Lord North to Earl of Sandwich, May 8, 1778

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Downing Street [London] May 8. 1778

Copy
My dear Lord,

I have shewn your Lordship’s Letter, the Letter which you received from Admiral Duff & the List of the Spanish Fleet¹ together with the Enclosed Extract of the Advices from Paris² to Lord Weymouth, Lord George Germaine, Lord Gower, & Lord Dartmouth; They are all of Opinion, that nothing contained in these Papers will justify a Change in the destination of Adm^l. Byron’s Fleet.³ They continue to think that every Dispatch should be used to send the Fleet off to North America, unless You should, before It’s Departure, receive certain Accounts that the Toulon Fleet is arrived at Cadiz; & either continues there, or has sailed in a route which clearly indicates that It’s Destination is towards a different Quarter of the Globe. I think it highly probable that you may already have received by the Proserpine such Intelligence as must put out of doubt the proper Line to be followed.⁴ In the mean while, the Sentiments of all the Cabinet Ministers in Town are unanimous for sending the Fleet to North America as soon as It can sail. It may be the Intention of Spain to assist M^r. D’Estaign⁵ with a Squadron in His Expedition to North America; In that case It is to be wish’d that our Fleet should be stronger, & this contrary wind, it if It continues, will afford an Opportunity of adding some Ships to M^r. Byron’s Squadron. Athough I am not one of those who think an Invasion of these Islands impracticable, nor am convinced that France & Spain will not attempt It, yet I think the Enterprize so arduous that they will not for some time be able to carry such a Project into Execution. The Danger of Our Army & Fleet in North America appears to be more probable & more immediate: Besides, altho’ I pay little Credit to the Sincerity of the Court of Spain, & believe that They harbour very hostile Designs against Us, I cannot conceive It possible that They would hold such a pacific Language just at the very Moment that they intend to unite in an Attack upon Our possessions in Europe. I am &c.

North

P.S. If You can contrive to send a Ship Load of Prisoners to be exchanged in America, I should think It advisable to Do It without Delay.

Copy, MiU-C, Lord George Germain Papers. Addressed at bottom of first page: “Earl of Sandwich.”

1. Sandwich’s letter to North is in Sandwich Papers, 2: 49–50. In it, Sandwich mentions reports that the Comte d’Estaing’s fleet was not going to America, but Cadiz. Sandwich advocated delaying the sailing of Vice Adm. John Byron’s fleet to North America until the truth of these reports could be established. A summary of the contents of the letter of Vice Adm. Robert Duff, commander of the Mediterranean Squadron, of 10 Apr., is in Ibid., 50n.

2. The “Advices from Paris” that North enclosed have not been found.

3. See Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to John Byron, 3 May, above.

4. H.M. frigate Proserpine, Capt. Evelyn Sutton, commander. A discussion of the intelligence collected by H.M. frigate Proserpine and H.M. frigate Enterprize, Capt. Sir Thomas Rich, commander, is to be found in Philip Stephens to Vice Adm. Viscount Howe, 5 June. UkLPR, Adm. 2/1335 (Secret), fols. 38–39.

5. Vice Amiral Comte d’Estaing.

Document Information

Date

1778 May 8

Volume

Volume 12

Series

European Theatre from April 1, 1778 to May 31, 1778

Naval Documents of the American Revolution

Lord North to Earl of Sandwich, May 8, 1778

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