174 ANNUAL REGISTE R, 1794, 



to general Lavaux, commmjder of 

 theFrenchtroopsinthcsameislavd. 



Mole St. Nicholas, \2th Feb. 

 Mr. Genera!, 



1H AVE thehonour to forward to 

 yon inclosed a letter from Col. 

 AVhitlock, commander-in-chief of 

 the British forces. I am informed 

 that its contents are of the greatest 

 importance, and thst it may rcacii 

 )ou in a safe and proper manner, I 

 send you an English officer with a 

 flag of truce, not doubling but you 

 will procure to him an honourable 

 protection. You will be so kind as 

 to give him your answer, which he 

 ■will deliver to me at Jean Rabel, 

 where I shall have a sufficient num- 

 ber of men for the immediate exe- 

 cution of whatever plan you may do 

 me the honour t() propose. 



Should yon prefer tocommunicate 

 ss'ith a ship of vv-ar, there will be 

 one cruising in the canal that is be- 

 tween the land .Tud la Tortue. In 

 addition to what may be proposed 

 in the letter from the colonel, I take 

 this opportunity to assure you on 

 the honour of a British officer, that 

 all possible care shall be taken to se- 

 cure to you every thing belongitig 

 to you, and you surely donot doubt 

 but the most honourable attention 

 will be paid to your person. 



The ship of warhas orders to give 

 you all the piotection in her pow er. 



Permit me also to assure you, that 

 all the officers and troops of the line 

 shall be immediately received into 

 the pay of Great Britain, on the 

 *ame t>)Otingas the troops of Dillon 

 and others ser\ ing in this ganison. 

 I have the honour to be, 

 Mr. General, 



Your most obedient 

 humble servant, 



(Signed) James Grant. 



Copy of a letter from colonel IJ^iil. 

 lock,, covunander- in-chief 171 St. 

 Domingo, to Lavaux, commandant 

 at Port de Paix. 



Jereviie, Qth Feb. lyQA, 



SiK, 



IF I am not misinformed, concern- 

 ing your present situation, it is 

 such tliat you will not be surprised 

 at receiving this letter. You can- 

 not hui be fully acquainted with the 

 inlenlions of his Britannic majesty, 

 to use the most vigorous efi^brts to 

 take possession of the island of St. 

 Domingo, or of that part of it which 

 is not yet subdued by the arms of 

 Spain. 



1 hourly expect considerable for- 

 ces from England; the army under 

 my command has lately been con- 

 siderably reinforced. 



J doubt not butyouhave also been 

 informed, that all the members of 

 tliat party of the national conven- 

 tion of France, wh.o had sanctioned 

 the measure for sending to St. 

 Domingo civil commissioners, who 

 are looked upon as the cause of 

 the total ruin of the island, havefor 

 that crime suffered an ignominious 

 death. 



Brissot, the leader of that party, 

 was accused of three capital crimes, 

 the first of which is that he advised 

 I lie measure of sending hither civil 

 commissioners. - 



The unhappy state of France 

 rendering it impracticable for that 

 nation to send succours to this ill- 

 fated country, several of the most 

 respectable jiroprietors of St. Do- 

 mingo were forced to apply to Eng- 

 land foi- protection, which was ac- 

 cordingly granted to them. 



I now, therefore, in the name of 

 his Britannic majesty, do hereby 

 offer to you the same protection, on 



condition 



