plied with peculiar propriety, it was that of the late treaty of peace; for the negociation was conducted on a basis not merely proposed by his majesty, but specially agreed to, in an official note, by the French government, namely, That his majesty should keep a compensation out of his conquests for the important acquisition of territory made by France upon the continent. That is a sufficient proof that the compact was understood to have been concluded in relation to the then existing state of things; for the measure of his majesty's compensation was to be calculated with reference to the acquisitions of France at that time; and if the interference of the French government in the general affairs of Europe since that period; if their interposition with respect to Switzerland and Holland, whose independence was guaranteed by them at the time of the conclusion of the treaty of peace; if the acquisitions which have been made by France in various quarters, but particularly those in Italy, have extended the territory and increased the power of France, his majesty would be warranted, consistently with the spirit of the treaty of peace, in claiming equivalents for these acquisitions, as a counterpoise to the Augmentation of the power of France. His majesty, however, anxious to prevent all ground of misunderstanding, and desirous of consolidating the general peace of Europe, as far as might be in his power, was willing to have waved the pretensions he might have a right to advance of this nature; and as the other articles of the definitive treaty have been in a course of execution on his part, so he would have been ready to have carried into effect an

arrangement conformable to the trut intent and spirit of the tenth article; the execution of that arrangement, according to its terms, having been rendered impracticable by circum. stances which it was not in his ma jesty's power to control. Whilst his majesty was actuated by these sentiments of moderation and forbearance, and prepared to regulate his conduct in conformity to them, his attention was particularly at tracted by the very extraordinary publication of the report of colonel Sebastiani to the first consul. This report contains the most unjustifiable insinuations and charges against his majesty's government; against the officer commanding his forces in Egypt, and against the British army in that quarter: insinuations and charges wholly destitute of foundation, and such as would have warranted his majesty in demanding that satisfaction which, on occasions of this nature, independent powers, in a state of amity, have a right to expect from each other. It dis closes, moreover, views in the highest degree injurious to the interests of his majesty's dominions, and directly repugnant to, and utterly inconsistent with, the spirit and letter of the treaty of peace concluded be tween his majesty and the French government. His majesty's ambas sador at Paris was accordingly di rected to make such a representation to the French government as his majesty felt to be called for by imputations of the nature above described, by the disclosure of purposes inconsistent with good faith, and highly injurious to the interests of his people; and as a claim had recently been made by the French government on the subject of the evacuation of Malta, lord Whit

worth

worth was instructed to accompany this representation by a declaration on the part of his majesty, that before he could enter into any farther discussions relative to that island, it was expected that satisfactory explanations should be given upon the various points respecting which his majesty had complained. This representation and this claim, founded on principles incontestibly just, and couched in terms the most temperate, appear to have been wholly disregarded by the French government; no satisfaction has been afforded, no explanation whatever has been given; but, on the contrary, his majesty's suspicions of the views of the French government with respect to the Turkish empire have been confirmed and strengthened by subsequent events. Under these circumstances his majesty feels that he has no alternative, and that a just regard to his own honour, and to the interests of his people, makes it necessary for him to declare, that he cannot consent that his troops should evacuate the island of Malta, until substantial security has been provided for those objects which, under the present circumstances, might be materially endangered by their removal.

With respect to several of the positions stated in the note, and grounded on the idea of the tenth article being executed in its literal sense, they call for some observations.

By the tenth article of the treaty of Amiens, the island of Malta was to be restored, by his majesty, to the order of St. John, upon certain conditions. The evacuation of the island, at a specified period, formed a part of these conditions; and if the other stipulations had been in a due course of execution,

his majesty would have been bound, by the terms of the treaty, to have ordered his forces to evacuate the island: but these conditions must be considered as being all of equal effect; and if any material parts of them should have been found incapable of execution, or if the execution of them should, from any circumstances, have been retarded, his majesty would be warranted in deferring the evacuation of the island until such time as the other condi tions of the article could be effected; or until some new arrangement could be concluded, which should be judged satisfactory by the contracting parties. The refusal of Russia to accede to the arrangement, except on condition that the Maltese langue should be abolished; the silence of the court of Berlin, with respect to the invitation that has been made to it, in consequence of the treaty, to become a guaranteeing power; the abolition of the Spanish priories, in defiance of the treaty to which the king of Spain was a party; the declaration of the Portuguese government, of their intention to sequestrate the property of the Portugues. priory, as forming a part of the Spanish langue, unless the property of the Spanish priories was restored to them :-these circumstances would have been sufficient, without any other special grounds, to have warranted his majesty in suspending the evacuation of the island. The evacuation of Tarentum and Brundusium is, in no respect, connected with that of Malta. The French government were bound to evacuate the kingdom of Naples by their treaty of peace with the king of Naples, at a period antecedent to that at which this stipulation was carried into effect.

The

The French government were bound, likewise, by engagements with the emperor of Russia, to respect the independence of the kingdom of Naples; but even admitting that the departure of the French troops from Tarentum depended solely on the article of the treaty of Amiens, their departure is, by the terms of the treaty, to take place at the same period as the other evacuations in Europe, namely, one month after the ratification of the definitive treaty; at which period both Porto Ferrajo and Minorca were evacuated by his majesty's forces; whereas the troops of his majesty were, in no case, bound to evacuate the island of Malta, antecedent to the period of three months after the ratification of the definitive treaty; and, even in that event, it must be considered as depending upon the other parts of the arrangement being in a course of execution. With respect to the assertion in the note, that the Neapolitan troops were to form the garrison of Malta, until the period when the arrangements relative to the order could be carried into effect, it will appear, by a reference to the article, that, by the preliminary paragraph, the island was to be restored to the order upon the condition of the succeeding stipulations, and that it was only from the period when the restitution to the order had actually taken place, that, by the 12th paragraph, the Neapolitan troops were to form a part of the garrison.

The undersigned has thus stated, with all the frankness which the importance of the subject appears to require, the sentiments of his majesty on the note delivered to him by general Andreossy, and on the

points in discussion between the two countries.

His majesty is willing to indulge the hope, that the conduct of the French government on this occasion may be influenced by principles similar to those which have invariably influenced his own. That, as far as possible, all causes of distrust, and every impediment to a good understanding between the two countries, may be completely and effectually removed, and that the peace may be consolidated on a secure and lasting foundation.

The undersigned requests general Andreossy to accept the assurances of his high consideration.

(Signed) Hawkesbury. His Excellency General Andreossy, &c. &c. &c.

No. 46.

Dispatch from Lord Whitworth to Lord Hawkesbury, dated Paris, March 17, 1803.

My lord,

I called yesterday on M. de Talleyrand, to converse with him on the subject of what had passed on Sunday last at the Thuilleries. He had been, since that day, so fully occupied with his expeditions to different foreign courts, that I had no opportunity of seeing him sooner. I told him, that I had been placed by the first consul in a situation which could neither suit my public nor my pri vate feelings. That I went to the Thuilleries to pay my respects to the first consul, and to present my countrymen, but not to treat of political subjects; and that unless I had the assurance from him that I should not be exposed to a repetition of the same disagreeable circumstances, I should be under

the

Dispatch from Lord Whitworth to
Lord Hawkesbury, dated Paris,
March 18, 1803.
My lord,

I received your lordship's dispatch, with its inclosure, this morning early; and I learnt at the same time that a messenger had arrived from general Andreossy to M. de Talleyrand; shortly after, M. de Talleyrand sent to desire I would call upon him, which I accordingly did. He told me that he had not only received your lordship's note to the French ambassador, but also the sentiments of the first consul upon it, which he was desirous to communicate to me, before he redispatched the messenger. This he did, and I refer your lordship to the communication which general Andreossy will make, according to his instructions, without loss of

time.

From the tenor of this note, it appears, that this government is not desirous to proceed to extremitics; that is to say, it is not pre

3

pared so to do; and, therefore, it expresses a willingness to enter on the discussion of the point, which appears, according to their conception, or rather to the interpretation they choose to give to it, the most material. This, of course, is the safety of Egypt. On this the first consul declares in the note, as M. Talleyrand did repeatedly to me, that he would be willing to enter into any engagement, by which such a security as would fully quiet our apprehensions, might be given on the part of the French government. On the subject of Malta, the first consul maintains that he cannot listen to any compromise; with regard to Egypt, he is willing to enter into any engagement which may be thought suficient.

I told him that he had departed from the letter and the sense of your lordship's note, by confining the question to Malta alone. That note had comprehended other most important considerations. That the best method of bringing the discus-sion to a speedy conclusion, such as his majesty's government appeared to wish, was to take it up on a broader scale. But that, at the same time, his majesty's government would not refuse to lend itself to any thing reasonable which might be suggested. There was, however, I told him, one distinction to be made in the situation of the two governments, in the discussion of this question. By our possession of Malta, France was not threatened; but the reverse was the case, should the access to Egypt be opened by its

he sees with which his the 250, nes tum the conduct which repconsai ħaż observed towards

exons in the instance to 104 ch refers; and you dah is his majesty has a

expect that his ambassador 4377 be treated with the respect to son due to the dignity of SOKIEGT We he represents,

ossible for you to prescan yoursele on any days of cereU the first consul, unless cense an assurance that you ce be exposed to a repethe treatment which you skyenesed on the occasion. Cough your excellency appears u nire aiucipated this instruction your most recent converwith Monsieur de Talleynevertheless, think it right die your excellency to state master, the sense which cucetas of this transac1 am, &c.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) Hawkesbury. Excellency Lord Whitworth, K. B. &c. &c. &c.

Inclosure in No. 49. The undersigned general of divi sion, ambassador and minister plenipotentiary from the French republic, has laid before his govern ment the note addressed to him by his excellency lord Hawkesbury. He has received orders to make the following answer to the observations therein contained.

The object of this note appears to be to explain his Britannic majesty's message; and to give some elucidations which had been demanded respecting the execution of the treaty of Amiens.

The first consul will not make any complaint relative to the extra. ordinary and unexpected assertions of this act, issued by his Britannic majesty. Not one of them is founded.

His Britannic majesty believes that his kingdom is menaced by preparations made in the ports of Holland and France. He has been deceived; the first consul has made no preparation.

There were, at the time of the message, but two frigates in the roads of Holland, and but three corvettes in the roads of Dunkirk. How can his Britannic majesty's ministers have been deceived on facts so evident? His Britannic majesty's ambassadors