UST ATEE DEA PERS. 1, 
execution of which, according to 
its terms, had been rendered im- 
practible by circumstances which it 
was not in his majesty’s power to 
control. A communication to your 
lordship would accerdingly have 
_ been prepared, conformably to this 
‘disposition, if the attention of his 
majesty’s government had not been 
attracted by the yery extraordinary 
publication of the report of colonel 
Sebastiani to the first consul. It is 
impossible for his majesty to view 
this report in any other light than 
__ as an official publication ; for, with- 
out referring particularly to expla- 
nations, which have been repeated- 
ly given upon the subject of publi- 
cations in the Moniteur, the article 
in question, as it purports to be the 
report to the first consul of an ac- 
credited agent, as it appears to have 
been signed by colonel Sebastiaui 
himself, and as it is published in the 
official paper, with an official title 
affixed to it, must be considered as 
authorized by the French govern- 
ment. ‘This report contains the 
most unjustifiable insinuations and 
charges against the officer who com- 
manded his forces in Egypt. and 
against the British army in that 
quarter; insinuations and charges 
_ wholly destitute of foundation, and 
such as would warrant his majesty 
in demanding that satisfaction, which, 
On occasions of this nature, inde- 
pendent powers, in a state of amity, 
have a right to expeét from cach 
other. It discloses, moreover, views 
‘in the highest degree injurious to 
the interests of his majesty’s domi- 
‘nions, and dire¢tly repugnant to, 
and utterly inconsistent with, the 
Spirit and letter of the treaty of 
& peace, concluded between his ma- 
_ jesty and the French government ; 
and his majesty would feel that he 
4 3 
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ore © 
2 
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OP AO LT CO ee 
hewn awe 
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685 
was wanting in a proper regard to 
the honour of his crown, and to the 
interests of. his dominions, if he 
could see, with indifference, such a 
system developed and avowed. His 
majesty cannot, therefore, regard 
the conduct of the French govern- 
ment, on various occasions, since 
the conclusion of the definitive 
treaty, the insinuations and charges 
contained in the report of colonel 
Sebastiani, and the views which that 
report discloses, without feeling it 
necessary for him, distinctiy, to de- 
clare, that it will be impossible for 
him to enter into any further discus- 
sion relative to Malta, unless he 
receives satisfaétory explanation on 
the subject of this communication. 
Your excellency is desired to take 
an early opportunity of fully ex- 
plaining his majesty’s sentiments, as 
above stated, to the French govern- 
ment. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
Hawkesbury. 
His Excellency Lord Whitworth, 
K. B. &c. &c. &. 
No. 37. 
Extract of a Dispatch from Lord 
Whitworth to Lord Hawkesbury, 
dated Paris, February 17, 1803. 
I have the honour. to acquaint 
your lordship, that I saw M. de 
Talleyrand on Tuesday last, for the 
purpose of carrying into effeét your 
lordship’s instructions of the 9th in- 
stant. I began by telling him that 
I had nothing new to communicate 
to him; but merely to confirm offi- 
cially that which I had already from 
myself premised. I did not, how- 
ever, pass over, with the same indif- 
ference, the arguments with which 
your lordship has furnished me. I 
recapitulated them all; the principle: 
on which the treaty ‘of Amiens was 
founded ; 
