124] 
order to'be fully prepared for the 
vigorous and effectual prosecution 
of the war, if the failure of his ma- 
jesty’s.earnest endeavours to effect a 
general peace, on secure and ho- 
nourable terms, should unfortu- 
nately render another campaign 
unavoidable, And his majesty will 
not fail to take the first opportunity 
to communicate the reSult of these 
discussions to the house. In the in- 
terval, his majesty conceives that it 
may be.of the greatest importance 
to the common cause, that his ma- 
jesty should be enabled to continue 
such temporary advances for he 
service of the emperor as may be 
indispensably necessary, with a view 
to military operations being prose- 
cuted with vigour and effect at an 
early period; and his majesty re- 
commends it to the house to cen- 
sider of making such provision as 
may appear to them to be most ex- 
pedient for this purpose. 
G.R: 
Message from his Majesty to the 
House of Peers, 26th Dec. 1796. 
George R. 
IT is with the utmost concern 
that bis majesty acquaints the 
house of lords, that bis earnest en- 
deavours to effect the restoration of 
peace have been unhappily frus- 
trated, and that the negotiation in 
which he has been engaged has 
been abruptly broken off by the 
peremptory ‘refusal of the French 
government to treat, except upon 
a basis evidently inadmissible, and 
by their, having in consequence 
required his majesty’s plenipoten- 
tiary to quit Paris within 48 
hours, + 
His majesty has directed thn: se- 
veral memorials and papers which 
have been exchanged in the course 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
aT 
of the’ late discussion, and th 
account transmitted to his majes 
of its final result, to be laid befor 
the house. 
From these papers, his majesty 
trusts, it will be proved to t 
whole world that his conduct has 
been guided bya. sincere desire to 
effect the restoration of peace on 
principles suited to the relative 
situation of the belligerent powers, 
and essential for the pérmanent in« 
terests of his kingdom, and the ge- 
neral security of Europe: whilst 
his enemies have advanced ‘pre- 
tensions at once inconsistent with 
those objects, unsupported even on 
the grounds on which they were 
protessed to rest, and repugnant 
both to the system established by 
repeated treaties, and to the pria- 
ciple and practice which have hi- 
therto regulated the intercourse of 
independant nations, 
In this situation his majesty has 
the consolation of reflecting, that 
the continuance of the calamites 
of war can be imputed only to the 
unjust and exorbitant views of 
his enemies ; and his majesty look- 
ing forward with anxiety to the 
moment when they may be disposed 
to act on different principles, 
places in the mean time the fullest 
reliance, under the protection of 
Providence, on the wisdom and 
firmness of his parliament, on the 
tried valour of his forces by sea and 
land, and onthe geal, publie 
spirit, and resources of his king- 
doms, for vigorous and effectual 
support in the prosecution of a.con~' 
test, which it does not depend on 
his majesty to terminate, and which” 
involves in it the security and pere 
manent interests of this country, 
and of Europe, ; 
G.R. 
Note, 
