Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    L29/568/113
  • Title
    Grantham, St. James's to Fitzherbert, Paris (No 23, draft) Assurances will be sent to persons settled on the Honduras Coast. The King saw "with great satisfaction" the disposition of the French Court regarding the planters and merchants of Tobago. Grantham agrees with Fitzherbert in thinking that M. de Rayneval was instructed to explain what might retard the conclusion of the Dutch Pacification - it appears to be the demand of free navigation in the Eastern Seas. Grantham has seen the Chairman of the East India Company regarding the matter. Object of the East India Company is to secure a free navigation to places and islands in which the Dutch are in no way concerned and in which "it is conceived an advantageous commerce for the produce and manufactures of Bengal may be carried on". Fitzherbert to use great discretion with regard to this last reason. M. de Rayneval suggested either the omission of the demand, or the explanation of it. Latter to be preferred. As soon as the outline of the French orders for the East Indies is seen and approved of in London, the East India Company will dispatch an officer, who will call at Paris and collect the French duplicates. Advices from India say that Sir Eyre Coote defeated Hyder Ally on 3rd June. French fleet in want of stores and their army "crumbling away by Disease and Desertion". Essential that the French Ministers be informed of these circumstances as it will facilitate the Indian peace.
  • Date free text
    1783
  • Production date
    From: 1783 To: 1783
  • Level of description
    item
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