LE DIFFEREND ANGLO-ESPAGNOL

L'amiral Langara à l'amiral Hood

(Traduction.) On board the ship Mexicano, at Tolon, 23rd October 1793.

MOST EXCELLENT SlR,

In conséquence of the valour and skill with which rear admirai don Federico Gravina conducted the combined forces in the attack and recovery of Ihe important post of La Malgue, in which ne was so gloriously wounded, and of the good military conduct which he has shewn ever since our entrance into this port, the king has been pleased to promote him to the rank of lieutenant gênerai of his fleet, and to confirm him in the gênerai command of the allied forces in the possession of which he has been, by the agreement between your Excellency and me. And by the same royal order, major gênerai don Raphaël Valdès is to remain with the command of the spanish troops.

God préserve your Excellency many years.

L'amiral Hood à l'amiral Langara

Victory, Toulon road, 24th October 1793.

Sir,

I hâve been honoured with your Excellency's letter of last night, informing me that, on account of the valour and good conduct of admirai Gravina, His Catholic Majesty had promot d him to the rank of lieutenant gênerai, and commander in chief of the combined forces at Toulon.

No one can more sincerely rejoice than myself at my much esieemed friend's promotion, but, His Sardinian and Sicilian Majesty having been graciously pleased to confide their respective troops entirely to my disposai, or to act under such british officer as I may judge fit to put hem, I am very much at a loss to conceive upon what ground admirai Gravina can take upon him the title of

commander in chief of the combined forces at Toulon ; more especially as the towa and its dépendant forts were yielded up to the british troops alone, and taken possession of by me. I shall therefore feel it my duty to put the sardinian and sicilian troops, together with the british, under the command of major gênerai O'Hara, the moment he arrives (who is now off the port), eventually subject to such orders as I may see fit to give.

At the same time, I entreat your Excellency will give me crédit for the most sincère wish and inclination to cooperate wilh your Excellency, and every servant and subject of His Gatholic Majesty, in the most cordial and friendly manner, for supporting the cornmon cause in which our sovereigns are united, not only for the defence of Toulon and security to the persons and property of its inhabitants, but for restoring good order and a permanent government to the distracted kingdom of France, to which happy end the coalesced troops will, I hope and trust, ever act in perfect harmony together; r.othing shall be wanting, on my part, to contribue to it; and Ido most readily admit that, whenever the whole or a part of the combined forces go out upon any service, the sole and absolute command must be in in the senior olficer présent of whatever nation ; but I cannot admit that admirai Gravina has authority over any other troops but the Spanish in garrison where undoubtedly governor Goodall commands, and must continue so to do, unlill I hâve orders from my sovereign to withdraw him.

V amiral hangar a à V amiral Hood

(Traduction.)

On board the ship Mexicano in the road of Toulon, 25th. Octoberl793.

Most Excellent Sir,

From the very day that I had the honour to combine wilh your Excellency the expédition of Toulon, we agreed upon the absolute equality ofcommandto be held by the subalterns whom w^should name for the defence and préservation of the place. On thèse prfcciples, the conslitutcd authorities and the gênerai Gommilteearted from the time of our entrance into the port, reposing the milil.iry command in both admirais, and acknowledging with ail solcu.-

nity, on Ihe 2Dd of september, rear admirai don Federico Gravina as commandant gênerai of the troops, and rear admirai Goodallas governor ofthe town of Toulon, the keys of which they presented, at the same time, to your Excellency and to me, on our landing. Your Excellency knows that the formidable seaand land force with which 1 joined your Excellency, and which arrivcd so speedily, demanded that equality in right which was agrced upon, and consequently my reports to the king my master were conformable to that agreement. The royal order which T hâve had the honour to communicate to Your Excellency for confirming lieutenant gênerai don Federico Gravina in the command of the combined forces atToulon is a conséquence of what was settled, the said 2,,d day of september, in your Excellency's and my présence, and in that of ail the chiefs and authorities at Toulon, to whom he was made known as such by rear admirai Parker. This need be no obstacle to the particular command of the english as well as ofthe neapolitan and sardinian troops devolving on major gênerai CTHara, or any other english gênerai whom your Excellency may name, in the same manner as that of the Spanish hason major gênerai don Raphaël Valdes, nor does it prevent, inthe case of any expédition, the eommand being given to the ofncer of highest rank or greater seniorily, let him be of what nation he may.

Your Excellency lias found me, and will always find me very much disposed to concur in every thing that can contribute to the good of the common cause, nor hâve I bcen backward hitherto in acting with goodfaith, and with thatfrankness and sincerity which it appeared to methat l oughtto use with respect to your Excellency, and also from the présent circumstances, under which I cannot depart from an equality in every thing relative to the enterprize, conformably to the alliance between our respective sovereigns. It is not in my power to vary from what was agreed upon and solemnly published on the said 2nd day of september, and I do not doubt but that, as hitherto there has been no doubt aboutthe récognition of the authority of don Federico Gravina by the allied troops, nor of that of admirai Goodall bythe Spanish, there neither will be any in future, but that we shall ail unanimously and with the best harmony, apply ourselves to obtain the desired end. God préserve your Excellency many years.

V amiral Hood à V amiral Langara

Victory, Toulon road, 25u' October 1793.

MOST EXCELLENT ÂDMIRAL,

Ihave been honored wilh your Excellency's Ietter of yesterday's date, and, although my duly to my sovereign may occasion a différence of opinion between us upon points of public service, nothing can weaken the respect and esteem I atn proud to entertain l'or your Excellency. T ani not aware of any agreement whatever beyond that of most cordially cooperating for the support of the cominon cause in which our sovereigns are so cordially united.

The circonstances to which your Excellency alludes to hâve taken place on the 2d September, was four days after the honorable George Keith Elphinstone had, by my order, taken possession of the town and arsenal of Toulon, and the dépendant forts, as governor. But, on his representing to me that it was tofally impossible for one man to discharge the varions complicated duties, I appointed rear admirai Goodall to be governor of Toulon, and re-appointed the honorable captain Elphinstone to be governor of La Malgue. My sole business on shore, on the 2a september (and I made no objection to )Our Excellency's proposai of going wilh me) was to introduce governor Goodall, and to express to the Committees then présent that, if they meant to rely upon me for protection to their persons, and security to their property, they must submit to my giving it in that mode and manner I should judge best, and I farther added that, upon this point, your Excellency and I were perfeclly of the same opinion. I am totally ignorant of any other agreement.

Indeed, some days after, your Excellency talked of a convention to be signed belween us, which I objected to as totally unnecessary; but, at the same Urne, expressed the most perfect readiness to sanction, and not interfère in the calholic religion, or impede the priests in their functions, and that their places of worship should be respected, and their persons protected. This was one of the articles your Excellency proposed, to which I assented.

With respect to the keys of the town being presented, your Excellency has been misinformed; they were the keys only of their bureau and the places of the archives, the keys of the town being then in possession of governor Elphinstone.

Various reports hâve been daily made to me of encroachments for power by officers under your Excellency's command, winch I refrained taking any notice of from an unwillingness to lay tl e foundation for any differenceb elween us, having always had, and shall still continue to hâve the most sincère désire of cooperating with your Excellency upon fair and équitable ground. But when your Excellency announced lo me two such very extraordinary appointments, first that of don Valdès, and, two days aftrr, that of admirai Gravina to be commander in chief of the coalesced forces at Toulon, my duty to my sovereign would not allow me !o be longer silenl. Had your Excellency thought yourself at libeily to hâve complied with the first request I had the honour to make for your assistance, we should then hâve been joint in taking possession of Toulon, but, your Excellency informing me in your letter of the 24th August, lhat your was tied down by your instructions to the coast of Roussillon,! was left to do the bestl could by myself, and consequently took possession of Toulon, the arsenal, and forts without that aid I so strongly pressed for, and coveted from your Excellency.

Le marquis ciel Campo, ambassadeur d'Angleterre à Londres, à lord Grenville *

My Lord

... 11 me serait difficile d'exprimer à V. E. quellea été la surprise et l'étonnemerit de ma Cour en apprenant le différend dont il s'agit, et qu'un généralde la sagesse et de la prudence reconnue de mylord Hood se soit persuadé, pour un moment, qu'il y pouroit avoirlieu à établir le moindre doute, moins encore une oposition, à laisser subsister le commandement général des troupes combinées sous M. de Gravina, qui s'en étoit acquitté jusqu'alors avec une conduite louée et applaudie des généraux, des officiers et de toute sorte de personnes. ..

[Ici, le marquis dcl Campo rétablit les circonstances, dénaturées par l'amiral Hood, de l'entrée de la flotte anglo-espagnole clans le port de Toulon.]

Ces faits incontestables étant posés, l'on doit trouver fort extraordinaire que l'amiral Hood ait proposé des doutes était fait opposition à regarder M. de Gravina comme commandant des troupes combinées, comme s'il fût question d'un arrangement tout nouveau,

1 Le texte original en français.

d'une mesure purement arbitraire de la part des Espagnols, ou d'une chose irrégulière et inattendue.

Les raisons sur lesquelles le lord Hood veut appuyer sa prèle ision (toute nouvelle) sont encore bien propres à étonner les personnes impartiales : il allègue l'arrivée des troupes d'autres nations, lesquelles lui sont exclusivement confiées par leurs souverains respectifs.

Quand même l'interprétation que mylord se croit autorisé à donner aux intentions et aux sentiments des dits souverains sur la destination conditionnelle de leurs troupes fut exactement conforme, cela n'aboutirait, tout au plus, qu'à les mettre sous le pied des troupes angloises mêmes, lesquelles, indubitablement, ont toujours été sous le commandement immédiat de leurs propres officiers. Mais si M. de Gravina, depuis le premier moment, éloit nommé par les deux amiraux commandant général des troupes combinées, et comme tel il avoit agi en toute occasion, il sera difficile de comprendre quel rapport il y a entre l'arrivéede quelques nouveaux régiments pour servira la cause commune et de vouloir tout subitement priver le général espagnol du commandement dont il s'acquitoit avec tant d'honneur et de gloire. Il avoit l'honneur de commander les troupes angloises ; croit-on que les piémonloises et les napolitaines s'y refuseroient à faire autant ? A-t-on pu s'imaginer que l'existance des Espagnols à Toulon soit cjlle des simples auxiliaires?...

Je commence par rendre à mylord Hood, que j'ai l'honneur de ronnoitre personnellement etquejerespectepour ses qualités supéîieures, la justice de croire qu'après avoir considéré mûrement et avec calme l'affaire en question, sous tous ses rapports, il aura de lui-même laissé les choses sur le pied qu'exigent la justice et l'équité. Mais, en m'adressant à V. E., il m'est indispensable d'ajouter légèrement quelques réflexions.

La moindre mésintelligence, l'aparence même de manque d'accord entre nos deux nations seroit un coup mortel pour la cause commune et pour le grand objet que nos deux Souverains se sont proposés. L'Europe seroit étonnée. Les Alliés se Irouveroient dans l'incertitude et l'indécision. Le Gouvernement françois en profiteroit: La partie loyale des François tomberoitdans un profond abatement. de sorte que tous nos plans, toutes nos entreprises manqueroient. Le roi catholique d'un côté et S. M. Brillanique d'un autre, ont eu grand soin de faire voir à l'Europe entière, et à la nation françoise en particulier, quels sont leurs sentiments, leurs vues et leurs souhaits, au sujet des troubles qui agitent et détruisent le beau royaume de France. La justice et la magnanimité de leurs principes ont été reconnues jusqu'à présent. Quel malheur si, par des mésin-

telligences, des malentendus ou des marques extérieures de peu d'accord, Ton venoit à donner lieu à des inquiétudes, ou des soupçons sur la probabilité d'autres vues ditférentes! Nos deux souverains, animés de sentiments purs, nobles et généreux, n'oublieront rien, sans doute, pour éloigner un tel danger sur cet objet délicat.

Lord Grenville à lord Saint-Helens

Whitehall, Novber 30tu 1793.

My Lord,

Your Excellency's dispatch on the subject of the late transactions al Toulon, together with the correspondence which has taken place there on the same business, and a note from M. del Campo, relative to it, a copy of which I now inclose to your Excellency, hâve becn under the serious considération of His Majesty's confidential Servants.

With respect to the grounds on which the question turns belween lord Hood and admirai Langara, it appears unquestionable:

lst That the surrender of Toulon was made to the king's olficer only, the spanish admirai having expressly declined to concur in the original enterprize.

2d'y Thata joint military government to be exercised by the officers of two distinct nations in a place besieged by an army from wilhout, and liable to daily insurreclions from within, would inevitably endanger the possession of Ihe place itself.

3d'y That the military command being thereforeof necessity to be vested in one power can belong only to that power to whom Ihe surrender was actually made, but that even if there were any doubt in that respect, His Majesty's claim would be equally indispulable on the ground of the much grealer force which has been collected at Toulon by His efforts and the much greater expence incurred by him for maintaining the possession ofthat place.

4th'y That the king has not even the right to transfer under the command of another power the troops of those sovereigns who have entrusted their forces lo his officers and appointed Ihem to be under his direction.

On ail thèse grounds it is manifest that the commission given by His Majesty to gênerai O'Hara to be governor of the town and garrison of Toulon, with the entire command of that place and il's dependencies, as usually vested in military governors, must of necessity be mainlained, and that no person can be permitted to

o\crcise mililary command over Ihe combinée! troopsserving Ihere, except under his superior orders as governor.

Lord Hood's conduct during the time that Ihe place continued under the provisional command of naval officers, assisted by such land officers only as acted under Ihem and wilhout direct authority from their sovereigns, was parfectly well judged, and conformable to his gênerai instructions for maintaining concert and cordiality between the two nations; and Ihere being then in the place no british military officer of rank equal to lhat of admirai Gravina, no difficulty could, in that state of things, arise from his taking, as senior officer, the command of Ihe combined Iroops, while admirai Goodall and caplain Elphinstone acted as governors, in His Majesty's name, of the place and of the adjoining fort.

It would certainly hâve been very much to be desired that any subséquent discussion of questions of command could hâve been avoided, and His Majesty's Servants had enterlained a strong hope, from Ihe temper and conciliating disposition of admirai Gravina, that the whole service might hâve been conducted by a tacit understanding between the commanders of the two nations, wilhout invalidating or even calling in question the rights which his Majesty had acquired. This would still be to His Majesty the most satisfactory mode of arranging the présent différences, and I cannot help hoping, from the expressions in admirai Langara's letler of the 25th Oclober, that the principles on which the court of Madrid are inclined to act, are not, in fact, différent from those adopted by His Majesty. It would be perfectly conformable to the expressions of that lelter to establish, as His Majesty wishes and expects, first that the Commission of gênerai O'Hara as governor of Toulon, and consequenlly as the person entrusted to exercise there the suprême mililary command, should continue to hâve its full force and effect; but, secondly, that in ail other questions of command not interfering with the absolute control and direction enjoyed by every governor within his garrison and its dependencies, seniority of rank alone should be the criterion of command between the officers of différent nations, as between those of the same service. The first of thèse is a point from which His Majesty cannot départ, and in which, in case of a différence of opinion, your Excellency must insist with firmness...

If it can be no otherwise arranged, the King would prefer the spanish troops being wholly withdrawn from Toulon, to their being l'ft there under circumstances which might create misuuderstanding and ill will between the respective services of two nations whom the King is always anxious to unité as much as possible.