by all I can find is very far from your intentions, so that you are likely to stay where you are a good while. The House of Commons has, as you will hear, made a strict and severe inquiry into the engagement near Toulon, and has ordered Admiral Matthews, Admiral Lestock, and six captains, Burrish, Norris, Ambrose, Williams, Frogmore, and Dilke, and the lieutenants of the Dorsetshire, to be tried at Court Martial for their behaviour'. Captain Norris was half tried in the Mediterranean, pursuant to an order of the last Admiralty, and the minutes of the trial were transmitted to us during the time of the House of Commons' inquiry; by which it appeared that, after having tried him for eight days, when the facts came out very strong, the Court Martial declared that, he being out of the King's service, they could not try him. This was thought extraordinary, as they had examined all the witnesses Captain Norris could produce; and the minutes being laid before the House, the whole proceeding was so very bad that the House unanimously voted them to be arbitrary, partial, and illegal; in consequence of which Mr. Rowley must be recalled; so that in this session the three admirals and half the Mediterranean fleet have been censured in some measure. There was a division to excuse Mr. Matthews from being ordered to be tried; but it was carried that he should be tried, by a majority of 258 against 73. Mr. Pelham' was of the minority,

1 The result of the court martial was, that Admiral Matthews was declared incapable of again serving in the navy; Lestock was acquitted; and some of the captains were visited with different degrees of disgrace.—Coxe's Pelham Administration, vol. i. p. 222. Parl. Hist. vol. xiii. pp. 1201-17.

2 The Right Honourable Henry Pelham, first Commissioner of the Treasury, He came into Parliament for the borough of Seaford in

and your humble servant of the majority, which has not usually been the case with either of us; and I am afraid the zeal we have shown to bring delinquents to justice, and to endeavour by that means to restore the discipline and spirit of the Navy, has not made us very popular with part of the fleet; but if that is so, tant pis for them, and so much the more necessary is an inquiry if the Board of Admiralty is scarce strong enough to dare to undertake it; for my part I will, as long as I have a seat here, which I think it is now settled I am to have till the next sessions; if not, I shall at least leave it with more pleasure than I took it.

Since I began this letter many material things have happened. We have been beat in Flanders, and Tournay will certainly be taken. I send you enclosed the account of this unfortunate action', as given in the Gazette, to which I refer you for all the particulars of that fatal day; only I will add, that it is universally agreed that the Duke behaved with the greatest spirit and intrepidity; so, in general, did all our troops. The Dutch horse behaved scandalously; their foot but indifferently; the Hanovers very well.

The loss of the battle is imputed to the ill-behaviour of the Dutch in the left wing, who did not venture to attack the foot they were ordered to on that side, and to Brigadier General Ingoldsby, who several times refused to attack that on the right hand, though commanded several times by the Duke and Marshal Konigsegg, and by a Hanover major-general, who attacked it in his sight 1718, and afterwards represented the county of Sussex until his death in 1754. He had been Paymaster of the Forces, and Secretary at War, before his appointment to the Treasury in 1743.

1

1 The battle of Fontenoy, in which William, Duke of Cumberland, suffered a defeat.

with two Hanover battalions, which were cut to pieces, whilst Ingoldsby looked on with four choice English battalions; for which neglect, or, not to mince the word, poltronnerie, he is to be tried as soon as he recovers his wounds. Many of the Dutch are likewise ordered to be tried for their behaviour that day. The Dutch have sent reinforcements, and so have we, by drafts from the English Guards here, and by three entire regiments from hence. The Government have likewise ordered 1500 men to be drafted from Ireland in about three weeks, and have insisted on our getting a convoy for them. This obliges us to change your situation, and that of Mr. Keppel, for a little while; and as you are foul you will cruize at Portsmouth, and then return to your former station. I little thought of your turning a convoy; but as the embarkation is to be from Cork, and in such a hurry, we can find no other ships to perform that service; besides which, upon the whole, I cannot say I am very sorry, as you will be cleaned sooner and better at Portsmouth than at Kinsale, and 't is only one trip to Ostend; besides, I am interested in it, for perhaps I may some way or other have a chance of seeing you, and settling many things which it is impossible to write about. I want to tell you what our situation is; to know what you wish yours should be.

There are no news here; but people hang their heads about this battle. Many stories are told with regard to it. We have not heard one word with regard to Mr. Martyn or the French fleet since the account you gave us of the latter, which you are much commended for giving.

We heard from Mr. Martyn a day or two before, who had received an account of them from a victualler ship,

which they took and sent back to France; and upon this intelligence he sent us word that he had called a Council of War, and resolved to follow them, but does not say how far. Since which time we have heard nothing from them; and thence we conclude that he is not in the Soundings, because we imagine some ship or other by this time must have seen or spoke with him. We have had many reports from Ireland of their having taken and destroyed the whole French fleet; but none more authentic than a hearsay from a Portuguese ship, said to have put into Cork, which this moment appears to be only hearsay; for we have heard by an express from Mr. Martyn this moment, that he put into P. Egmont Sound with all his squadron without success, not having been able to get up with the French squadron, who were upwards of 80 leagues ahead of him, in the way to Cape Breton. God send us good news somewhere or other, or else send us a peace. Adieu, my dear Tommy, let me hear of you often, which, next to seeing you, is the greatest pleasure you can give me. We are all well. Mr. and Mrs. Grenville have been gone to Wotton this week, together with Hetty. G. G.

MR. GEORGE GRENVILLE TO MR. RICHARD GRENVILLE.

Admiralty Office, Oct. 3, 1745.

Dear Brother,—I came here last night from Stowe, and intend this afternoon or to-morrow morning to go and look after our lawyers.

Nothing new from the North since your last accounts, but the city is giving great marks of their zeal and loyalty, having offered any sum of money that the King

wants towards suppressing this rising. The run upon the Bank' still continues, though in a less degree. Orders are given to bring over the 6000 Hessians hither. Last night we had an account, which may be depended upon, that the King of Prussia has broken his armistice, if it is true he ever entered into one, and has fallen upon Prince Charles, whom he has beat all to pieces a second time. They talk of above 4000 Austrians killed upon the spot. Our sea news still continues good, and our continent news bad. The French have raised the siege of Aeth, and it is said, upon this diminution of our forces in Flanders, they are marching directly to attack the remainder of our army there.

We have an account from New England, that two more French East India ships, and the third South Sea ship, which was reckoned as rich as either of the other two, have put into Cape Breton, and are all three in our possession.

The Tigress Privateer has taken a ship bound from Brest to Calais, and so to the South Sea, which is valued at above 150,000l.

I found those I went to in so dd a humour that it was impossible for me to execute your commands as to examining the papers. Nobody met me at our turnpike meeting except our Buckingham Trustees, so that I thought it not prudent to overturn the act of a full meeting in so thin a one. Adieu.

GEORGE GRENVILLE.

1 An immediate rush was made upon the Bank of England, which, it is said, only escaped bankruptcy by paying in sixpences to gain time. -Lord Mahon's History of the 'Forty-five, p. 89.

2 The battle of Soor, in Bohemia, in which the Austrians were defeated by the King of Prussia. The conquerors lost 2600 killed and wounded, and among the former Prince Albert of Brunswick.