L'ANGLETERRE ET LE COMTE DE PROVENCE

Lord Grenville à Francis Drake

Whitehall, 22-* Oclober 1793.

Sir,

A report bas been received, herc, of a supposed intention of Monsieur to proceed immediatcly to Genoa, in order lo embark for Toulon, to take upon him the funclions of Régent of France. No communication bas been made on his part to His Majesly, of this intention, nor bas any application been made for the -kings permission for him to repair to a place which is now occupied by his Majesty's forces. If Monsieur shouid be so ill advised as to adopt this measurc, it is His Majesty^s pleasure that you shouid, previous to his embarking for Toulon, wait upon him, and represent, in the most respectful, but, at the dame time, in forciblo terms, the great difficulties lo which His Royal Highness would subjeet the offîcers commanding in His Majesly> namc at Toulon, by atlempting to land there, without the previous consent and approbation of this court. You will stale the doubts which naturally occur, whether, considering the terms on which Toulon was put undcr the king's protection, the résidence of Monsieur in that port,

and much more his assuming lo ex^ercise any fDnclion there, în a characler not recognized by Ihem, would be agreeable lo Ihe iahabilanls of Toulon, or useful lo tlie corarooii cause. You are, if you lind il ulliraalely necessary, lo slnte dislincUy Ihal you know wilhccrlaioly, Ihat His Majesly's officers are nol al liberty lo fake upoQ Ihem lo admil of Monsieur's ianding at Toulon, without express direclioas lo Ihat efTecl. You will urge tbe înconveiiience which would resuit, bolh personally lo Ihal prince, and also lo liie gênerai intcVesl?, Trom any éclat taking place on Ihis su^ject, and you will represent lo hira, Ihat his applying for llie previous consent of tlie powers, inlo whose hands Toulon has been delivered, would nol only be a mark of respect due lo Ihem, but also a aeccssary prellmiuary lo such explanalions, as Ihe occasion appea 1-3 to require, before any décision can be fmally laken on so délicate a point.

If you flnd Ihal, nolwithslanding what you shall baveslaled on Ihis subject. Monsieur slill persisis in his intention, il is very necessary thaï you shbuld lake Ihe speediest^ possible method of conveying this information to his Majesly's officers at Toulon Ihat, Ihcy may beprepared to exécute Ihe ordors which His Majesly has found himself under Ihe necessity of giving lo Ihem ; but you will use every endeavour in your power, by respectful and conciliatory représentations, to prevent recourse being had lo Ihis exlremily, and you will endeavour to persuade Ihe minislcrs of Ihe allicd powers at Genoa, lo support you in thèse représentations.

(Privale.)

Henry Dundas à sir Gilbert Elliot

Wimhledon, 28"' Deccmbcr 1793.

My dear Sir,

...M. Pitt will, I think, feel less difficully as to the immédiate acknowledgment of the Régent, but he sees many ineonveniences in admitting him lo Toulon, which he Ihinks would at once supersede your authority there, and, at the same lime, deprive us of ail the advantages of holding such an imporlant situation with a view either to peace or war. He is likewise strongly impressed bolh with the possibility and propriety of assembling a large force in the soulh of France, and mainlaining a standard of royalty there, which it

would be very difficult to do without the possessioa and authorîty over Toulon remaining with us.

I admit the force of ail that reasonîng, and I rather imagine the gênerai voiee of the Cabinet will lean that way. I ovvn I hâve considerabledifQculties, and the leaning of my mind is anothcr way. My opinion leads me to think that we wouW act wiser in confining our mililary exertions to Flanders and the Goast, and from those two points to direct our opérations to Paris. I am far from thinking it is not essential likewise to erect a standard of Royalty in Ihe south, but then I conceive that such a standard might be erected and maintained by an assemblage of force acting under Monsieur as Ihe avowed Régent.

I ara aware that tb« whole of this theory rests upon the fact of whether there is such a disposition in the South, lowards the Régent, as to make a forcible rising in bis favour, and to enable him to hbld his ground in the southern provinces. If that cannot be, to be sure it wouid be very iosing game indeed to put Toulon and the South of France into his hands.

It sometimes occurs to mQlhkta niiddle course might be follovved, which is to leave the possession of Toulon dislinctly wi(h us under the ternis specified in your déclaration, but, at the same time, eilher at Marseilles or somewhere without the forlress of Toulon, to collect a powerful force with Monsieur, aided by one or two good gênerais at the head of it, to contend for the provinces in the south, and to maintain them agaînst the Convention army. Under such an arrangement, a very moderate garrison would sufOce for Toulon, and therefore we might add to the Régentas army ail our auxiiiary troops we bave collecled or can further collect in the south, and I should flatter myself that such a force, in conju notion with such french troops acting underfrench officers, as would rallylhemselves under the Régent, might furnish an irrésistible force in the southern provinces, and we being in possession of Toulon and the Mediterranean, there never could be a danger of the want of provisions.

I throw^ out thèse ideas very loosely, I am in doing so merely thinking aloud, for I am well aware of the difficulties which attend the whole question. We are not without suspicion that the Toulonese coming forward as they hâve done in favour of the Régent, and bringing him to Toulon, may be in concert with and a pari of the spanish intrigue.

It will be too ridiculous if, al the time ï am writingthis, you bave been obliged to abandon Toulon. If that should prove to be the case, we sball bave cause indeed to be dissatisûed with the Âustrians, for witholding the promised aid, and slill more with sir Robert Boyd's disobedience of our orders.

Lord Grenville aux Commissaires royaux à Toulon

Whilehall, 80»''November 1793.

Mt Lord and Gentlemen,

... The measures which you will perceive hâve been taken for conveyîng lo Ihe comle de Provence His Majesty's sentiments io respect to hisgoing lo Toulon, will, His Majesty trusts, prevenl his procecdiog Ihilher, but, if Ihose communications which His Majesty has direcled to be made should nol produce the effect \irhich could be wished, and he should find mcans of getling to Toulon, it will be the duty of your Excellencies to slate to him dislinctiy His Majesty's détermination upon this point.

The considération which is due to the rank and situation of the comte, will naturally induce you to communicate this détermination in terms of proper civility and respect; but, at the same time, your Excellencies will lake care that such communication may also leave no doubt of a détermination on j'our part to fulOll your inslruclions upon this point, and neither to acknowledge any autliority he may alleinpt lo exerciée, under the character he wishes lo represfnl,nor to admit him, under the présent circumstances, lo corne wilhin the town or forts of Toulon.

{Secrel.)