on a little island called l'Isle d'Aix, where the large men-of-war that go up to Rochfort leave their cannon and military stores. This news came first by the Flanders mail, and has since been confirmed by the way of Holland; it is said that our troops found no opposition in their landing there, and that they have since that been equally successful in passing over to the Continent; that there are no troops of any consequence in that part of France, and that there are about two thousand men in Rochfort.

You were surprised I do not doubt at the unexpected retreat of the Russians: the cause of it is not as yet known, and among the various ones that are conjectured at, the most probable seems to me that they are under some alarm from the Turks.

We expect every hour to hear something of consequence from the King of Prussia, and if he should be successful against the Prince of Soubize, as one really flatters oneself that he will by means of Marshal Lewkald's army, he should be able to so far reinforce his troops in Silesia as to give a check to the Austrians, what a surprising revolution this would be in his favour, after all the desertions he has met with.

I beg my compliments to Mrs. Grenville, and hope that after all my negligence you will permit me to subscribe myself, &c., &c.

Have you seen the comet1?

CHAS. JENKINSON.

1 The comet now visible was declared by Dr. Bradley not to be the comet whose return, at this time, had been predicted by Dr. Halley. The latter, however, did appear at the beginning of the year 1759, and was visible in England for some months. Its revolution being performed in about seventy-six years, it appeared again in 1835.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Whitehall, October 8, 1757.

DEAR SIR,-Penitents for a short time are always very good, and sometimes, perhaps, a little troublesome; though I may incur the censure, I cannot help acquainting you that we are all here both surprised and concerned at the return of our Fleet without doing anything of consequence'. I know not what Sir Edward Hawke's account is of this affair, but the contents of Sir John Mordaunt's letter I understand to be, that after two of our ships had silenced the enemies' batteries on the island of Aix, and though found stronger than we expected, it was surrendered to us; that then a Council of War was held to fix on a proper place to land the troops on the Continent, and that such a place was there determined on, and that after that another Council of War was held, to consider whether they should land or no, and that this was then determined in the negative, and that they should return home. All this is past comprehension, and we are at a loss to assign any reasons for such conduct, and by what I can find, the King, the Administration, and the public, are equally surprised and concerned at it. We wait with patience the arrival of the Generals in town, to hear what causes they can produce for what they have done, or rather for what they have not done.

1 The sudden return of the Fleet from Rochfort was the cause of great discontent, and it was not imputed by the people generally to the misconduct of the officers. It was considered that this pacific disposition was only a preliminary for the Convention of Stade, and to get better terms for Hanover. It was reported that an express had been sent after Hawke, and that immediately, in consequence of it, orders had been given not to land the soldiers.-Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 277.

Our accounts from Germany give us to understand that the Russians continue still to retire with precipitation, though as yet we know not the cause of it.

The King of Prussia has not as yet attacked the Prince of Soubize, and we fear from thence that he has met with some unexpected difficulties. I have, &c.

CHAS. JENKINSON.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

London, October 11, 1757.

DEAR SIR, I had the favour of your obliging letter yesterday, and I now send you what farther particulars I have been able to pick up of the late unhappy miscarriage.

Sir Edward Hawke, who is come to town, disculpates himself, and says that he was always ready to have performed his part, and to have lent the sailors that were to have assisted the land forces in the assault upon Rochfort. I do not find that they pretend to say that they found the coasts stronger or any ways different from what it was represented to them before they left England; and what is remarkable, Captain Howe went in his yaul to the coast, landed there with an officer and two sailors, and each with a musket in his hand walked above two miles up the country, entered into several of the houses, gave an alarm to a little fort that fired upon them, but saw no troops, and returned, without any obstacle, to their yaul; and Colonel Clerke, who was the principal engineer, said in my hearing to-day, that he saw no troops on the coast; and yet, after all this, the only excuse that I can hear alleged for a delay of six

days, and for coming away at last, was the difficulty of landing; and when they cannot pretend to say that there was anything that could prevent them, they urge that there might be troops concealed, which might not have discovered themselves till they were sure of destroying them. But all this might as well have been supposed at Spithead, and upon as good foundations. Alas! Sir, this affair will make us the ridicule of all our neighbours, and by what I have heard Foreign Ministers say to-day, I am confident it is the subject of many a facetious dispatch this evening; and when one considers the uneasiness of the better sort of people at home, and the readiness of the lower sort to rise on every occasion, I own the prospect makes one tremble. Happy are you, Sir, that have a subject that can call off your thoughts from these reflections. We have no news from Germany it is imagined that the Duke must be landed, though we have not heard of him. I have, &c. CHAS. JENKINSON.

I hear that the King gave Sir Edw. Hawke a good reception, and Sir John Mordaunt an indifferent one.

CAPTAIN RODNEY TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Dublin, Portsmouth, 13th October, 1757.

DEAR SIR,-As I find the Post Office has thought proper to detain the letters that were sent from the officers of the Fleet employed on the late expedition, I fear those I did myself the honour to write to you have met with the same fate; not that I shall be least concerned at what was contained in them, as I can prove

every assertion to be truth; neither can I ever be brought to think but that the most sanguine expectations might have been answered, had the spirit of His Majesty's instructions been vigorously and speedily executed. This from him who longs to hear how yourself and family are, and who is with real sincerity and respect, dear Sir, &c., &c., G. B. RODNEY.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

London, October 18, 1757.

DEAR SIR, I had yesterday the honour of your obliging letter, and can most sincerely assure you that I take a great pleasure in executing any commands that you are pleased to give me; but before I tell you any more particulars of our unfortunate armament, I must acquaint you how difficult it is to get at the detail of facts with any certainty, for I have already heard different officers tell the same fact in so different a manner, that no allowances could bring both relations within the bounds of truth. As to Mr. Howe, I find that all agree that he, the principal Engineer, and two more, were ashore, that they were near Fort Fouras, that a sentinel challenged them, and fired upon them, but the distance is at present very much disputed, and though the first story I sent you I heard from very good authority, I am now told that Howe says they did not go above 400 yards. I find it also acknowledged as true, that though by Mordaunt's orders it appears that he intended they should land immediately upon their coming upon the coast, yet that he then called a