is almost beyond calculation in its present position,
menacing everything from Dunkirk to Brest, and defending everything
from Yarmouth to the Land's End. You will see this in a minute, if
you compare the facility of moving that force, either by land or
sea, with the efforts of the same sort that the enemy can make,
either offensively or defensively.

We cannot have too much force anywhere, but if I am not very
sanguine, Sir C. Grey has already a force beyond what the service
requires; and it is likely that he will still be reinforced without
breaking up Lord Moira's army, which I consider as the most
usefully employed, and telling the most effectually against the
enemy of any troops now in our service.

I will send your artillery plan to Dundas.

Ever most affectionately yours,
G.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

St. James's Square, July 9th, 1794.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,

I am sincerely sorry to see that you do not entertain the same
hopes as I do of good from the new arrangements. I confess I think
it so great an object to have annihilated all distinction of
parties in this country among those who are attached to the present
order of things; and I feel that the late events abroad have given
so much more importance to this point, with a view to the internal
situation of this country, than it had before, that I cannot help
feeling very sanguine as to the consequences of the steps now taken
with that view. God only knows which of us is right, and time only
can show. In the meantime, _jacta est alea_, and we must abide by
it.

On the subject of war and peace, you state very truly, that nothing
is less probable than that peace should now be in our option. The
retreat to Antwerp has been decided, not by opinions here, nor even
by those of the Duke of York and Lord Cornwallis, but by the
necessity consequent upon the Austrian movements. Whether those
movements were right, I am not enough of a soldier, nor enough
informed as a statesman, to pretend to form an opinion. The
immediate effect of them is not necessarily the abandoning the
towns taken last year, which are in a state to maintain themselves
long, and to impede many of the operations of the enemy. Nor, as
long as the Austrians maintain their line from Louvai