L29/568/111

Grantham, St. James's to Fitzherbert, Paris (private & most secret) Omission of the words "mers Britanniques" in the Preliminaries. Supposes the omission was intentional on the part of France. Fitzherbert to see M. de Vergennes on the matter and explain the omission. Most binding mode would be for France and Spain to reinstate the words in their place in the ratified copies of the Preliminary Articles. If this cannot be done, a declaration should be made that the omission of these words in the Preliminary Treaty, which were in the Preliminaries of 1762, is of no consequence. Or rather that France and Spain understand that the "Epoch of our Meritt" extends to prizes taken in the British Seas as well as to those from the Channel and the North Seas as far as the Canary Isles. If a Declaration cannot be exchanged, then a Memorial or protest should be delivered. Fitzherbert to inform Grantham immediately with the result of his conference with M. de Vergennes.

8 Feb 1783

From: 1762 To: 1783

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Lucas,
Robinson, Thomas (2nd Baron Grantham),
Fitzherbert, Alleyn,
de Vergennes, Count

Foreign Secretary, political correspondence, Plenipotentiary, French, Spanish, letters, treaties, Westminster Saint James, Paris, Britain, France, Spain, Canary Islands