Are we then returned to the age of tournaments? Motives of this nature might have authorised, four centuries ago, the combat of thirties; but they cannot, in this age, be a reason for war between the two countries. It might suffice in this respect to reply to his excellency, that no representation has been made by him on the subject to the government of the republic; and that, if it was but justice to grant satisfaction, the first consul had a right to expect that which was required by M. Otto, in his note of the 22d Thermidor last, upon grounds more serious and more just. Is it possible that the English ministry can have been ignorant, that, ever since the conclusion of the treaty of Amiens, the English press has not ceased to spread through Europe the rage of war, the discredit of peace, and shameless and boundless outrages against every thing which is the object of the love and vencration of the French people? A few days after the ratification of peace, one of his Britannic majesty's ministers declared, that the peace establishment must be considerable; and the distrust excited by this declaration, made in parliament with as much bitterness as impropriety, furnished a commentary for the exaggeration and alarms which were circulated in despicable pamphlets, and in newspapers, as contemptible as those libels. Since that time, these writers have found them-, selves invariably supported in their insolent observations by particular phrases taken from the speeches of some leading members of parliament, These speeches, scarcely to be excceded by the newswriters themselves, have, for these eighteen months, tended to encourage insult against other governments to that degree, that every European must be offended, every reasonable Englishman must be humiliated, by such unheard-of licentiousness. What, if we connect with these sallies, proceedings more offensive and serious; the indulgence granted to French criminals, publishing daily outrages in the French language; the still more inexcusable toleration extended to villains covered with crimes, and plotting assassinations incessantly, such as Georges, who still continues to reside at London, protected, and having a considera. ble establishment; in a word, the little justice which has been shewn to all our representations-how are we to account for the publicity of the complaint which his Britannic majesty has thought proper to make respecting some indefinite wrongs which he has hitherto thought unnecessary to bring before the first consul? The first consul has had cause to be convinced that all his representations on all these points were useless, and that his Britannic majesty, regardless of the neighbouring powers, was resolved to authorise every thing within his dominions; but he did not, on that account, entertain a doubt of the continuance of peace, nor alarm Europe with the notification of war. He confined himself to this principle of conduct, to permit or to prevent in France, with respect to England, whatever should be permitted or prevented in England with regard to France. He has, however, expressed, and he again expresses his wish, that means should be adopted to prevent, in future, any mention being made of what what is passing in Englaud, either in the official discussions, or in the polemical writings in France, as in like manner in the French official discussions and polemical writings, no mention whatever should be made of what is passing in England. Lord Hawkesbury mentions an article in a newspaper, containing the report of a French colonel. In serious discussions, an answer on this point might be dispensed with ; but it is neither a long nor difficult matter. A colonel in the English army has published a work, in England, filled with the most atrocious and disgust. ing calumnies against the French army and its general. The lies it contains have been contradicted by the reception which colonel Sebastiani experienced. The publicity of his report was at once a refutation and a reparation which the French army had a right to expect. On his arrival in Egypt, this officer, to his great astonishment, found the English army there, although they should have evacuated it, and the Turks prodigiously alarmed at the continuance of the English army, and at its relations with the natives, in rebellion and open revolt against the Sublime Porte. He must have conceived that the treaties which connect us with the Porte, and by which we have guaranteed to it the integrity of its possessions, compelled us to unite ourselves with that power. It was natural to think that England meant to declare war from the instant she refused to execute the articles of the treaty. For, after all, France is not reduced to such a state of debasement, as to suffer treaties made with her to be executed or not at pleasure. Hence the researches made by this officer, as to the forces which were in Egypt, and as to the position occupied by the English army. But Egypt has since been restored to the dominion of its lawful sovereign, and the idea of a rupture between the two nations, on account of the engagement contracted with the Porte, no longer exists. There remains, therefore, but one object worthy of fixing the attention of the two nations. The execution of the treaty of Amiens, as far as concerns Malta. His majesty has engaged to restore it to the order, and to entrust it to the Neapolitan army till the order should be in a condition to guard it. His majesty will reject all sophistry, every distinction, every mental reservation which might be offered to him, to put in doubt the force and the validity of his engagement. His Britannic majesty's equity, his conscience in this respect, are guarantees for the French republic. Were it otherwise, what means in future would the two nations have for coming to an understanding? Would not all be chaos? This would, indeed, be adding another calamity to those which have menaced social order. The undersigned is directed to declare, in short, that the first consul will not take up the defiance of war given by England to France; that as to Malta, he sees no subject for discussion, the treaty having provid ed for every thing, and settled every thing. The undersigned has the honour, &c. (Signed) F. Andreossy. Portland Place, 8 Germinal, Year 11. (29th March, 1803.) Inclosure Inclosure in No. 49. The undersigned, his majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, has laid before the king the note of his excellency general Andreossy, of the 29th of last month. His majesty has been induced, by that spirit of moderation and forbearance which have invariably governed his conduct in every part of his communications with the French government, to abstain from making many observations which the perusal of this note may naturally have suggested to his mind. His majesty has perceived, with great regret, that the French go. vernment continue to withhold all satisfaction and explanation on the points on which he has complained; and that, at the time when they evade all discussion on the subject of his representations, they persist in their requisition that the island of Malta should be forthwith evacuated by his forces. His majesty can never so far forget what is due to himself and to his people, as to acquiesce in such a course of proceeding; he has, therefore, judged it expedient to give instructions to his ambassador, at Paris, to ascertain, distinctly, from the French government, whether they are determined to persevere in withholding all satisfaction and explanation on the points on which his majesty has complained; or whether they are disposed, without delay, to give such satisfaction and explanations upon the present state of affairs, as may lead to an arrangement which may be calculated to adjust the differences at present subsisting between the two governments. It is his majesty's anxious desire that, by this mode of pro ceeding, an end may be put to that state of suspense and irritation which must be so injurious to the inte rests of both countries; and that the two governments, actuated by the same principles of justice and moderation, may be led to concur in such measures as are most likely to conduce to their permanent tranquillity. The undersigned requests general Andreossy to accept the assurances of his high consideration. Hawkesbury. Downing Street, April 3d, 1803. His Excellency General Andreossy &c. &c. &c. It is become essential, that the discussions which have been for some time subsisting between his majesty and the French government, should be brought to an issue within as short a time as is consistent with the deliberation which must be given to objects of so much importance. The last note presented by general Andreossy, in the name of his government, in answer to my note of the 15th of last month, evades all explanation, and even all discussion, of the points on which complaint has been made by his majesty. If the French government should seriously intend to persist in this course of proceeding, there can be no hopes of a successful termination to the present negociation. It is important, therefore, that you should ascertain distinctly, in the first instance, whether they are disposed to enter into explanation on the points on which his majesty has complain ed, and to come to such an arrangement as may be calculated to adjust the differences at present subsisting between the two countries; and for this purpose you will present a note to the effect of that which is herewith inclosed. It is possible that the French government may continue to evade all discussion on the points in question, and confine themselves to a categorical demand, that Malta should be immediately evacuated. In that case, it is his majesty's pleasure, that you should declare the impossibility of the relations of amity continuing to subsist between the two countries, and the necessity you will be under of leaving Paris within a certain time. But if, on the other hand, they should shew a readiness to enter into discussion, and to give reasonable satisfaction and explanation, it is important that you should be informed, without loss of time, of the sentiments of his majesty's government, as to what might be considered an equitable adjustment of the differences between the two governments at this moment. I have, therefore, by his majesty's command, inclosed the project of an arrangement, which, under the present circumstances, would meet the ideas of his majesty's government; which would afford security for those objects which are considered as endangered by the unequivocal disclosure of the views of the first consul, and which, at the same time, might entirely save the honour of the French government. I am, &c. (Signed) Hawkesbury. His Excellency Lord Whitworth, &e. &c. First Inclosure referred to in No. 50. The undersigned, his Britannic majesty's ambassador extraordinary, has received the orders of his court to make the following communication to the French government. His majesty has perceived, with great regret, that the French government continue to withhold all satisfaction and explanation on the points on which he has complained, and that at the time when they evade all discussion on the subject of his representations, they persist in their requisition that the island of Malta should be forthwith evacuated by his forces. His majesty can never so far forget what is due to himself, and to his people, as to acquiesce in such a course of proceeding. He has, therefore, commanded the undersigned to ascertain, distinctly, from the French government, whether they are determined to persevere in withholding all satisfaction and explanation upon the points on which his majesty has complained, or whether they are disposed, without delay, to give such satisfaction and explanation upon the present state of affairs, as may lead to an arrangement which may be calculated to adjust the differences at present subsisting between the two governments. It is his majesty's anxious desire, that, by adopting this mode of proceeding, an end may be put to that state of suspense and uncertainty which must be so injurious to the interests of both countries; and that the two governments, actuated by the same principles of justice and moderation, may be led to concur in such measures as are most likely to conduce to their permanent tranquillity. Whitworth. (Signed) Heads of an arrangement to be concluded by treaty or convention between his majesty and the French government. Malta to remain in perpetuity in the possession of his majesty. The knights of the order of St. John to be indemnified by his majesty for any losses of property which they may sustain in consequence of such an arrangement. Holland and Switzerland to be evacuated by the French troops.. The island of Elba to be confirmed by his majesty to France, and the king of Etruria to be acknowledged. The Italian and Ligurian republics to be acknowledged by his majesty, provided an arrangement is made in Italy for the king of Sardinia, which shall be satisfactory to him, it over with much attention, and when he had done, he appeared to be in expectation of some other communication.. Upon desiring he would explain himself, he said, that he was in hopes I should have furnished him with the heads of those points, on which it was affirmed, in the note, that the French government had so repeatedly refused all explanation and satisfaction. I told him that it would have been entirely useless to repeat what had been so often urged in vain; that he could not but know, that the explanation required referred to the conduct of the French government, and the system of aggrandisement which it had constantly pursued since the conclusion, and in direct violation of the treaty of Amiens, founded, as it indisputably was, on the state of possession of the two countries at the time; that, with regard to the satisfaction, it evidently referred to the unjustifiable insinuations and charges against his majesty's govern ment, against the officer commanding his forces in Egypt, and against the British army in that quarter, contained in the official report of colonel Sebastiani. He was, by no means, disposed to admit, that either of these cases could justify the assertion of the French government having refused explanation and satisfaction, on the ground that no notice had been taken of these transactions, but in a very cursory manner; nor had any explanation ever been required as to any particular transaction, whether in Italy or elsewhere, and if it had, it would immediately have been given; and that the language of col. Sebastiani was not to be put in any comparison with that used by major Wil son, in his account of the campaign of |