APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 
thevicinity of wherever our means 
can operate. 
I lose no time in dispatching 
the Falmouth to your Lordship, 
and Captain Knight will explain 
our situation, as well as that we 
are taking every precaution in re- 
spect to the defence of that river, 
in the event of General Clausel 
sending down any strong force to 
stifle the spirit of the people. I 
shall also write to Rear-Admiral 
Sir Henry Hotham, and perhaps 
the Rear-Admiral may strengthen 
our means here, so that we may 
fully avail ourselves of such op- 
portunity of pushing the royal 
cause with vigour and celerity, 
and of cherishing the excellent 
disposition with which all here 
seem inspired. I have just learnt 
that the enemy evacuated the fort 
of Verdun last night, and retired 
with his garrison. We have sent 
a force on shore to dismantle and 
destroy the guns, &c. This is 
the fort which disputed our en- 
trance, and it is a very strong 
work, 
I have also the pleasure to 
add, that the propositions of the 
Baron Montalembert, and _ his 
mission, have hitherto been every 
where attended with.success. The 
.forts and the positions are gra- 
dually pulling down their tri-co- 
Joured flags, and hoisting that of 
their legitimate Sovereign: and 
several of them have saluted the 
squadron upon their hoisting the 
white flag. While writing this 
letter, another battery has hoist- 
ed the white flag, and there now 
remains only the fort at Meche 
with the tri-coloured flag. 
Captain Palmer, who was en- 
trusted with the service, has 
19 
throughout directed it, and the 
accident alone of my being the 
senior officer, induces me to give 
the account to your Lordship. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) F. W. AyLMER, 
Captain. 
To Admiral Lord Viscount 
Keith, &c. 
His Majesty's ship Hebrus, in 
the Gironde, July 14, 1815. 
My Lord,—I have the honour 
to state to you, that I arrived off 
this port on the 6th, where I 
found his Majesty’s ship Pactolus, 
and I learn from Captain Aylmer 
that General Donnadieu (the 
French officer he had on board) 
was endeavouring to open a com- 
munication with the Commands: 
ant at Bourdeaux, General Clau- 
sel, and that an aide-de-camp 
had been dispatched in for that 
purpose. But as General Clau- 
sel thought proper to detain the 
messenger, and also to adopt 
the most decided measures to pre- 
vent any kind of intercourse, 
there appeared no prospect of 
any accomodation from any 
further attempts to conciliate him. 
From the nature of this coast, 
and the complete military posses- 
sion which the enemy had of it, 
it seemed impossible that any free 
communication could be opened 
with the Royalists, unless I could 
effect an entrance into the river ; 
and as the Baron de Montalem- 
bert expressed the greatest anxie- 
ty upon the subject, and I pos- 
sessed a discretionary power of 
passing into the Gironde, should 
I be of opinion that circumstances 
justified me in doing so, I de- 
