The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1719.] HIS LIBEKATIUN 0,\ PAKOLE. 341
M. D'Allegre tlitl not reply to tlie above letter until "JStli Novcniliei-.
when, after apoldi^'isino- for the delay, ami leferrini;- to eertain jtroposals fen"
the exchange of Colonel Grant, ])resently to be noticed, he says, " M. de
Ponteli ;itrain also begs me to tell von, niv lird, that when ].' knew iliat
yon in'' -ested yoimself in (.'< lonel '•
ant
and the other oilic' , ])asse)' :'ers
found ij: the C)>tend packet, lioat, !.•, represented the matter lo the King
[Loui.-; xiv.], and innnedia.rely His Majesty caused them to be dismissed
on the!)' parole." '
The giving of their word of honour, however, did not secure the liberty
of the Colonel and his companions for more than a few mouths at most, and
the arrangements for an exchange were delayed by the action of the French
Government. Shortly after their capture, the circumstances of Colonel
Grant and his fellow-oliicers attracted the attention of the authorities
at home. So early as the loth September, ^Mr. Walpole (afterwards Sir
Robert), then Secretary-at-war, wrote about the aifair to the Duke of
Marlborough, who, on Gth October, re{>lies, " You may be sure I shall omit
no endeavours to ]irocure him [Colonel Grant] his liberty, but you know
the proposition they [the French Government] have niade, and we are too
sensible of their obstinacy in adhering to anj-thing they are once set upon,
therefore I have already written that the pass may be prolonged for six
months, as likewise for the gentlemen taken with him. In the meantime
you will do well to let the commissioners for the exchange of prisoners do
their part witli the commissioner at Calais. I hear he has an interest with
M. Pontchartrain, and if the French are in om- debt ibr seamen, he may be
glad of the opportunity of tliese gentlemen to helj) to Cjuit scores ; were
they deemed landmen, I should have exchanged them before now."-
The last sentence is explained by a paragraph contained in a petition
presented to Queen Anne about this time by Colonel Grant on behalf of
liimself and his comrades, which also states the pro])osals made by the
French and opposed by the English Government. After referring to the
facts of their capture, the petitioners say ;— " The Court of France insists
to have the Earl of ]Middletoun's two sones and some other ollicers taken
' Original Letters in Mailboroiigb's Despatches, 2 j]^^rii,orough'sDtsiiatches,l]ySir George Miiiray,
by Sir George Murray, 1S4,J, vol. v. [>. 170. vol. v. p. 17U.