[DUNDAS HENRY]: (1742-1811) 1st Viscount Melville. Scottish Politician who served as Secretary ...

[DUNDAS HENRY]: (1742-1811) 1st Viscount Melville. Scottish Politician who served as Secretary of State for War 1794-1801. Contemporary manuscript copy of Secret Intelligence, the original having been sent with a letter from Dundas dated 16th June 1798, four pages, folio, n.p., n.d. (1798). The secret intelligence report, in an unidentified hand, states, in part, 'A Monsr. Faujas de St. Fond (known as a man of letters before the Revolution) arrived at Frankfort a few days ago. He is employed by the French Government to make enquiries into subjects of natural History. The Abbe de Lisle is here likewise in his way to Brunswick, he was visited by Faujas…..who in conversation informed him that the Expedition from Toulon was certainly destined to Egypt, that it had long been in agitation; that Buonaparte had formed the plan……the army under Buonaparte consisted of 40,000 men, the elite of the French Troops, which would be gradually reinforced, and that all the principal officers in every Corps and Department of the Army were chosen by Buonaparte; that the project was, after having secured possession of certain parts of Egypt, to take the nearest route by Arabia, thro' Persia, cross the Indus nearly where Alexander did, and from thence advance into the British Territories……He observed that this enterprise embraced a number of great public objects, as well as many private views; that Buonaparte saw in it an ample field for gratifying his ambition and perhaps a prospect of establishing himself in some great and independent situation, which he could scarcely have done in Italy. Mr. Foujas pretended also that the projected Invasion of England was intended merely to create expense, excite apprehension, and cover this expedition so as to prevent the British Ministry from taking measures for the security of their Asiatic Dominions'. A few neat splits to the edges of some folds, only very slightly affecting a few words of text, G

Barthelemy Faujas de Saint-Fond (1741-1819) French Geologist & Traveller.