952 ANNUAL 
tended to restore the confidence 
ef the people in the permanence 
of the peace, which, obscurely as 
the majority could have been ac- 
quainted with the events which 
had occurred, had nevertheless been 
considerably shaken, by so much 
ofthem as had transpired. The arri- 
val therefore of general Andreossi in 
London, on the Gth of November, 
and the departure of lord Whitworth 
the following day for Paris on their 
respective embassies, were hailed by 
the natives of both countries as the 
omen and assurance of returning 
harmony. 
* The unexpected termination of 
the insurrection in Switzerland 
had, as we have already stated, dis- 
posed the British ministry to return 
upon their steps, and endeavour to 
counteract the dreaded effects of 
this momentary resolution. Ac- 
cordingly on the 15th of November, 
counter-orders were dispatched to 
the giving up the Cape, and the re- 
mainder of the Dutch colonies, al- 
though the day before, the instruc- 
tions given by his court to lord 
Whitworth, were, that he should 
remonstrate with the French go- 
vernment on the. occupation of 
Holland by its troops, contrary to 
all treaty and solemn engagement; 
a suflicient proof that every cause 
which could be urged with propri- 
ety for the detention of the Cape of 
Good Hope, still existed in its ut- 
“most force. And here it may be 
perhaps worth while to recapitulate 
under what circumstances those 
counter-orders were given, (which 
were decisive on the possession of 
the conquests,) and what the value 
and consequence of’ the colonies so 
restored, 
Without specifying the enormous 
REGISTER, 
1803. 
acquisition of power and territory 
to France since the peried of the 
preliminaries, which we have had 
occasion so often to advertto, both 
in this and our preceding volume, 
(and which alone would have been 
ground for the claim of an equiva- 
lent on the part of Great Britain, 
of which the conquests yet in her 
power should have been the pledge,) 
her assumption of dominion through- 
out every part of Europe was tothe 
highest degree alarming to its 
liberties and repose. In Spain 
she governed with absolute autho- 
rity; Portugal had been obliged 
humbly to receive back an embas- 
sador whose gross ill conduct had 
necessitated his return to France; 
Gérmany she had new modelled and 
divided with the most iniquitous 
partiality; Naples had been plun- 
dered by her ;, Switzerland invested 
and reduced by an armed force; 
Holland a prey to military occupa- 
tion and exaction; the Pope a sub- 
servient vassal; andthewhole north 
of Italy an appendage! In the 
Mediterranean, tle island of Elba, 
(with its harbour and impregnable 
fortress,) was the fruit of her in- 
trigues; and her miiitary commis- 
sioner Sebastiani was known to be 
on his tour through Egypt, and the 
Tonian islands to pave the way for 
future conquest and accession. With 
respect. to Great Britain, the only 
country France had not succeeded 
by force or intrigue in despoiling, 
her every action since the cessation 
of hostilities was marked with the 
most menacing rancour, and the 
most determined disposition to re- 
duce to an equal degree of subju- © 
gation. To the complaints of the 
former power on the injuries and in- 
sults her commerce and flag had 
received, 
