<P> The stalemate had really been reached by 1759--1760, and Prussia and Austria were nearly out of money . The materials of both sides had been largely consumed . Frederick was no longer receiving subsidies from Britain; the Golden Cavalry of St. George had produced nearly 13 million dollars (equivalent). He had melted and coined most of the church silver, had ransacked the palaces of his kingdom and coined that silver, and reduced his purchasing power by mixing it with copper . His banks' capital was exhausted, and he had pawned nearly everything of value from his own estate . While Frederick still had a significant amount of money left from the prior British subsidies, he hoped to use it to restore his kingdom's prosperity in peacetime; in any case, Prussia's population was so depleted that he could not sustain another long campaign . Similarly, Marie Theresa had reached the limit of her resources . She had pawned her jewels in 1758; in 1760, she approved a public subscription for support and urged her public to bring their silver to the mint . French subsidies were no longer provided . Although she had many young men still to draft, she could not conscript them and did not dare to resort to impressment, as Frederick had done . She had even dismissed some men because it was too expensive to feed them . </P> <P> Great Britain planned a "descent" (an amphibious demonstration or raid) on Rochefort, a joint operation to overrun the town and burn shipping in the Charente . The expedition set out on 8 September 1757, Sir John Mordaunt commanding the troops and Sir Edward Hawke the fleet . On 23 September the Isle d'Aix was taken, but military staff dithered and lost so much time that Rochefort became unassailable . The expedition abandoned the Isle d'Aix, returning to Great Britain on 1 October . </P> <P> Despite the debatable strategic success and the operational failure of the descent on Rochefort, William Pitt--who saw purpose in this type of asymmetric enterprise--prepared to continue such operations . An army was assembled under the command of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough; he was aided by Lord George Sackville . The naval squadron and transports for the expedition were commanded by Richard Howe . The army landed on 5 June 1758 at Cancalle Bay, proceeded to St. Malo, and, finding that it would take prolonged siege to capture it, instead attacked the nearby port of St. Servan . It burned shipping in the harbor, roughly 80 French privateers and merchantmen, as well as four warships which were under construction . The force then re-embarked under threat of the arrival of French relief forces . An attack on Havre de Grace was called off, and the fleet sailed on to Cherbourg; the weather being bad and provisions low, that too was abandoned, and the expedition returned having damaged French privateering and provided further strategic demonstration against the French coast . </P> <P> Pitt now prepared to send troops into Germany; and both Marlborough and Sackville, disgusted by what they perceived as the futility of the "descents", obtained commissions in that army . The elderly General Bligh was appointed to command a new "descent", escorted by Howe . The campaign began propitiously with the Raid on Cherbourg . Covered by naval bombardment, the army drove off the French force detailed to oppose their landing, captured Cherbourg, and destroyed its fortifications, docks, and shipping . </P>

The seven years' war was disastrous for which of the following groups