France, Britain, and the Struggle for the Revolutionary Western Mediterranean by Joshua Meeks

Author:Joshua Meeks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

They subsequently escalated the matter to their respective ministers in London and Madrid, with the Marquis de Campo issuing a complaint against Hood.105 Grenville replied, via a letter to St. Helens in Madrid, that Hood retained his full support and that he took all actions exactly as they should have been.106

Another incident between the Spanish and the British that is exemplary of the Mediterranean political dynamic in 1793 came courtesy of the Corsicans. Hood had written to Paoli, after the failure of Linzee to dislodge the French, that he was unable to provide more assistance until the spring. This led Paoli to make his own plans accordingly, and in late November several Corsican vessels, flying the Corsican flag, entered into the port of Toulon in search of supplies. Langara wrote to Hood asking him to tell the Corsicans to have either a white flag, or a recognizable flag of some other nation.107 Hood replied that he had “always understood that a very great part of the inhabitants of Corsica refused to acknowledge themselves subjects of France; so does not see upon what ground he can prevent vessels from a part of the island (not belonging to or in possession of the French) from wearing the Corsican flag, especially as this port is at present virtually English.”108

From a position of strength in Toulon, Hood was willing to disregard the purpose of the Coalition as a stabilizing force in international politics in favor of expanding British interests. Spain had expressed interest in Corsica as indemnification from France, but this tacit acceptance of Corsica’s independent status put Britain not only at the crux of the Coalition but also as the arbiter of international politics in the Mediterranean. Far from protecting and stabilizing the international system, this was indicative of the destabilizing influence wrought by Britain’s occupation of Toulon.

This more aggressive stance by Hood presumed that the British would be able to maintain their position in Toulon without meaningful assistance from their allies. Ultimately, this confidence was misplaced. The spirit among the various allied troops at Toulon was growing shakier with the multitude of divisions though the Republican forces were getting constant reinforcements following the fall of Lyon.109 Grenville had promised to send 5000 Hessians mercenaries, but he rerouted these to the Rhineland after Austria promised to send 5000 troops from Milan because they were closer.110 They, however, intended to embark on British ships at Genoa; the breaking of diplomatic relations and blockading of Genoa put an end to this plan. From there the 5000 Austrians headed to Vado, so Hood sent Crosby to pick them up there. However, after hearing of the rift with Genoa, the Austrians ordered the troops back to Lombardy in order to strengthen their defenses should the situation prove even more volatile.111

The only remaining troops to reinforce Toulon that London had arranged for were from Gibraltar. Grenville ordered Robert Boyd, the Governor-General at Gibraltar, to have all the troops he could spare go to Toulon.112 The rationale was that with the friendly relations with Spain, there would be less of a need for troops at Gibraltar.

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