LES RENFORTS ANGLO-AUTRIGHÏENS

Lord Grenville à sir Morton Eclen, ambassadeur d'Angleterre à Vienne

Whitehall, 14 September 1793.

Sir,

You will ha\e been intbrmed, before you receive this messenger, of the very important event which took place at Toulon at the end of August. Mr Trevor acquaints me that he wrote on that occasion, to urge you again to push, in the strongest manner, on the court of Vienna the march of the troops in the Milanese or in the Tyrol, or such other assistance of land force as could be spared. I cannot but hope, that the infinité importance to the common cause of retaining the possession of Toulon will hâve been duly fel-t, and that, both on that account, and from a sensé of theparticular interest which His Majesty must feel in it, the request which you will certainly haverenewed on this occasion, will hâve been complied with, at least in part.

But, as it is so probable that the French will feel themselves called upon to make, for some time to corne, the recovery of lhat important city and port, the principal object of their exerlions in that quarter, it is urgent to lose no time in directing our attention to it, and in takingmeasures to support the avantage we hâve gained, and which may, in its conséquences, be décisive of the event. of the war. For that purpose, measures are already taken for sending to the Mediterranean, with ail possible expédition, a body of five thousand Hessians. And I am to désire that you will use every possible exertion to induce the court of Vienna to send thither, from the Milanese or Tyrol, some immédiate succour, even if it should not be more than the number above specified...

It is higbly probable, supposing lord Hood able to maintain himself in Toulon, that this may le&d to an earlier prospect of offensive opérations in considérable force in the south of France. For this purposealso, the military coopération of Austria will be necessary, but this, however, urgent in point of time, is less so, than the immédiate succours to be given to enable us to maintain our présent advantage.

The real obstacle which has presented a compliance wilh the requests hitherto made on this subjeet, has probably been the désire of Austria to annex to it the condition proposed by her, and strongly urged by count Slahremberg in his last conférence with me, respecting the acquisition of the Novarese.

Without entering far into this subjeet at présent, it is sufficient to remark that the realizing this object or not, is, in either way, a point not of importance enough to retard for a momeût the exécution of measures necessary for maintaining the allies in the possession of Toulon.

Lord Hood à Philip Stephens

Victory, 24November.

Having reserved information from M. Trevor and M. Drake, His Majesty's ministers at Turin and Genoa, that 5.000 austrian troops would move from Milan to the coast of Italy, aboutthe 10 th or 12 th of last month for Toulon, and requesting I would send ships to receive them with ail the despatch possible, I immediately ordered the vice-admiral Cosby (with sufficient tonnage to bring them) to Vado bay, the only place they could be taken board at, without manifest risque at this season of the year.

After the vice-admirars arrivai, M. Drake made known to him that the troops mustembark atLeghorn, having anumberof horses and mules wilh them, for which forage could not be procured in the genoese teritories. He accordingly proceeded to Leghorn road, but I am exceedingly sorry to inform you that, by letters I last night received from M. Trevor of the 18 th instant, there is not theshadow ofhope left for our seeing a simpler soldier at Toulon from Milan. This is a woeful disappointment..

Les Commissaires royaux Hood, Elliot et O'Hara à sir Robert Boy cl, gouverneur de Gibraltar

Toulon, the 20th November 1793.

Sir,

His Majesty having been pleased to appoint us his commissioners at Toulon, with fullest powers in every thing that regards this place, and with spécial instructions to lake every measure that wedeem necessary, either for ils defence, or for supplying it with the necessary troops, provisions, or stores ; wefind ourselvesunder the necessily of addressing your Excellency, on a subject of the utmost importance.

We hâve learnt to day, with the greatest concern, and to our extrême disappointment, that your Excellency has judged it proper to detain the troops which were ordered by His Majesty for the reinforcemcnt of this garrison ; we know so well Your Excellency's zeal for every branch of His Majestys service, that we are persuaded you could not hâve taken a résolution so full of inconvenience, and, we are sorry to add, of real danger to the defence of Toulon, if Your Excellency had been apprized of the pressing necessity we hâve for additional troops, and how fatal the smallest delay in obtaining reinforcements, may probably prove.

We hâve, therefore, thought it our duty to represent to your Excellency, in the strongest and clearest terms, that the préservation of this place, and the important objects connected with it, dépend entirehj on our receiving the most immédiate, and the most considérable succours that can be sent.

We are, therefore, under the necessity of dispatching to your Excellency, our express and urgent réquisition for ail the troops which were ordered, together with the most earnest request, for every addition that it is possible for you to make. A.reinforcement of fifteen hundred british troops, at the least, is absolutely indispensible, and every hour we are without them, may be décisive...