Charles Street, May 11th, 1797.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
Great anxiety again prevailed here by an account which arrived at
midnight, that the delegates were on board the 'London,' and it
was feared they were urging for the execution of Colpoys and his
captain; but a few hours afterwards, news arrived that Colpoys'
crew had resisted the delegates; that even the most mutinous ships,
viz. the 'Duke' and 'Mars,' were returned to their duty, and that
most of the ships had desired their officers to join them again. I
have also read a letter from Payne, who writes in high spirits, and
says that there is now a complete hostility on the part of the
well-affected as against the mutineers, and that he has just spoke
a cutter from the 'Queen Charlotte' with twenty or thirty
well-affected men on board, who were going to every ship in the
fleet, to insist upon everything being quiet, and upon their going
instantly to sail in quest of the French. Lord Howe would arrive
about nine this morning, with a warrant under the King's
sign-manual, for making such final arrangement as might be
necessary for the sailing of the fleet, if he should find it so
disposed to sail. Not a word from Lord Bridport, except to
acknowledge the communication of the Act of Parliament!
Under these circumstances, there is every reason to suppose that
one may hope the immediate storm is a little blown over, and that
no new resource need be looked for such as you suggest; but the
apprehension of my mind is still extremely great, because I am more
and more convinced that Jacobin management and influence is at the
bottom of this evil; and till that influence is traced and rooted
out, there is, in my view, no chance of safety. The tampering with
the soldiers by conversation and handbills is another unanswerable
proof of the system by which all this mischief moves forward; and
the activity of Brest in the last accounts, seems to confirm, as
far as such preparation can, their knowledge of, if not their
participation in, this mischief.
Orde has written from Plymouth, that he hopes to get the ships
there to sea before any communication is had of this new mutiny.
Things look badly, as I believe, in Ireland; but those of
Government, whom I ever see, are so entirely occupied, that I write
to you more from my own guess than from their communication.
God bless you, dearest brother.
I know no foreign news of any sort, nor have I seen William these
three or four last days.
A third effort to effect a pacification with France had been entered
upon by Lord Grenville in the month of June. On this occasion his
Lordship addressed a direct application to M. de la Croix, expressing
his readiness without delay to open a discussion of the views and
pretensions of both parties. To this communication M. de la Croix
replied by accepting the proposal; and the town of Lisle was appointed
for the meeting of the ambassadors.
Lord Malmesbury was again appointed on the part of England; and it
became evident at once that his re-appearance in that capacity was not
very satisfactory to the French Government, M. de la Croix coldly
signifying the consent of the Directory to negotiate with Lord
Malmesbury, but adding that another choice would have augured more
favourably for the speedy conclusion of peace.
The conference at Lisle seems to have taken its colour all throughout
from this preliminary distrust of the English envoy. It lasted up to the
17th of September; and ended as it began, in a fruitless debate about
Lord Malmesbury's powers to treat in full. In the meanwhile, the event
known by the name of the Revolution of Fructidor took place in Paris,
the meeting was broken up, and Lord Malmesbury left Lisle on the 18th of
September.