704 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



jesty ; as the kingdom of Italy is in 

 his hands, and lias received a sove- 

 reign from him ; as the republic of 

 Genoa, which was forgotten by En- 

 gland in the treaty of Amiens, per- 

 ceives that both the sea and the land 

 are shut against her, she could not 

 have formed a resolution better 

 adapted to her interest and her dig- 

 nity, than to incorporate herself 

 ■with a great nation, and that with 

 an impetuosity so enthusiastic as 

 perfectly answered for the' success 

 of the measure. — His imperial and 

 Toyal majesty, affected by the mo- 

 tives which induced Genoa to adopt 

 this rest^ution, was obliged provi. 

 gorily to comply with a wish that 

 "was the result -«f long experience 

 and the most mature deliberation. 

 The annihilation of the hopes of a 

 ■people who were determined no 

 longer to be denied, might have 

 been productive of the most serious 



consequences. The continental 



power of France has not, in fact, 

 been augmented by this union. A 

 narrow tract, so cooped up by the 

 sea and by mountains, as to leave a 

 free communication only at a few 

 points, which does not produce corn 

 sufficient to suport its 500,000 inha- 

 bitants ; which is exposed to the ha- 

 Toc of annual inundation in its most 

 fertile districts, and oppressed by 

 the burthen of a prodigious debt, 

 without any probaljility of its ever 

 being paid otf; the incorporation 

 with his imperial and royal majes- 

 ty's state of such a country, which 

 has but little communication with 

 the continent, and is incapable of 

 restoring its naval power, on ac- 

 count of the alteration which has 

 taken place in the situation of all 

 other states, cannot afford any pre- 

 text for continental discussions ; and 

 its union with France cannot possi- 



bly produce any remonstrances by 

 which peace is likely to be endan- 

 gered. Should England succeed in 

 creating discord on this subject, no 

 alternative will be left his imperial 

 and royal majesty but to prosecute 

 with vigour the unjust war that will 

 be declared against him. — Enjoying 

 the satisfaction of having rescued a 

 state which threw itself iuto his 

 arms, he will have in his favour the 

 goodness of its cause, the public 

 opinion, and all the motives of dig- 

 nity, neighbourhood, and benevo- 

 lence, which have hitherto induced 

 him to protect Genoa. — Far more 

 important considerations of great 

 interest to all Europe, excepting 

 England, co-operated on this occa- 

 sion in the resolves of his majesty. 

 France, which, by her political and 

 geographical situation on the Atlan- 

 tic and Meditcranean seas, is destin- 

 ed to check the usurpation of the 

 ocean, and to vindicate the rights 

 and independence of the maritime 

 powers, has not coasts so extensive 

 as England. Without enlarging her 

 continental possessions, she will ob- 

 tain, by the union of Genoa, 6000 

 seamen to supply the place of those 

 whom she lost during the. late war, 

 and will thus be enabled the better 

 to cope with a state, the sole object 

 of whose efforts is to usurp the do- 

 minion of the seas, which exercises 

 an universal monopoly, which strives 

 to make with every nation commer- 

 cial treaties in her own way ; which 

 is extending her power in India 

 only with a view to employ it against 

 Europe ; which violates all the rights 

 of neutrals, and which will not con- 

 duct herself with more moderation 

 towards them, till France shall have 

 acquired a formidable navy. — Were 

 the English to restore Goa to the 

 Portuguese, Ceylon to the Dutch, 



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