers, Sir Hugh Palliser, of not pressing the enemy hard enough, party passion was invoked.

The Whigs were for Keppel, the Tories for Palliser, and the London mob was Whig.

When Keppel was acquitted there were riotous demonstrations; the house of Palliser was wrecked, and he himself barely escaped with his life.