Thomas Townshend to Richard Oswald, 26 October 1782
Thomas Townshend to Richard Oswald
Whitehall 26th Octor. 1782
Richard Oswald Esqr.
Sir,
When I wrote to You last by Mr. Strachey,1 wishing to avoid all delay, which was not absolutely inevitable, I was as concise as possible. I thought it better to refer You to him for my Opinion upon the subject of Your Dispatches, than to enter at that time into a Detail.
There was one part of Your Letter which referred to a proposal of Mr. Jay’s which seems to have been frequently and eagerly urged by him.— I mean that of an Expedition against West Florida. I do not think that he went so far as to guaranty a quiet Evacuation of New York. This is a matter of great delicacy, and though in some points of view the proposal appears to be one, with which we might be tempted to close, Yet we might put ourselves too much in the power of Friends very newly Reconciled to us, as well as of those who might remain our Enemies, by carrying a large Force to the Southward of all Our West India possessions. To be sure we are not disinclined to prefer an Attack upon the Spaniards to one upon the French, provided we could by that means bring off Our Army, Artillery and Stores without difficulty or Insult, and that we should not run a Chance of meeting the whole Force of France and Spain in defence of the Possessions of the latter, when the former were apprized of our being tied up from attacking them or of having that of France employed in the mean time against our Islands. The Colony of West Florida is certainly an object of Our attention, and we should be extremely glad to adopt such measures as might ensure to Us the re:possession of it.
If you have an opportunity of Sounding the Commissioners on this head, or if Mr. Jay shou’d return to the Charge, it seems adviseable to see how far he thinks himself enabled to engage for the Evacuation, and then we shall be better able to judge in what manner the rest of the Scheme might be put into Execution.2 I am &c.
T. Townshend
P.S. I have this moment received the inclosed Letters from Lord Shelburne relative to the Estate of the Penn Family,3 and particularly recommend their contents to Your consideration.
DftS, UkLPR: FO 27/ 2. Endorsed. Cs, UkLPR: FO 97/ 157 and FO 85/ 511; and MiU-C: Shelburne 70. Enclosure: Shelburne to Townshend, 26 Oct. 1782, urging Oswald, “with the King’s Commands to interest himself in behalf of the Penn Family, and to communicate it to the Commissioners, if he thinks it will serve their cause—”.
1. Probably Townshend to Oswald, 23 Oct. 1782, Cs, UkLPR: FO 97/ 157 and 95/ 511; and MiU-C: Shelburne 70, on which see “The Preliminary Articles: Second Draft” (editorial note) on pp. 200–205.
2. In letters of 23 and 26 Oct. 1782 to Strachey, Townshend indicated reservations about a British expedition against Florida, expressed concern about “the quiet and creditable evacuation” of New York, and voiced the hope that West Florida might be recovered “by other means as well as by direct attack.” Cs of both in DLC: Strachey. On the fate of the Florida proposal, see “The Separate Article” (editorial note) on pp. 162–64.
3. On JJ’s efforts to procure sympathetic treatment for the Penn family, see his letter to Juliana Penn, 4 Dec. 1782, below.