210 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



to assimilate to those of Germany, 

 are Malta, and the maritime towns 

 of Egypt. 



If it be true that a long suspen- 

 sion of arms between France and 

 England would appear unfavour- 

 able to his Britannic majesty, it is 

 not less so, that an armistice pro- 

 longed upon the continent would be 

 essentially disadvantageous to the 

 French republic; so that at the 

 same time that the naval armistice 

 would be to the French govern- 

 ment a pledge of the zeal which 

 would be employed by England in 

 promoting the re-establishment of 

 peace, the continental armistice 

 would be one also to the British go- 

 vernment of the sincerity of the ef- 

 forts of France ; and as the position 

 of Austria would no longer admit 

 of her not diligently seeking for a 

 conclusion, the three powers would 

 have, in their own private interests, 

 decisive reasonsfor consenting with- 

 out delay to the sacrifices which 

 may be reciprocally necessary in 

 order to bring about an early con- 

 clusion of a general and solid 

 peace, such as may answer the 

 wish and the hope of the whole 

 world. 



(Signed) Otto. 



Hereford-street, 4th Sept. 1800. 



(No. XVI.) 

 Dorvning-stred, Sept. 4, 1800. 

 Sir, 

 It appearing, by a note received 

 this day from M. Otto, that the 

 French government has determined 

 to make the continuance of the ar- 

 mistice between Austria and France, 

 and the commencement of the ne- 

 gociations for peace, dependent on 

 the conclusion of an armistice with 

 this country ; it is j udged proper^ in 

 order that the ultimate decision 



of so important and extensive a 

 question may be taken with the 

 fullest knowledge of all the consi- 

 derations by which it ought to be 

 governed, that you will see M. 

 Otto and inquire of him, whether 

 (as his note of the 30th ultimo ap- 

 pears to intimate) he is furnished 

 with a project of a treaty of naval 

 truce ? and, in that case, whether 

 he is willing to communicate it to 

 you for the information of his ma- 

 jesty's government ? 



You will farther inquire, whether 

 he is empowered and instructed to 

 include in such treaties hismajesty's 

 allies ? 



And, lastly, if his projet should 

 contain no article applicable to the 

 question of moving the French and 

 Spanish ships now in Brest to any 

 other station in or out of Europe, 

 you will inquire, whether M. Otto 

 is authorised to enter into negoci- 

 ation for the purpose of including 

 proper stipulations on that subject 

 in any treaty of the nature which 

 his government has proposed. 

 I am, &c. 

 (Signed) Grenville. 

 Evan Nepean, esq. 



(No. XVII.) 

 London, Sept. 4, 1800. 

 My Lord, 

 Since I had the honour of com- 

 municating to your lordship the 

 conversation that had passed be- 

 tween me and M. Otto, on the sub- 

 ject of the proposal for a naval ar- 

 mistice, and the readiness he had 

 expressed of furnishing me with a 

 copy of the projet, I have received 

 from him the enclosed note, and the 

 projet therein referred to. 

 I have the honour to be, &c. 



(Signed) Evan Nepeau. 

 Lord Gf enville. 



