Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/418

 the attention of the House to the query, whether the relief of Toulon by the French was a consequence of the victory at Almanza.

The Duke of Marlborough clearly proved that Lord Peterborough had been only a volunteer negotiator with the rulers of Savoy, who had amused him with two delusions: first, that he was regarded as the spring of the movement against Toulon; and next, that his plan for employing troops from Spain was approved of. But the actual expedition against Toulon was an old secret, to which Lord Peterborough, like the army and the public at large, was not admitted, in pursuance of the Duke of Savoy’s earnest request that the design should be kept very secret. The Duke of Marlborough having been a party to the real negotiation, could inform the House that to take troops from Spain was no part of the plan. “And,” said the Duke, in conclusion, “the attempt upon Toulon did not miscarry for want of men (since there were nearly 17,000 left behind in Italy) but for want of time and other accidents.” This was sufficient to upset the motion. However, the government, having a majority, forced on the censure of the generals, which was carried by 64 to 43. Here we may quote from a printed paper Lord Galway’s own remarks on the Toulon question.

“The Earl of Peterborough is pleased to add as a reason for his opinion, ‘That the Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene had declared their sentiments for a defensive war at that time in Spain, and had communicated their thoughts to Charles III. upon that subject, to the certain knowledge of the Earl of Peterborough, as he can make appear by authentic papers from the King of Spain.’ I shall not take upon me to deny a matter of fact which his Lordship so positively affirms, but I have been credibly informed that the Duke of Marlborough and my Lord Godolphin did both of them assure this most honourable house, that the true project against Toulon was not concerted by the Earl of Peterborough, Prince Eugene, and the Duke of Savoy, but first set on foot in Flanders by the Duke of Marlborough with Count Maffei, and was finished in England with the Counts Maffei and Briangon [agents of the Duke of Savoy], but did not require that any troops should be sent from Spain, nor was ever communicated to the Earl of Peterborough — which indeed his Lordship seems to be aware of, when he says, not long after, that the project against Toulon, as settled by him, had been so altered, that the Duke of Savoy publicly declared his dislike of engaging in it. And yet it is most certain that His Royal Highness did engage in an attempt against Toulon, pursuant to the project concerted in England. Though that attempt did not prove entirely successful, it had a very good effect, for thereby a great body of the enemy’s troops were diverted from acting elsewhere; and a considerable damage was done to the fleet and magazines of France.”

Against the decisions to refuse the generals’ petition for more time, and to censure them for their opinion given in a council of war, thirty-six lords protested, namely:—