186 
their power; and one of them, 
from a written paper before him, 
which he faid were his inftruétions, 
read to me words to the effeé I 
have already ftated. 
Their third queftion was as to 
any mortgage we might have upon 
the Low Countries, in confequence 
of money lent to the Emperor by 
Great Britain—they wifhed to know 
if any fuch exifted, fince, as they 
had taken the Low Countries, charg- 
ed with ail their incumbrances, they 
were to declare that they fhould not 
confider. themfelves bound to an- 
{wer any mortgage given for money 
lent to the Emperor, for the pur- 
pofe of carrying on war againft 
them. 
I told them, that without reply- 
ing to this queftion, fuppofing the 
cafe to exift, the exception they 
required fhould have been ftated 
in their treaty with the Emperor, 
and could not at all be mixed up in 
ours; .that if they had taken the 
Low Couniries, as they ftood charg- 
ed with all their incumbrances, 
there could be no doubt what thefe 
words meant, and that if no excep- 
tion was ftated in the firft inftance, 
none could be made with a retro- 
active effet. 
The French Plenipotentiaries, 
however, were as tenacious on this 
point as on the other two; and as I 
found to every argument I ufed 
that they conftantly oppofed their 
inftructions, I had nothing to do 
but to defire that they would give 
_me a written paper ftating . their 
three claims, in order that I might 
immediately tranfmit it to your 
Lordfhip; and on this being pro- 
mifed, our conference broke up. 
Between four and five, P. M. 
yefterday, I received the enclofed 
note (D); and I have loft no time 
ANNUAL - REGISTER, 
1797+ 
fince it is in my poffeffion in pre- 
paring to fend away a meffenger, as 
independent of the difagreeable 
fubjeéts brought forward in this laft 
conference, and which it is material 
fhould be communicated without 
delay. JT am. anxious his Majefty 
fhould be informed of what has. 
paffed ‘in general up to this day, as 
it may perhaps furnifh fome ideas 
as to the poflible event of the ne- 
gotiation. 
, No. 13. (A) 
Projedt of a Treaty of Peace. 
BE it known to all thofe whom 
it fhall or may in any manner con- 
cern. The moft Serene and moft 
Potent Prince, George the Third, 
by the Grace of God, King of Great 
Britain, France, and Ireland, Duke 
of Brunaiwick and Lunenburgh, 
Arch Treafurer and Eleétor of the 
Holy Roman Empire,—and the Ex- 
ecutive Direétory of the French 
Republic, being equally defirous to 
put an end to the war, which has 
for fome time paft fubfifted between 
the dominions of the two parties, 
have named and conftituted for 
their Plenipotentiaries, charged with 
the concluding and figning of the 
definitive treaty of peace, viz. the 
King of Great Britain, the Lord 
Baron of Malmefbury, a Peer of the 
kingdom of Great Britain, —Knight 
of the moft honourable Order of 
the Bath, Privy Counfellor to his 
Britannic Majefty and the Execu- 
tive Directory of the French Re- 
public, who, 
after having exchanged their re- 
{pective full powers, have agreed 
upon the following Articles :— 
i.—As foon as this treaty fhall 
be figned and ratified, there fhall 
be an univerfal and perpetual peace, 
as 
