268 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



Answer to the above by the Com- 

 manders-in-Chief of the Sea and 

 Land Forces of his Britannic 

 ]Majesty, forming the Expedition 

 before Cadiz. 



On board his Britannic 



Majesty's Ship, the 

 Foudroyant, off Cadiz, 

 October 5. 



We have had the honour of re- 

 ceiving your excellency's letter of 

 this date, in \\'hich you describe to 

 us the deplorable state of this city. 

 We are deeply afflicted at this ca- 

 lamity, though we have good rea- 

 son to believe that its effects have 

 been much less disastrous. 



We are not i<rnorant that a jn'cat 

 number of his catholic majesty's 

 vessels are armed, in order to join 

 the naval forces of the French, and 

 to be employed in prolonging the 

 troubles which afflict all the nations 

 of Europe, disturb public order, 

 and destroy the happiness of indi- 

 viduals. We have received orders 

 from our sovereign to use every 

 effort to defeat the projects of the 

 common enemy, by endeavouring 

 to take or destroy the ships of war 

 which are in the harbour and 

 arsenal of Cadiz. 



The number of troops intrusted 

 to our command leave but little 

 doubt as to the success of the enter- 

 prise. We are little disposed to 

 multiply unnecessarily the evils in- 

 separable from war. Should your 

 excellency consent to give up to us 

 the vessels armed or arming, in or- 

 der to act against our ting, and to 

 prolong the misfortunes of neigh- 

 iKJuring nations, your crews and 

 officers shall be at liberty, and our 

 fleet shall withdraw ; otherwise we 

 must act conformably to the orders 



which have been given to us, and 

 your excellency cannot attribute to 

 any other than yourself the addi- 

 tional evils which you fear. 



We have the honour to be, 

 with respect, &c. 



R. Abercromby. 

 Keith. 



A frigate will remain in the 

 harbour, to wait for the answer of 

 your excellency, that there may be 

 no delay. 



Heply to the Commanders of his 

 Britannic Majesty's Sea and 

 Land Forces. 



^\Tien I represented to your ex- 

 cellencies the melancholy condition 

 of this city, with the view of en- 

 gaging your humanity, not to ag- 

 gravate it by acts of hostility, I 

 could not have supposed that my 

 request would have been regarded 

 as the effect of fear or weakness. 

 Unfortunately I find that your ex- 

 cellencies have misinterpreted my 

 expressions, since they have led to 

 a proposal as insulting to the per- 

 son to whom it is addressed, as it is 

 but little honourable to those who 

 have made it. Your excellencies 

 will take this as sufficient informa- 

 tion that you must make more suit- 

 able proj)ositions, if you intend that 

 they shall be accepted. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 



Thomas de Morla. 

 October 6, 1 800. 



Proclamation of the Consuls of the 

 Republic to the French. 



Paris, March 7. 

 Frenchmen, 



'OU are desirous of peace; your 

 government are desirous of it 



