1909 ANNUAL REGISTER, 185. 
ecution any who manifested signs 
of disaffection to his government. 
The aide-de-camp, it appeared, 
was detained. 
While this negociation was at- 
tempting, the Hebrus arrived 
with the charge of a small expe- 
dition, with arms and supplies for 
the Royalists, and when it be- 
came evident that no good could 
arise out of any attempt to con- 
ciliate General Clausel, Captain 
Palmer made me a very strong 
representation upon the necessity 
which he conceived there was for 
his attempting to enter the Gi- 
ronde and open a direct commu- 
nication with the Royalist party. 
After weighing thecircumstances, 
I thought it my duty to accede 
to the proposal, and I united 
the ships for the prosecution of 
the service. 
The General Donnadieu, being 
anxious to pursue his mission on 
the coast, I dispatched the Larne 
with him to Passages. 
On the llth, the squadron 
weighed from an outer anchorage 
we had taken, and formed for. the 
purpose of entering the river ; but, 
as we stood in, the enemy’s cor- 
vette was perceived to weigh and 
manceuvre in the north entrance, 
while five sail pushed out through 
the southern passage to sea. Un- 
derthese circumstances, it became 
necessary for the intercepting 
those vessels that the squadron 
should separate for the time ; and 
in consequence the forcing the 
river was obliged to be given up 
for that day; during the night, 
the squadron united again, after 
having examined the vessels 
which it appeared had sailed in 
So suspicious a manner, which cir- 
cumstance was developed by 
the embargo having been that 
morning discontinued in the 
river. 
Yesterday, the wind being fa- 
vourable, the squadron again 
weighed, and formed in a close 
line for entering the Gironde; 
the Pactolus led, the Hebrus fol- 
lowed, and the Falmouth brought 
up the rear; the two former had 
transports in tow: as we. pro- 
ceeded, a person came off with a 
message from the people of the 
town of Royan, saying that they 
would not fire at us, provided we 
did not assail them. We passed on 
with the royal colours of France at 
the mast head; the tri-coloured 
flag flew along the batteries, 
which were all in preparation, 
but no act of hostility occurred 
until we reached the heavy bat- 
tery at Verdun, which opened its 
fire upon us, and continued it un- 
til the ships reached the an- 
chorage. No injury, however, 
was sustained, and the squadron 
did not return a gun, for I was 
unwilling to disturb the feeling 
which appeared so generally and 
so happily to prevail. Directly 
the ships were secured, a commu- 
nication was sent up with a flag 
of truce to General Clausel by 
the Count de Lasteur, deputed by 
M. La Duchesse D’Angouléme, 
and we are in expectation of his 
answer. In the mean time no- 
thing can wear a more favour- 
able aspect than the face of things 
in this river. 
I beg to assure you, that every 
measure shall be adopted, in con-- 
junction with the Baron Monta- 
lembert, to arm and organize the 
royal party, and establish the 
power of predominance of his 
Majesty the King of France, in 
