HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
* On the 16th of May, a message 
was presented from his majesty, 
to both houses of parliament,which 
put a final stop to every hope of 
peace, by informing them, that he 
had recalled his ambassador from 
Paris, and that the French ambas- 
sador had left London! In con- 
sequence, 
Lord Pelham moved, in the 
house of lords, that the message 
should be taken into consideration 
on that day se’nnight: it would 
take two or three days before the 
necessary papers could be got 
ready, and it would also take some 
time for their lordships to consider 
their contents. 
Karl Stanhope rejoiced, that time 
was given for considering these pa- 
pers, “and for resolving whether this 
country should be plunged i in an- 
- other calamitous war, the end of 
which, no person could foresee. 
His lordship then mentioned a 
plan, that he had heard was pre- 
sented to the French government 
by an American gentleman, by 
which the navy of England might 
be completely destroyed, and the 
channel of the river Thames stopped 
up! He could not consent to the 
going to war, unless he had informa- 
tion from ministers, whether they 
had directed their attention to that 
specific point. 
No answer was given by ministers 
to lord Stanhope’s question, and the 
_ consideration of the message was 
fixed for the ensuing Monday. 
In the house of commons on the 
same day, 
Lord Hawkesbury, on similar 
grounds, moved, that his majesty’s 
message should be considered on 
the next Monday. 
Mr, Grey made no objection to 
141 
the motion, which he thought per- 
fectly proper; but wished to be 
informed, whether it was true, that 
letters of marque and of reprisal 
had been ordered. 
Lord Hawkesbury answered, that 
such orders had been given; and if 
they were not stated in the message, 
it was not from any wish of con- 
cealing the fact, but because it was 
not usual so to do, 
After a few words from Mr. Fox, 
and Mr. T. Grenville, the motion 
was unanimously agreed to. 
May the 18th, lord Pelham pre- 
sented to the lords,as did the chan- 
cellor of the exchequer to the house 
of commons, copies of the letters 
and state-papers, forming the cor- 
respondence between Great-Britain 
and France, since the period of the 
peace of Amiens. 
The following day, Mr. Grey 
moved for certain papers, which he 
thought would be necessary to 
throw a light on some parts of his 
Inajesty’s s declaration, and that were 
not in the papers presented yester- 
day. The papers that he moved for, 
were, first, those respecting the vio- 
lence that had been stated to have 
been offered to British subjects and 
property, in the French ‘ports. 
2dly, as to the commercial consuls 
appointed by France; with the re- 
monstrances, if any, made by his 
majesty’s ministers on those sub- 
jects. 3dly, the remonstrances, if 
any, and the answers of the French 
government respecting the continu- 
ance of the French troops in Hol: 
land, and the occupation of Swit- 
zerland. 4thly, the orders last 
sent for the evacuating the Cape of 
Good Hope. And lastly, he wished 
to have some information about the 
nature of the preparations in France 
and 
