L30/14/204/1

Sent from Barcelona:

31 Mar 1779

From: 1779 To: 1779

Being appointed to a regiment in England, Kearney arrived in Barcelona two days previously on his return home from Minorca, by order of General Murray, governor of that island, expecting to easily obtain permission to pass through France. Kearney therefore made application through Mr. Gregory, the English consul resident in Barcelona, to M. Chollet, commandant at Perpignon for a passeport. Chollet has replied that, although he has not orders either to grant or refuse passports to English travellers, he does not think he is authorised to give such to a British officer, and advised Kearney to apply for leave, by letter, from Paris, lest he should be stopped in one of the French provinces and kept prisoner. Mr. Gregory has written to Paris, but as there may be delays in this procedure, and Kearney's duty calls him in England, he writes to Grantham to request his advice and assistance, "as perhaps a formal passeport from Paris may not be so absolutely necessary as Monsieur Chollet seems to imagine". Kearney is informed that had he proceeded without applying to Perpignon, his journey might have been "unmolested", but, having been refused a passeport, he wonders whether the attempt would now be prudent without proper authority, which Grantham may be able to grant or obtain.

item

Kearney,
Murray,
Gregory,
Chollet,
Gregory