STATE PAPERS. 



rOS 



the vast possessions of Tippoo Saib 

 to his heirs, and the empire of the 

 Mahrattas to its independence, it 

 ■would better become them than to 

 remonstrate against the union of a 

 narrow tract of coast, which is al- 

 ready surrounded by the French 

 territory. But these exaggerating 

 alarmists, who will infallibly raise 

 a prodigious outcry against a mea- 

 sure which they have themselves 

 rendered necessary for Genoa, for 

 France, and for the security of Eu- 

 rope, will, it is to be hoped, not 

 make any impression ou the Miser 

 cabinets of the continent. To all 

 the states of Europe the situation of 

 Liguria must be a matter of indiffer- 

 ence. They have long seen that 

 this country is separated from flieir 

 territories by the dominions of bis 

 imperial and royal majesty, and, 

 from its position, can have no com- 

 munication with them but by sea. 

 'J'hey arc already accustomed to the 

 intimate relations subsisting between 

 the Genoese and France, to the mu- 

 tual interests and mutual operations 

 which have rendered the two na- 

 tions indivisible. Their union must 

 appear to all Europe the inevitable 

 result of their position. It cannot 

 excite any mistrust in the continental 

 powers, as it will not add a single 

 battalion to the French army ; as 

 the gradual decay of Liguria fa-bids 

 the annexation of its territory to be 

 ascribed io wishes of ambition, so 

 there is not a court that ougjit to 

 entertain any alarm concerning the 

 intentions of his majesty, aft(ir the 

 principles of moderation he has ma- 

 nifested, in accepting the cr'^wn of 

 Italy only till such time as the tran- 

 quillity of the south of Europe shall 

 be restored. — England Imagined, 

 that while she was conquering India, 

 Vol. XLVII. 



and plundering the sovereigns of 

 extensive and opulent kingdoms, 

 the distance of these unexampled 

 usurpations would escape the atten- 

 tion of Europe. To France alone, 

 destined by nature to preserve the 

 rights of neutral states ; to France, 

 who has always exerted all her 

 power, and placed all her glory in 

 protecting them ; to her alone it 

 belongs to restore the balance of the 

 seas. A few thousand more seamen 

 will be sufficient for the equipment 

 of ten ships which France is build- 

 ing in the midst of the war, and will 

 be the best guarantee for the pre- 

 servation of any future treaty be- 

 tween her and England. It is be- 

 yond a doubt, that, if at a moment 

 of peace, France has succeeded in 

 placing her marine on a respectable 

 footing, there will be no danger of 

 a renewal of those hostilities which 

 England thought proper to com- 

 mence against France in May, 1 803, 

 of which the expedition against 

 Denmark, and capture of the Spa- 

 nish frigates, furnish a further de- 

 monstration. — Europe will not then 

 any longer be perpetually disturbed 

 by the etforts of a government which 

 is incessantly endeavouring to arm 

 the contir.ent in favour of its design 

 upon the seas, and which has in vain 

 granted 5,000,0001. sterling to pro- 

 cure assistance. — i'he measure of 

 the Genoese cannot, therefore, in 

 any point of view, oppose the small- 

 est obstacle to the'negotiations with 

 which !M. de Novosiltzoff is charged, 

 — All the essentials of an equal, se- 

 cure, and honourable peace still 

 subsist : and if it were allowed to 

 compare trifles with objects of im- 

 portance, it might be said, that En- 

 gland has no right to complain of 

 the wish for aa union between Li- 

 Z z gu,ria 



