20 THE INFLUENCE OF GRENVIEEE ON PITT’S FOREIGN POEICY. 
reached London, the government was thrown into a fit of consternation 
and feared that its representative in Paris, Lord Gower, might suffer 
personal injury. A despatch was immediately sent recalling him. It 
was deemed unwise to delay until Grenville could be consulted, and 
Pitt himself drew up the despatch, writing also to Grenville of what he 
had done and adding : “I wish we could have had time to know your 
sentiments first, but that seemed impossible.” * * * § Pitt was anxious that 
Grenville should return to assume charge of foreign business during 
this crisis, and Grenville accordingly made a hurried trip to London.f 
A short stay sufficed to calm the excitement of his fellow-ministers and 
to put affairs in order in his department. Burges wrote : “ Lord Gren¬ 
ville came to town on Wednesday evening, and of course business begins 
to flourish.” X No definite line of policy was determined upon, for it 
was evident that time was necessary to see the recent events in a true 
light. Pitt’s dependence and Grenville’s control of details are, however, 
forcibly brought out, for twice more Grenville was hurriedly re¬ 
called when Pitt disliked to assume the sole responsibility, and finally, 
in November, Pitt’s desire that Grenville should formulate the line of 
policy most likely to deter France from attacking Holland forced the 
latter to resume his customary duties. § 
The interesting and much-discussed question of whether England 
followed the wisest policy in determining upon war with France, and 
whether, indeed, war could have been avoided, must here be passed 
over, for there is no proof whatever that Grenville was at . this period 
more favorable to war than was Pitt. In. .truth, Grenvill e’s entire 
f policy had thus far been based on the necessity of peace for England. |j 
■ ‘V, 
\ The events of the iotli of August had not stirred him from his belief 
in the possibility of maintaining England’s neutrality, and even the 
King held to the same view, though he is usually regarded as having 
been desirous of war4 Before two months had passed, however, a 
*Pitt to Grenville, Aug. 17, 1792. Dropmore, II, 302. 
|Pitt to Grenville, Aug. 18, 1792. Ibid., 303. Aust to Miles, Aug. iS, 1792. 
Miles, I, 329. 
J Burges to Auckland, Sept. 21, 1791. Auckland, II, 446. 
§ Pitt to Grenville, Nov 5— 12, 1792. Dropmore, II, 328. There are more letters 
from Pitt to Grenville in the fifteen days when the excitement in England was at 
its height than in the previous eighteen months. 
|| Immediately after the signing of the peace of Sistovo, Grenville wrote : “I am 
repaid by the maintenance of peace, which is all this country has to desire. We 
shall now, I hope, for a very long period indeed, enjoy this blessing, and cultivate 
a situation of prosperity unexampled in our history.” Grenville to Buckingham, 
Aug. 17, 1791. Court and Cabinets , II, 196. 
U Brunswick had asked in August, 1792, for a declaration by England of her 
intentions. Grenville, through Dundas, instructed Murray, who was with 
Brunswick’s army, to state that England would maintain her neutrality and could 
not make a declaration, though approving the purpose of restoring a responsible 
and peacefully inclined government in France. Dropmore, II, 313. George III 
approved the draft of this answer. Ibid., 310. 
