22G ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



measure ; or, if you cannot con- 

 sent to what I desire to solicit, that 

 you will send rae immediately to 

 France, in order that the French 

 government may treat directly with 

 the English government on this 

 atfair. 



The lives of 50,000 men are at 

 stake, who may be destroyed with- 

 out any motive, since, according 

 to the solemn treaty made \vith the 

 English, Russians, and Turts, all 

 hostilities had terminated. 



I have not powers ad hoc for the 

 step I have taken ; but there is no 

 necessity for claiming what would 

 be considered as a right between 

 nations the least civilized. The 

 demand appears to me so j ust and so 

 simple, and besides so urgent, that 

 I have not thought it necessary to 

 wait for the orders of general Kle- 

 ber, who, I am certain, would not 

 consent to the smallest modification 

 of the treaty, though his fidelity in 

 executing it has rendered his posi- 

 tion much less advantageous. 



At the moment we concluded 

 the convention at El-Arisch, under 

 the simple pledge of English good 

 faith, we were far from suspecting 

 that obstacles would be started by 

 that same power, the most liberal 

 of those with whom we had to 

 treat. 



For the rest, my lord, I am not 

 a military character, and all my 

 functions have ceased. Two years 

 of fatigue and sickness have ren- 

 dered my return to my country in- 

 dispensable. I aspire only to repose 

 with my wife and children, happy 

 if I can carry to the families of the 

 French I left in Egypt, the news 

 that you have removed the only ob- 

 stacle to their re^turn. 



(Signed) Poussielgue. 



Lord Keith's Answer. 



Minotaur, April 25. 



I have this day received the letter 

 wliich you have done me the ho- 

 nour to write. I have to inform 

 you, that I have given no orders or 

 authority against the observance of 

 the convention between the grand 

 vizier and general Kleber, having 

 received no orders on this head from 

 the king's ministers. Accordingly 

 I was of opinion, that his majesty 

 should take no part in it ; but since 

 the treaty has been concluded, his 

 majesty, being desirous of showing 

 his respect for his allies, I have re- 

 ceived instructions to allow a pas- 

 sage to the French troops, and I lost 

 not a moment in sending to Egypt 

 orders to permit them to return to 

 France without molestation. At the 

 same time I thought it mj' duty to 

 my king, and those of his allies 

 whose states lie in the seas through 

 which they are to pass, to require 

 that they should not return in a 

 mass, nor in ships of war, nor in 

 armed ships. I wished likewise 

 that the cartel should carry no mer- 

 chandise which would be contrary 

 to the law of nations. I have like- 

 wise asked of general Kleber his 

 word of honour, that neither he nor 

 his array should commit any hosti- 

 lities against the coalesced powers ; 

 and I doubt not that general Kle- 

 ber will find the conditions per- 

 fectly reasonable. 



Captain Hay has received my or- 

 ders to allow you to proceed to 

 France with adjutant- general Cam- 

 bis, as soon as he arrives at Leg- 

 horn. 



(Signed) Keith. 



