184 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



under the pretext that he was con- 

 cerned in plans, similar to those at- 

 tributed to Mr. Drake, and Mr. S. 

 Smith. 



This gentleman, together with the 

 papers found in his possession, -was 

 forwarded, without delay, to Paris. 

 On his arrival there he was confined 

 in the Temple, and detained two 

 days and as many nights. At length, 

 on his being induced to sign a pa- 

 role, not to return to Hamburgh, 

 nor to within a certain distance of 

 the French territories, and having in 

 Tain demanded the restitution of his 

 papers, he was conveyed to the 

 coast, and embarked at Cherbourg, 

 in a vessel carrying a flag of truce, 

 ^vhich put him on board of his ma- 

 jesty's frigate Niobc, whence he was 

 landed at Portsmouth. 



This a6t of violence was the sub- 

 ject of an official note from lord 

 Havvkesbury to the cabinet of Ber- 

 lin. But itappears, tliat that court 

 had previously made a remonstrance 

 on the subject to the French go- 

 vernment, to which the release of 

 sir George Rurabold is chieily to be 

 aHributcd. 



While the French government 

 was thus invading the liberties of the 

 Korthern States, it was not unmind- 

 ful of its schemes of encroachment in 

 the south of Europe. On <he 20th 

 of October, a convention was con- 

 cluded with Genoa, by which 

 France engages to procure a peace 

 for the Ligurian Republic, with the 

 Barbary States. Should her endea- 

 vours in that respect fail, she pro- 

 mises to allow the vessels Of the re- 

 public to carry French colours for 

 their protection, and to permit the 

 importation of Ligurian commodi- 

 ties, subject to certain duties, into 

 Piedmont, Parma, and Placenza ; 

 and, in return for these equivocal 

 advantages, the Ligurian republic 



engages to furnish six thousand sea- 

 men to France, during the present 

 war : she likewise cedes the har- 

 bours, dock-yards, arsenals, &c. 

 and places them at the disposal 

 of tlie French government. And, 

 as it is intended to construct, in the 

 said dock-yards, ten ships of the 

 line for France, the Ligurian re- 

 public engages to enlarge, at her own 

 cxpence, the bason, sufficiently to 

 receive those vessels. A new ship 

 of the line, a frigate, and two cor- 

 vettes, all complete, are, at the same 

 time, placed at the disposal of France. 



The period appointed for the 

 coronation now approached. The 

 preparations for that ceremony were 

 framed upon an immense scale. — 

 France was to be dazzled by its 

 splendour and magnificence : the 

 accomplishment of the measure it- 

 self was to establish the belief, 

 tliroughout tho world, in the soli- 

 dity and permanence of Bonaparte's 

 dominion. The arrogance of his 

 conduct whilst this aftair was pend- 

 ing, his defiance and contempt of 

 other powers, might Hatter French- 

 men with the idea of their impor- 

 tance under his government ; and, at 

 the same (ime, convey a more gene- 

 ral impression of his conscious se- 

 curity : and, the better to impose 

 upon the ignorant and credulous, 

 the pope was summoned to Paris, to 

 place the imperial crown upon his 

 head. 



This humiliated potentate, on the 

 29th October, previously to his de- 

 parture from Rome, addressed an 

 allocution to a consistory, wherein he 

 extols the merits of Bonaparte, for 

 having by the " Concordat" restored 

 the catholic religion over his vast 

 and populous territory. " The same 

 " most powerful prince (continues 

 " his holiness) our dearest son in 

 •' Christ, Napoleon, emperor of the 



French, 



