FRENCH REVOLUTION AND FRENCH REPUBLIC 353 power he transferred the Dutch Colony at the Cape of Good Hope. In 1795 the three eastern powers made a further partition of Poland, and both Prussia and Spain retired from the French war. The French government which assumed control in July 1794 and overthrew Robespierre set about the usual business of inventing a new constitution. The administra- The tion was to be in the hands of a Directory of Directory, five ; two Assemblies were to have charge of 1795 "- legislation. Two-thirds of the members of the first Assemblies were to be taken from among the members of the National Convention. When the time arrived for the elections, Paris rose in insurrection; the head of the government, Barras, entrusted the task of dealing with the mob to Buonaparte, though he was only six-and-twenty. Buonaparte brought artillery to bear, and the insurrection was suppressed. Thus the Directory was established. Henceforth Buonaparte or Bonaparte — as he presently spelt his name — is the central figure ; but until 1799 he is in theory merely one of the generals of the Republic. In „ . Bonaparte, fact, he had already made up his mind to play the part of Julius Caesar. The plan of campaign which he sub- mitted to Carnot procured him the command of the armies of the Republic in Italy, which was selected as one area of the war with Austria. Two other armies were to advance on Vienna through Germany. In Italy, Austria had for her ally the King of Sardinia and his subjects in Piedmont. Bonaparte joined the French forces in April and opened one of the most brilliant and „,_ .. . , . . . , . The startling campaigns on record ; making it his great Italian principle to keep the enemy split up so that he Campaign, could destroy them in detachments. This he accomplished by the rapidity and audacity of his movements. Thus he shattered their centre at Montenotte. The Austrian wing retired on the Po, the Piedmontese on Turin, but the King of Sardinia saw that Piedmont was thus practically lost and promptly made his own peace. Bonaparte turned on the Austrians, routed them at the Bridge of Lodi, and took posses z
