The Keith Papers

25. Troubridge to Keith

September 7, 1803.

My dear Lord, You will see we have directed Sir Sidney Smith to proceed off the Texel—two months will quiet him. Lord [illegible] letter was desired by Lord Hobart to save time to be referred to the Admiral on the spot. Thornborough is to report if the schuyts are fit, for Lord [illegible] says if 30 of them are placed on 40 miles of the Suffolk coast all is safe, and he has the opinion of a great sea officer on this head, which great officer is Sir S. S. [Smith], and without them they wish to make us believe they cannot sleep; but since I remember I never saw so much folly, ignorance and cowardice in my life. I have told them if you will let the thing alone to us, as far as relates to sea matters, I pledge my assistance. You will have nothing to complain of in sea matters, but the Duke of York having called on all the Generals to report their wants, all the most remote corners want naval forces in their creeks. For my own part I feel with your disposition of your force we have nothing to fear. Captain Wright is talking large about being sacrificed, that he was nearly taken by our not giving him a sufficient force. Now it so happened that we knew nothing of Captain Wright being in the Basilisk. My Lord Hawkesbury is led away with his and Sir S. S. talk, and I much doubt if he is not in the long run mistaken. Time will show. . . . I am &c.

T. TROUBRIDGE.