L'ANGLETERRE ET L'ESPAGNE

Lord Grenville à lord Saint-Helens

Whitehall, 9l" August 1793.

My Lord,

It is certainly very desireable to maintain, by communication and confidence, the favourable disposition which your Excellency states to prevail at présent in the spanish government, towards this country. The great diffîcully which stands in the way of such communication is the jealousy which may exist at Madrid, respecting the West Indies. His Majesty's ministers havehad occa-

sion publicly to avow the principle adopted by this government, that this country, forced into the expeaces and risques of war by the most unprovoked aggression, has a just claim to look for indemuification, if its arms are successful. And the probability that such indemnification will, at least in part, be found in the West Indies, is so obvious, that it cannot havc escaped the attention ofSpain. Still it is to be feared that direct discussions upon this point might lead to embarrassment and misunderslanding.

The best mode seems tobe to beginby adverting to the principle itself, and stating yourself to be authorized to admit, in the fuilest manner, its application on every ground of justice to the circumstances of Spain. If this is favourably received, as what your Excellency mentions in your last dispatch gives reason to expect, your Excellency may then try the ground of pointing the views of that court to acquisitions on its own frontier, as préférable to distant conquests, especially in the West Indies, where Spain is already possessed of territory far beyondwhatthe capital orindustry ofits subjects will enable them to cultivate. It does not seem advisable, in the présent moment, to enter into direct stipulations on this poinf, nor can it be thought reasonable or prudent to do so, till the successes of the confederate powers shall hâve brought questions of this nature necessarily more into discussion. But there is no diffîculty in your Excellency's intimatingon His Majesty's part, a disposition to concur in promoting and securing objects such as I hâve mentioned, if the success of the spanish arms in that quarter shall bring them forward at the time of negotiating for peace.

With respect to the questions relative to the interior of France, there is much less diffîculty in stating clearly, and without reserve, the sentiments of this government on that important point. The bringing back from a state of anarchy the most considérable state on the continent of Europe, and the destroying the centre which had been formed there for propagaling over ail the rest of Europe principles subversive of ail civil society, is unquestionably an objectof the first importance; and it may be doubted whether, till this be accomplished, permanent security canever be acquired by other powers.

But the présent state of that country does not seem to be such as to hold out the probability of doing this by the interférence of those powers applied for the purpose of establishing any particular form of government. Nor is there, as far as any judgment can be formed, such a disposition in the interior as would be necessary for the success of such a project. Under thèse circumstances, any déclaration on the part of the allied powers in favour of a particular party or of a particular form of government in the interior,

would lend only to unité ail those who were opposée! to that System, but could not be lookedto as affording a reasonable prospect for the re-establishment of solid peace, and permanent security.

The acknowledgment of the authority claimed by Monsieur as Régent, is evidently a measure of the nature which 1 hâve described, and as such has been avoided hère. The résidence of the princes hère has also been deemed objcctionable, on the same grounds, in addition to that of the embarrassment which would arise from the total want of judgment of those whose advice they hâve hitherlo followed. The king of Spain has hitherto pursued the same line in this respect, and I hâve reason to believe that the application of Monsieur to corne into Spain has, in fact, been already declined, and that the application to this court for advice has no other motive lhanthe wish to be able to alledge our advice in confirmation of their décision. There seems no objection to affording this support, if it is wished, especially as it may prevf nt any variations in the line already adopted, and which is hère judged to be the most prudent.

On the whole therefore, Ihe line to be adopted by your Excellency, in the présent moment, is to bring forward and establish in the discussions between the two Courts the principle of indemnification as reciprocally applicable ; to point the views of Spain in this respect as much as possible towards the frontier of France, in préférence to the West Indies, or even to Corsica, to keep out of discussion our views in the West Indies, unless there should be a certainty that Spain may be brought to concur in them, which seems little probable; andto prevent the court of Madrid from commilting itself with any description of Emigrés, or any party in the interior...

Sir,

Le duc d'Alcudia à lord Saint-Helens

(Traduction.)

San Lorenzo, 2 November 1793.

I hâve laidbefore the king your Excellency'sletterof the 24th ult% the translation inclosed in it of a dispatch from lord Grenville, and the project of a déclaration which His Britannic Majesty thinks it advisable to issue in order to engage the French to unité in establishing a form of government under an hereditary monarchy,

respecting Ihe various modificalions and limitations of which form ofgovernmentHissaid Majesty avoids enteringinto any discussion...

With respect to the point of indemnification, it appears lo the kin? to be just Lhat England should demand it for the expences of Ihe war which the/ French themselves hâve declared ; and His Majesty willcontribute, as farashe rnay be able,toit'sbeingrea!ized, at the same lime that His Majesty claims the rights which, in like manner, belong to him, upon the self-same ground ; being well assured that both sovereigns will cooperate, with mutual good faith, in forwarding the just views which each of them may propose to himself, on the point in question.

In the mean timo, it would be highly advisable, as lord Grenville observes, to render Toulon the centre of the opérations of the combined forces of the belligérant powers in France, in order to extend them from thence as oppoftunity may offer, in which we will certainly concurwith ail possible vigor, as has been effected hitberto, in ail the southern part of that kingdom.

With respect to the idea concerning Bourdeaux, the king considers it as no less important than worthy of being carried into exécution, and the circumstance only of his having ail his forces employed on the frontier, and being unable to detach from them the force necessary for this enterprize, prevents his undertaking it. Itoccurs, however, to His Majesty that if England could destine for this purpose some of its own troops or those of one of its allies, the opérations might be so combined that the attention of the French being engaged by the English on the side of Bourdeaux, and the Spaoiards on our frontier, the enemy would be obliged to divide their forces on this side ; and we should gain two considérable advantages, the one to effect an invasion with a probabilily of success, an the other that the well disposed French might avail themselves of that conjuncture to déclare themselves...

The kings déclaration is prccisely analogeous to that of his Britannic Majesty, as your Excellency may be pleased lo see by the inclosed copy, which I hâve the kings orders to communicate to you, at the same time that I transmit it to His Majesty's ambasdor at London, in order that he may présent it to his Britannic Majesty; a step which I accelerate under the supposition that (as is mentioned by lord Grenville) circumstances may not hâve required the publication of that which the court of London intends to publish, the king my Master obtaining, by thèse means, the complète satisfaction which he has at heart, of carrying into effect what he has promised in his convention with His Britannic Majesty, namely the combining His measures with that Monarch for the occurrences ot the présent war and its results.