INSTRUCTIONS DU DUC D'ALCUDIÀ A L'AMIRAL LANGARA

Le duc cTAlcudia à lord Saint-Helcns, ambassadeur d'Angleterre à Madrid

(Traduction.)

San-Lorenzo, 3'1 Octoberl793.

As Ihe case, tho' remote, may possibly occur in which the spanis4i and english squadrons may be obliged to abandon the anchorage of Toulon, from their beingso much molested by bombs and red hot balls, as not to be able to remain there, His Majesty's pleasure, upon this point, has been signified to admirai Langara by the Minister of Marine on the lst instant, leaving, however, to the prudent discrétion of the admirai, to settle and résolve, in concert with lord Hood, whatever may, according to the existing circumstances, be found most advisable.

It is enjoined to him, therefore, to hâve ail the french shipsand frigates of war, which are fit for navigation, armed and brought into the road, in order to put to sea, when necessary ; and, as they will not be exposed to any hostile attack, it will be sufficient to man them with a party of spanishand english sailors, according to the nation of which the commander may be. And whatever farther hands may be wanted for their navigation to be taken from the french sailors attached to the good cause, giving the command of such ships, as has been done in the case of the fortifications and land batteries, to officers of the two combined powers ; and to thèse vessels may be added the division which our admirai has already been told that he might permit to be armed and put under the command rear admirai Trogoff.

That, if the unexpected event of abandoning the port should occur, admirai Langara shall sail, with ail the french ships that can be put to sea, to the islands of Hieres, or whatever other place he may appoint in concert with lord Hood, as most convenient, carrying in themm ail the artillery, ammunilion, arms and stores which they can bring ; leaving a manifest or protest to the government of Toulon, if the latter should not abandon the place, that ail the ships of the french navy shall be kept and laken care of, to be delivered, at a proper opportunity, to their lawl'ul sovereign, and making, if possible, a formai inventoryof the whole,

and that he shali give notice of Ihe whole of what may hâve passed, and of the place whilher he may hâve removed for His Majesly's information.

That the ships and other wessels whiçh either from the bad state of their nuits, or for want of stores, cannot be armed for sea, shall be immediately placed in the différent situations of defence belonging to the port, to serve as floating batteries ; stationing those of the combined squadronswhere they cannot be damaged; and, if it becomrs necessary to abandon the harbour, that thèse vessels be sunk or set on fire, in order that the enemy may not make use of them, for which purpose préparations shall be made before hand.

That, however, it is His Majesty's pleasure that the admirai shall not embrace the parly of abandoning the port, except in a case of extrême neccessity, in order not to leave the faithful Tolonese in the powerof those wbotyrannize over them ; and that, in that case, the fortifications shall be destroyed and the artillery spiked, particulary in ail the batteries that command the port. Final ly, admirai Laugara is charged to communicate ail this to lord Hood, in order that they may proceed in concert in this buisiness which the two Monarchs hâve taken under their joint care and direction. And I hâve the kings order to tramsmit to your Excellency for your information.