90,000 men, was to assemble between the Saar and the
Moselle, and to commence the siege of Saar Louis, before
the French could take the field. Marlborough, with the
native and auxiliary troops in the pay of the maritime
powers, was to penetrate along the Moselle, while the mar-
grave of Baden, with an Austrian force and the contingents
of the circles, was to act on the side of the Saar and co-ope-
rate in the grand attack. The imperial ministers had
solemnly engaged that their forces should be ready to take
the field early in the spring, and similar promises were made
by the German princes to furnish the requisite horses and
artillery. ^*

From his recent success, Marlborough naturally conceived
hopes of obtaining the immediate acquiescence of the Dutch.
But he found at this time the same weakness of government,
the same discordance of views, and the same factious opposi-
tion as he had before experienced from the parties in Hol-
land. Although eager to repair to the theatre of action, he
was detained at the Hague in combating the timid or frivo-
lous objections of the government, and his impatience breaks
forth in his correspondence.

To Lord Godolphin he observes:--

"April 21. -- I cannot but say that almost all their business here is in
great disorder, and their generals' desire of keeping 50 battalions and 90
squadrons on the Meuse is very unreasonable; for if this should be com-
plied with, I should have on the Moselle but 60 battalions and 79 squad-
rons, to act offensively; and at the same time they do not so much as
pretend to act otherwise than on the defensive. I am sure I shall never
consent to what they desire; but how I shall be able to get the troops

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