L29/559/4/1

Grantham, St. James's to Harris, St Petersburg (draft, No 12) M. Simolin has, at his first conference with Grantham, presented the Insinuation Verbale in conjunction with Count Belgioioso. The object of the paper was to invite the "Belligerent Powers" to open a Congress without delay. Grantham feels it is difficult to accede to such a proposition. He referred the matter to the King who wishes the Empress and M. de Simolin to be informed of the actual state of the business at Paris. Grantham holds M. de Simolin in great regard and showed Simolin a paper dated 21st June that had been presented by M. de Vergennes of the French Court. Grantham requested an answer from Simolin without delay and stated that whatever Simolin's answer a continuation of the transaction at Paris would be kept up. Simolin agreed to inform his Court of his consent to Grantham's making a verbal communication to himself and the Austrian minister as follows "That the Reason of an answer not being at this Instant formally made to the Insinuation Verbale was that this Court waited for some Eclaircissement upon certain points of importance". M. de Belgioioso is to have the same reply. Harris is to inform the Court of St Petersburg of what has taken place. Encloses a precis of the proposition of Mr Greville and M. de Vergenne's response.

27 Jul 1782

From: 1782 To: 1782

item

Lucas,
Grantham, Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron,
Harris, James,
de Simolin,
Belgioioso,
George III,
Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia,
de Vergennes, Count,
Greville

political correspondence, ambassador, Foreign Secretary, general royalty, French, Russians, Austrians, St.Petersburg, Westminster Saint James, Paris