text:  The strength of his army made it impossible to force it in such a position as Genoa; but its very numbers added to the population of a great city held out to the enemy a hope of reducing it by famine; and as Genoa derives most of its supplies by sea Lord Keith the British naval commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean lent the assistance of his naval force to the Austrians; and by the vigilance of his cruizers the whole coasting trade right and left along the Riviera was effectually cut off