54] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



teers increased, the navy of France 

 was diniinishccl and weakened. In 

 the mean time neutral ships were 

 frightened from the French jxirts 

 and coasts. The usual outlets were 

 wanting for the productions of the 

 soil and other commodities. The 

 violent husinessof piracy might flou- 

 rish in five or six places, but the 

 republic, on the whole, depi-ived 

 of the general influence of peace- 

 able commerce, paid two prices for 

 all colonial productions, while the 

 productions of France were sunk in 

 their value, by the want of means 

 of exportation. Even ships laden 

 with naval stores for the French 

 government were often taken by 

 French privateers, sometimes con- 

 demned, and never recovered easily. 

 It appeared, on the whole, to the 

 directory, that, as neither the num- 

 ber 01 qualifications of the seamen 

 to be found bore any proportion to 

 the exigencies of the navy, every 

 privateer was a blow struck at the 

 marine of the republic. That, as 

 neither could the French navy be 

 furnished with provisions or stores. 

 nor the colonies be supplied with 

 necessaries, nor the produce of 

 France exported without the aid of 

 neutral vessels, the French I'.ad 

 weakened themselves with their 

 own hands. With rcsrard to foreig-n 

 powers, the result of the French 

 system of maritime affairs was, from 

 its justice and moderation during 

 the first years of the present war, 

 greatly to tlicir credit; and this 

 was enhanced by the piracies of the 

 English. 1 1 was against the English 

 alone that neutral powers armed 

 and sent convoys with their ships, 

 and this very much at the instiga- 

 tion of the French government ; 

 which, in its uegociations with 

 maritime powers, signified that it 



was not their plan to make peace 

 -with England on any other terms 

 than those of their subscribing such 

 a fundamental code of maritime 

 laws, as should for ever secure the 

 rights of neutrality to pacific na- 

 tions. 



These declarations, however, 

 which were confirmed by the whole 

 conduct of the directory, did not, 

 as they expected, rally aU maritime 

 powers around the republic, for 

 maintaining the freedom of the 

 ocean. The northern powers ap- 

 peared cold and selfish in all their 

 intercourses with tlie republic, and 

 made but a very feeble resistance to 

 the continued violation of theirneu- 

 trality on the part of the English. 



The French government and na- 

 tionhavingequal cause of complaint 

 against the piracie^s of the English, 

 and the torpid submission of tlie 

 neutral maritime powers, judged it 

 necessary to depart, for a time, from 

 the liberal maximswhichthey wish- 

 ed universally to establish. The 

 republic, that it might no longer be 

 the victim of a false generosity, an- 

 nounced to the neutral states its in- 

 tention of treating them precisely 

 in the same manner in which they 

 allowed themselves to be treated by 

 the English. This decree was dated 

 fourteenth of Messidor (second of 



July,) 1799. 



This measure was followed im- 

 imdiatcly by the best effects. The 

 English became more cautious and 

 discreet in their seizures of neutral 

 ships bound ibr France. The own- 

 ers of neuti-aJ vessels, seized and de- 

 tained with their cargoes, obtained 

 readier payment. But, while new 

 encouragement was thus given to 

 privateering, the French govern- 

 ment detennined not to give up the 

 right formerly exercised by the exe« 



