L'ANGLETERRE ET L'ESPAGNE

Lord Grenville à lord Saint-Helens

Whitehall, 9"- August 1793.

My Lord,

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

sion publicly to avow the prîaciple adopted by this government, that Ihis couatry, forced into the expences and risques of war by the mosL uapravoked aggressioD, bas a just claim to look for iodemuification, if ils arms are successful. And the probabiiity that such indemniflcation will, at- least in part, be found in the West Indies, is so obvions, that it cannot bave escaped the attention ofSpain. Stiilit is to be feared that direct discussions upon this point might iead to embarrassment and misunderstanding.

The best mode seems to be to beginby adverting to the principle itself, and stating yourself to be authorized to admit, in the fuilest maoner, 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 dispalch gives reason to expect, your Excellency may then try the ground of poinling the views of that court to acquisitions on ils own fronlier, as préférable to distant conqnests, especially in the West Indies, where Spain is aiready possessed of territory far beyond what the capital or induslry of its subjects will enabte them to cultivate. It does not seem advisabie, in the présent moment, to enter iuto direct stipulations on this point ^ nor can it be thought reasohable or prudent to do so, . till the successes of the confédérale powers shall bave broughl questions of this nature necessarily more into discussion. But therc is no diffîculty in your Excellency's iolimalingon His Majesty's part, a disposition lo concur in promoting and sccuring objects such as I bave menlLoned, if the successofthespanish armsin that quarter shall bring them forward at the time of negolialing for peace.

With respect to the questions relative to the interior of France, there is much less difficuUy in staliog clearly, and without réserve, the sentiments of this govr^mmenl on that important point. The bringiiig 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 ovcr ail the rest of Europe priociples subversive of ail civil society, is unquestionably an objectof the flrst importance; and it may be doubled whelher, till this be accomplished, permanent sccurity canever be açquired by other powers.

But the présent state of that country does not seem lo be such as to hold oui the probabiiity of doing this by the interférence of those powers applied for the purpose of establishing any parlicuiar form of govf rnment. 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 circumslances, any déclaration on the part of the alhed powers in favour of a particular parly or of a particular form of government in the interior,

would lend only to unité ali Ihose who were opposed to ihat syslem, but could nol be lookedto as affordiog a reasonable prospect for the re-eslablishment of solid peace, and permanent seciirily.

The aclcnowledgment of Ihe aulhorily claimod by Monsieur as Régent, is evidenlly a measurfe of the nature which I hâve described, and as such has been avoided Hère. The résidence of the princes hère has also been dcemed objcctionable, on the same grounds, in addition to Ihat oftheembarrassmentwhich would arîse from tlie total want of judgment of those whose advice they hâve hilherlo followed. The king of Spain has hitherto pursued ihe same linein this respect, and 1 hâve reason to believe thaï the applîcatiou of Monsieur to corne into Spain has, in fact, been aiready dcclined, and that Ihc application to this court for advice has no olhcr molive than the wish lo be able to alledge our advice ia conlirmalion of their décision. There seeras no objection to afTordingthis support, if il is wished, especially as îl may prevcnt any variai ions in the Une aiready adopted, and whîch is hère judged to be the most prudent.

On the whole therefore, the line lo be adopted by your E3t€»K icncy, in Ihe présent moment, is lo bring forward and eslablish îa Iho diocussions belwcen Ihe two Courts the principle of indemnification as reciprocajiy applicable ; lo point the viewsof Spain in Ihis respect as much as possible towards the frontier of France, in préférence lo Ihe West Indies, or even to Corsica, to keep out of discussion our views in the West Indies, unless there should be acertainly Ihat Spain may be brought to concur in them, which seems litlle probable; and to prevent the court of Madrid from commiltingilself wilh any description of Emigrés, or any party in the inlerior...

Sir,

Le duc d'Alcmlia à lord Saint-Helens

(Traduction.)

San Lorcnzo, 2 November 1793.

I bave laid before the king your Excellency*s Jetterof the 24'*» iilt% the translation inclosed in it of a dispatch from lord Grenville, and the Project of a déclaration which His Britannic Majesty Ihinks it advisable to issue in order to engage the French to unité in establishing a form of government under an heredîtary monarcby>

TOtLON ET LES ANGLAIS 431

respecting Ihe various modificalions and limitalions of whlch form ofgovernmenlHissaid Majestyavoids euleringinto any discussion...

Wiih respect lo ihe point of indemnification, it appears lo Ihe kîng lo be just Lhat England should demand it for the expences of Ihe war which the French Ihemselves hâve declared ; and His Majesty wili conlribule, as faras he inay be able, lo it's being realized, at the same lime thaï His Majesty daims the rights which, in iil<e manner, belong lo hîm, upon the self-sàme ground ; being well assured lhat both sovereigns will cooperate, with mutual good faith, in forwarding the just views which each of Ihem may propose lo hinoself» on the point in question.

In the mean lime, il would be highiy advisable, as lord Grenville observes, lo render Toulon Ihe centre of ihe opérations of the combined forces of Ihe belligérant powers in France, in order to extend ihem from thence as opportunity may oiïer, in which we will certainly concurwith ail possible vigor, as bas been cffected hitherto, in ail the soulhern part of lhat kingdom.

With respect to the idea concerning Bourdeaux, the kiog considers it as no less important than worlhy of being carried into exécution, and the circumslance only of his having ail his forces employed on the frontier, and being unable to detach from ihem the force necessary for Ihis enlerprize, prevenls his underlaking it. Itoccurs, however, lo His Majesty lhat if England could destine for Ihis purpose some of ils own troops or ihôse of one of ils allies, the opérations might be so combined that the attention of Ihe French being engaged by Ihe English on the side of Bourdeaux, and the Spaniards on our fronlier, ihe enemy would be obliged lo divide iheir forces on this side; and we should gain two considérable ad\antages, ihe one to effect an invasion with a probabilily of success, an the other lhat the well disposed French might avait themselves of lhat conjuncture to déclare themselves...

The kings déclaration is prccisely analogeous lo lhat of his Britannic Majesty, as your Excellency may be pleascd lo see by Ihe inclosed copy, which I hâve the kings orders lo communicate lo you, at the same lime lhat I transmit it to His Majesly's ambasdor at London, in order that he may présent it to his Britannic Majesty; a slep which I accelerale under the supposition lhat (as is mentioned by lord Grenville) circumslances may not haverequired the publication of that which the court of London intends to publishjthe king my Masler oblaining, by thèse means, the complète satisfaction which he bas al heart, of carrying inlo effect whal he bas promised in his convention with His Britannic Majesty, namely the combining His measures with that Monarch for the occurrences ot the présent war and ils resulls.