214 ANNUAL RF:GISTER, 1800. 



between France and England. He 

 was accordingly directed by the 

 chief consul to submit that the pro- 

 jet of the armistice be drawn up, 

 and admitted in terms analogous to 

 those proposed by the British mi- 

 nister, but solely under the supposi- 

 tion that this armistice should be in- 

 dependent of the events of the 

 continent, and relative only to a 

 separate negociation, to be imme- 

 diately opened between the two 

 powers ; or that his majesty conti- 

 nuing to malve common cause with 

 the emperor, should consent that 

 the maritime truce may offer to the 

 French republic, advantages equal 

 to those secured to the house of 

 Austria by the continental truce. 

 He then adverts to the effects of the 

 armistice to Austria and Naples, 

 and observes, that France should 

 derive equivalent advantage from 

 the naval armistice, in the free na- 

 vigation of her ships, and the faci- 

 lities necessary for her communi- 

 cations with the islands of France, 

 and the re-union of her American 

 colonies, and in reinforcing her 

 army in Egypt. 



No. XXIX. A note from lord 

 Grenvillc to M. Otto, September 

 20, inclosing a note of the same 

 date. 



No. XXX. Lord Grenville says 

 in his note to M. Otto, that there 

 did not appear any thing in M. 

 Otto's note of the l6th, to alter his 

 majesty'ssentimentsas expressed on 

 the 7th ; that his majesty's known 

 engagements to his allies, and his 

 desire to contribute to the general 

 tranquillity of Europe, would not 

 permit him to separate his interest 

 from those with whom he was con- 

 nected ; and the jiroposed alterna- 

 tive offered by France, was nothing 

 more than the renewal of a demand 



already rejected ; " The orders for 

 giving notice of the termination of 

 the continental armistice must actu- 

 ally have been dispatched from Paris 

 at the very time when the continu- 

 ance of that armistice was proposed 

 to his majesty, as the condition and 

 inducement for a maritime truce." 

 The king, however, waving this 

 and similar considerations, would 

 still be induced, on suitable condi- 

 tions to make the sacrifices necessa- 

 rily attendant on a naval truce, if 

 the doing so should prevent the re- 

 newal of hostilities on the conti- 

 nent, and facilitate a general peace. 

 His majesty would not admit that 

 his enemies had acquired any as- 

 cendant over the spirit of the Aus- 

 trian armies ; but were the asser- 

 tions of the French government 

 better grounded, his majesty could 

 not admit a right to demand from 

 him compensation for the benefit 

 France alleged would be derived 

 by Austria from the contmuance of 

 the armistice, although his majesty 

 had offered to make considerable 

 sacrifices on account of his allies, 

 and to evince to Europe his con- 

 cern for the general welfare, and to 

 his enemies, his pacific dispositions. 

 " But to yield to the present de- 

 mand would be to sacrifice those 

 means of present defence, and those 

 pledges of future security which 

 have been acquired by such great 

 and memorable efforts, and which 

 he can never be expected to forego 

 till the result of those negociations, 

 in wliich he has declared his readi- 

 ness to concur, shall have crowned 

 his endeavours for the happiness of 

 his people, by the restoration of 

 a safe and honourable peace." 



No. XXXI. M. Otto, in a letter 

 to lord Grenville, September 21, 

 refers to a ucm' projct. 



