LES RENFORTS ANGLO-AUTRICHIENS

Lord Grenville à sir Morton Eden, ambassadeur d* Angleterre à Vienne

Whitehall, 14 September 1793.

Sm,

You will bave been informed, before you receive Ihis messenger, of the very important event which took place at Toulon at the end of AugusL M' 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 Ihe 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 bave been duly felt, and that, both on that account, and from a sensé of the particular interest which Bis Majesty must feël in il, the request which you will certaioly haverenewed on this occasion, will bave 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 lime to come, the recovery of that important city and port, the principal object of their exertions in that quarter, it is urgent to lose no time in direcling our attention to it, and in taking measures to support the avantage we havegai- .ned, and which raay, in its conséquences, be décisive of the event of the war. For thaï purpose, measures are already laken for sending to the Mediterranean,vwilh ail possible expédition, a body of five thousand Hessians. And 1 am lo désire that you will use every possible exerlion 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...

Il is highly probable, supposiog lord Hood able to maioUio. himse!f in Toulon, thaï ibis may le&d lo aa earlicr prospect of offeasive opérations in considérable force in Ihe soulh of France. For Ihis purposealso, the mililary coopération of Auslria will be necessary, but this, however, urgent in point of time, is less so, Ihan the immédiate succours lo be given to enable us to maintain our présent ad van t âge.

The real obstacle which bas presented a compliance wilh the requests hilherto made on this subjeot, has probably bcen the désire of Austria to annex to it the condition proposed by her, and strongty urged by couot Stabremberg in tiîs last conférence with me, respçcting the acquisition of the Novarese.

Without entering far into this subject al présent, it is sufRcient to remark that the realizing this object or not, is, in either way, a point not or importance enough to retard for a moment the exécution of measures necessary for maintaining the ailiesln the pos* session of Toulon.

Lord Hood à Philip Stepheiis

Victori/y 24 Xovember.

Having reserved information from M. Trevor and M. Drake, His Majesty's ministers at Turin and Genoa, thaï 5.000 austrian troops would movc from Milan to the coast of Kaly, aboulthc iO^*» or 12 '^ of lasl moiith for Toulon, aud requesting I would send ships to receive them wilh ail the despalch possible,! immediately ordered the vice-admiral Cosby (wilh sufûcient tonnage to bring them) to Vado bay, the only place they could be taken board at, without manifesl risque at this season of the year.

Afler the vice-admirars arrivai, M. Drake made known to hioi that the Iroops mustembark alLeghorn, having anumberof horses and mules wilh them, for which forage could not be prociired in Ibe gonoese teritories. He accordingly proceeded to Leghorn road, but I am excecdingly sorry to inform you that, by letters I lasl night received from M. Trevor of the 18 *** inslant, there is not Ihe shadow of hope left for our seeing a simple r soldier al Toulon from Milan. This is a woeful disappointment..

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

Toulon, the 20»'' November 1793.

Sir,

His Maje.'ty having been pleased lo appoint us his commissionera at Toulon, with fullest powers in every Ihing Ihat regards Ihis place, and with spécial instructions to lake every measure thaï wedeem necessary, eilher for ils defence, or for supplying it wilh Ihe necessary Iroops, provisions, or stores ; we find ourselves under the necessily of addressing your Excellency, on a subjecl of Ihe ulmosl importance.

We hâve learnl to day, wilh the greatest concern, and to our extrême disappoinlmenl, that your Excellency has judged it proper lo detaiû the troops which were ordered by His Majesty for Ihe reinforcement of Ihis garnison ; we know so well Your Excellency's zeal for every branch of His Majeslys service, that we are persuaded you could not hâve laken a résolution so full of inconvenience, and, we are sorry lo add, of real danger to Ihe defence of Toulon, if Your Excellency had been apprized of Ihe pressing necessily we hâve for addilional troops, and how fatal (he smallest delay in oblaining reinforcements, may probably prove.

We bave, therefore, thought it our duty to represcnt lo your Excellency, in Ihe strongest and clearest lenns, that the préservation of Ihis place, and the important objects connecled with il, dépend entirely on our receiving the mosl immédiate, and the most considérable succours Ihal can be sent.

We are, therefore, under Ihe necessily of dispatching to your Excellency, our express and urgent réquisition for ail the Iroops which were ordered, togelher with the most earnest requesl, for every addition that it is possible for you lo make. A reinforcement of fifteen hundred brilish troops, at the least, is absolutely indispensible, and every hour wè are withoul them, may be décisive...

INSTRUCTIONS DU DUC D'ALCUO lA A L'AMIRAL LANGARA

Le duc d'Alcudia à lord Sainf-HelenSf ambassadeur d'Angleterre à Madrid

(TrâHucUon.)

San-Lorenzo, 3'* Octoberl793.

As Ihe case, Iho' remole, may possibly occur in which Ihe spaiiish and english squadrons may be obliged to abandon Ihe anchorage of Toulon, from Iheir beingso much molestedby bombs and red hoi balls, as nol to be able to remain there, His Majesty*s pleasure, upon tbis point, bas becn signified to admirai Langara by the Minisler of Marine on Ihe 1** instant, ieaving, however, to the prudent discrelion of the admirai, lo settle and résolve, in concert witli lord Hood, whalever may, according to ihe existing circumstances, be found most advisable.

It is enjoined lo him, Iherefore, to bave ail the french shipsand frigales of war, which are fit for navigation, armed and brought inlo the road, in order to put to sea, when necessary; and, as they will nol be exposed to any hostile altack, it will be sufficienl to man Iheni wilh 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 fk*om the french sailors attached tothe good cause, giving the command of such ships, as bas been done in the case of the fortifications and land batteries, to offlcers of the two corabined powers ; and to ihese vessels may be added the division which our admirai bas already been told thaï be might permit lo be armed and put under the command rear admirai Trogoff.

That, if the unexpecled event of abandoning the port should occur, admirai Langara shall sait, with ail the french ships thatcan be put to sea, to the islands of liicrcs, or whatever other place be may appoint in concert with lord Hood, as mosl convenienl, carrying in themm ail the artillery, ammunilion, arms and stores which they can bring ; Ieaving a manifest or protest to the government of Toulon, if the latler should nol abandon the place, that ail the ships of the french navy shall be kept and taken care of, to be delivered, al a proper opportunity, to their lawful sovereign, and making, if possible, a formai invenloryof the whole.

and that he shall give notice of Ihe whole of what may liave passed, and of Ihe place whilher he may hâve rerooved for His Majesly's information.

Thaï the ships and olhcr wessels which either from Ibe bad state of Iheir huUs, or for want of stoces, cannot be armed for sea, shali be immedialely placed in the différent silualions of defencc belonging to the port, lo serve as floating batteries ; stationing those of the combined squadrons where they cannot be damaged; and, if il becomcs necessary lo abandon the harbour, that Ihese vossels be sunk or set on flre", in order that the enemy may not make use of Ihem, for which purpose préparations shall be made beforc hand.

That, however, il is His Majesty's pleasure that the admirai shall not embrace the parly of abandoning the port, exccpt in a case of extrême neccessity, in order not lo leave the faithful Tolonese in the power of those wbo tyrannize over thcm ; and that, in that case, the fortifications shall be deslroyed and Ihe arlillery spikcd, particulary in ail the batteries that command the port. Final ly, admirai i.angara is charged to communicale ail this lo lord Hood, in order that Ihey may proceed in concert in this buisiness which the two Mouarchs hâve taken under their joint care and direction. And ï hâve the kings order lo tramsmit lo your Excellency for your ioforaïation.