to circumstances, either to menace or attack the enemy on their maritime frontier, and, by compelling them to continue in force on the coast and in Holland, weaken their efforts proportionably in other quarters, I am desirous of calling your Royal Highness's early attention to this subject, with a view to considering what proportion of our army now at home may be made applicable to such a purpose, and whether preliminary arrangements are requisite to render the whole or a proportion of this force ready to act on this principle at the shortest notice. As a general outline, it has occurred to me to suggest whether, taking the gross force now at home at 180,000 rank and file, of which about 70,000 is militia, a corps of from 30 to 35,000 infantry, and from 8 to 10,000 cavalry, might not be immediately selected and appropriated to this service. When the particular regiments have been designated which your Royal Highness may consider most suited to this purpose, it may be desirable to make a distribution of the whole, so as to station them as near the ports of embarkation, and as much in connection with each other, as may be consistent with a due attention to the present system of defence against invasion. The most convenient cantonments, with a view to the object in question, I apprehend would be in the neighbourhood of Cork for such proportion of the force as must be taken from the army now in Ireland, and Portsmouth for a limited corps; and the positions in Kent for the main body of the British part of the force with a view to embarkation in the Downs; as the passing of troops from the eastern district can never be productive of any very serious delay, in the event of their services being called for. The superior advantage and convenience of having the entire of the disposable force in the southern district is not so pressing in point of time as to render it necessary for your Royal Highness to disturb too extensively your present distribution for the security of that particular part of the coast. When I am honoured with an outline of the arrangements which your Royal Highness would propose, with a view to this object, I shall be prepared to concert such measures, with respect to keeping a due provision of transports in constant readiness at the several ports of embarkation above alluded to, as the particular circumstances of the moment may appear to his Majesty's Government to demand. It will certainly make a part of any such arrangement to have a fleet of transports perfectly equipped and victualled for foreign service, capable of receiving about 10,000 men, constantly stationed between Cork and Portsmouth; and I am, therefore, to suggest to your Royal Highness the expediency of stationing as much in the vicinity of those ports as the general distribution will permit, the particular regiments which your Royal Highness considers as most proper to be early detached on distant service, in order that any demand of this description which may arise may be supplied with secrecy and despatch. I should hope an arrangement of the above description may be made at a moderate expense, without prejudice, in the first instance, to the efficiency of our internal defence; that, whilst it is calculated to furnish us with additional means of distracting and, in favourable conjunctures, of attacking the enemy, its application will always remain a question of prudence, to be judged of according to the circumstances of the moment. Lord Castlereagh to H.R.H. the Duke of York. Downing Street, October 10, 1805. Sir-In consequence of the communications I have had the honour of holding with your Royal Highness by the King's command, I am now to signify to you his royal pleasure, that you do issue the necessary orders for the Hanoverian Legion, consisting of the forces in the margin mentioned,1 to be marched into the neighbourhood of Dover, in order to be embarked for foreign service. And your Royal Highness will receive his Majesty's pleasure for appointing a Lieutenant-General, and a suitable staff for the said corps. And your Royal Highness will be pleased to have the necessary arrangements made, so that the corps may be provided with camp equipage, ordnance, and ammunition, &c., to enable it to take the field, if necessary, on its arrival on the Continent. The commissioners for the transport service have received directions to prepare a sufficiency of tonnage for this service, and will receive your Royal Highness's directions respecting the places of embarkation. I am, &c., CASTLEREAGH. Lord Castlereagh to H.R.H. the Duke of York. Walmer Castle, October 13, 1805. Sir-As there is no immediate reason to apprehend that Russia and Prussia will be committed in hostile relations, and there appears strong ground to suppose that a corps of 10,000 men sent in by the Elbe might safely take possession of Hanover, and thus open the way for future exertions on the Continent, it is my intention, with Mr. Pitt's concurrence, to propose this measure, on my return to town, for the consideration of his Majesty's Ministers. As time is material, your Royal Highness will concur, no doubt, in the propriety of proceeding with the necessary arrangements in the mean time. The embarkation had better. take place from Ramsgate; and I will take care to arrange with the agent for transports here, that the requisite tonnage shall be ready for the reception of the troops, calculating the British force to accompany or immediately follow the German Legion at 5,000 men. I should propose to send forward a confidential officer (if your Royal Highness should see no objection to General Don) to Berlin, with a view of making all the necessary inquiries, upon which the prudence of the debarkation will depend; in the mean time, the troops to remain on board the transports in the Elbe. It may, perhaps. be more convenient that the German Legion, being nearly ready, should embark and proceed without loss of time; the British force to follow, with the least possible delay. As some cavalry will be required, and the Hanoverian is the most applicable, I should propose to your Royal Highness to embark one regiment immediately at Southampton, leaving it for consideration whether the rest should not immediately follow. Mr. Pitt and I propose leaving this place for town early to-morrow morning, where any communication with which your Royal Highness may honour me will be sure to find me. Lord Castlereagh to the Baron Nicolai. October 13, 1805. Lord Castlereagh presents his compliments to Baron Nicolai. Lord Mulgrave proposes to write by a messenger, by this night's mail, to General Tolstoi, at Stralsund, and is desirous that Baron Nicolai should write at the same time in concurrence with his lordship, with a view of apprizing the General of the force proceeding from hence, and inviting the General to advance with the Russians and Swedes into Hanover, there to co-operate with his Majesty's forces. Lord Castlereagh suggests the expediency of Baron Nicolai seeing Lord Mulgrave without delay on this subject. The forces ordered for this service are as follows: - 12,000 men to proceed forthwith to the Elbe; 2,000 cavalry, at least, to follow as soon as the requisite tonnage can be prepared; 5,000 men to be embarked at Cork to proceed to the Downs, there to receive further orders, and to reinforce the force on the Elbe, if necessary. Draft. Instructions to Lieutenant-General Don. October 16, 1805. Sir-I am to acquaint you that his Majesty has determined, in consequence of the French army (with the exception of 3,500 men) having been withdrawn from Hanover, to send a force consisting of the number stated in the margin,1 for the purpose of expelling the enemy from the Electorate, and of 1 German Legion Brigade of Guards 4th, 14th, 23rd regiments Four Companies Rifle Corps. German Regiment Light Dragoons Rank and File Ordered from Ireland to the Downs 4,808 2,000 5,000 |