224 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



of safety remained ; it woiiUl be 

 impossible to treat, but with arms 

 in our hands, with undisciplined 

 hordes of barbarous fanatics, who 

 despise all the laws of war: these 

 motives aflfected every mind; they 

 determined ray opinion. I gave 

 orders to my plenipotentiaries not 

 to break off the negociutions, ex- 

 cept the articles proposed tended 

 to the sacrifice of our glory or our 

 security. 



I finish this account, citizens 

 directors, by observing to you, that 

 the circumstances of my situation 

 were notforeseenin the instructions 

 left me by general Buonaparte. 

 When he promised me speedy suc- 

 cours, he founded his hopes, as well 

 as I did, upon the junction of the 

 French and Spanish fleets in the 

 Mediterranean : we were then far 

 from thinkinsj that these fleets would 

 return into the ocean, and that the 

 expedition of Egypt, entirely aban- 

 doned, would become a ground of 

 accusation against those who had 

 planned it. I annex to this letter 

 a copy of my correspondence with 

 the grand vizier, and with sir Sid- 

 ney Smith and my plenipotentiaries, 

 and all the official notes sent on 

 either side : I annex also a copy of 

 the reports which have been given 

 relative to the capture of El- 

 Arisch. 



The French arm}', during its stay 

 in Egypt, has engraved on the minds 

 of the inhabitants the remembrance 

 of its victories, that of the mode- 

 ration and equity with which we 

 have governed, and an impression 

 of the strength and power of the 

 nation by whom it was sent. The 

 French name will be long respected, 

 not only in thii province of the 

 Ottoman empire, but throughout 



all the East, and I expect to return 

 to France with the army at the latest 

 by the middle of June. 



Health and respect, 



Kleber. 



Kleher, Commander-in- Chief, to the 

 Divan of Cairo, and to those of 

 the different Provinces of Egypt. 



Head-quarters, Salachich, 

 February 6. 



Y 



OU have for along timeknown 

 the constant resolution of the 

 French nation to preserve its ancient 

 relations with the Ottoman empire. 

 My illustrious predecessor, general 

 Buonaparte, has often declared it to 

 you since the circumstances of the 

 war have induced us to visit tliis 

 country. He neglected no measure 

 to dissipate the apprehensions which 

 had been infused into the Porte, led 

 as it was to conclude an alliance 

 equally contrary to its interests and 

 ours. The explanation sent by him 

 to the court of Constantinople, fail- 

 ed in re-establishing so desirable an 

 union ; and the march of the grand 

 vizier against Damascus having 

 opened a more direct mode of com- 

 munication, he commenced nego- 

 ciations, and confided to me the 

 task of terminating them at the mo- 

 ment when affairs of superior inte- 

 rest obliged him to return to Europe. 

 I have this day concluded them, 

 and restore this country to the pos- 

 session of our ancient all)''. The 

 re-establishment of the commerce of 

 Egypt will be the first effect of the 

 measure. The treaty shall be the 

 first clause of a peace, which is be- 

 come necessary to the nations of 

 the west. 



