ded, excited ridicule rather
than alarm.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Wednesday, Jan. 4th, 1797.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,

A little after eleven this morning came an account of Elphinston's
being arrived with the 'Monarch' (I believe at Spithead). He had
letters from General Dalrymple of the 31st, by which it seems
probable that the French fleet is, if not entirely, certainly in
great part, broken to pieces. Two French seventy-fours and a
frigate had put into Bantry Bay, one without a bowsprit, and all of
them damaged, and were lying within mortar reach of Bantry when
Dalrymple wrote: other vessels were seen also trying to get into
Bantry Bay. The 'Impatiente,' a very fine frigate of forty-four
guns, just reached Cuxhaven, and foundered there, the whole crew
going down with her except a pilot and four men, who were saved. By
their report twelve thousand men only were on board, and provisions
so scarce from the first, that they were put upon short allowance
the day that they left Brest. Another French frigate was seen
driving up St. George's Channel, and is said to have gone to pieces
upon the Welsh coast. A Barbadoes ship saw a large ship, supposed
to be one of the flutes, struggle some time, and then founder;
another of the flutes was seen to founder off the Lizard; and great
traces of wreck are thrown upon the Irish coast.

Lord Bridport sailed very early yesterday morning, and met
Elphinston, who gave him all this intelligence. I presume that he
will probably detach part of his squadron towards Ireland, and part
towards Brest; besides which, I believe he has power to take with
him whatever he meets.

Kingsnill was indefatigable in collecting his frigates, which, with
his two sixty-fours, will count heavily upon this shattered and
disabled force of the enemy. Meantime, the greatest part of the
Oporto fleet is come in, and very good accounts are received from
the West Indies, where a strong naval force is gone down to the
protection of Jamaica. One of the frigates, too, upon that station
has taken a rich Spanish prize. Of the four ships out belonging to
Colpoys' fleet, all are come in except the 'Powerful,' which is
thought to have made Ireland. Upon the whole, therefore, you will
admit that I send you to-day a very prosp