696 
No. 42. 
Dispatch from Lord Whitworth to 
Lord: Hawkesbury, dated March 
12, 1803. 
My lord, 
The messenger Mason, arrived 
yesterday morning early, with your 
lordship’s letter of the 7th, inform- 
ing me, that, in consequence of the 
preparations in the ports of France 
and Holland, which, though a- 
vowedly intended for colonial ser- 
vice, might, in the event of a rup- 
ture, be turned against some part of 
the British dominions, his majesty 
had judged it expedient to send a 
message to both houses of parlia- 
ment, recommending, in terms void 
of offence, the adoption of such 
measures, as may be consistent with 
the honour of his crown, and the 
security of his dominions} and, at 
the same time, such as will mani- 
fest his majesty’s disposition for the 
preservation of peace. 
I beg leave to return your lord. 
ship my thanks for having apprized 
me of this circumstance by a special 
messenger; I found, however, on 
going to M. de Talleyrand, at two 
o’clock, that he was already in- 
formed of it. He was just setting 
out to communicate it to the first 
consul, and appeared under consi- 
derable agitation. He returned 
with me to his cabinet, and though 
he told me he was pressed for time, 
he suffered me to relate the circum- 
stance without interruption. I en- 
deavoured to make him sensible that 
this measure was merely precaution- 
ary, and not, in the least degree, in- 
tended as a menace. I concluded 
my observations by repeating that 
it was merely a measure of self-se- 
curity, founded on the armaments 
which were carrying on in the ports 
of France and Holland, remarking, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
18053. 
at the same time, that had not evet- 
these armaments been as notorious 
as they were, the very circumstance 
of the first consul’s determination 
to augment so considerably his ar- 
my, in time of peace, would have 
been a full and sufficient motive 
for such a measure of precaution. 
M. de Talleyrand now informed 
me that he was already acquainted 
with the business ; that a messenger 
had that morning arrived, who had 
brought him a copy of the message, 
which he communicated to me. Ef 
could draw from him no reply 
whatever to my observations. He 
confined himself strictly to the assu- 
rance which he has so repeatedly 
made, that there was no foundation 
whatever for the alarm which was 
felt by his majesty’s ministers; that 
the first consul was pacific; that 
he had no thoughts whatever of at~ 
tacking his majesty’s dominions, un- 
less forced to do so by a commence- 
ment of hostilities on our part ; that 
he should always consider the refue 
sal to evacuate Malta as such a com- 
mencement of hostilities ; and that, 
as we had hitherto hesitated to do 
so, he was justified in adopting the 
measures which might eventually be 
necessary. He disclaimed every 
idea of the armaments fitting out in 
the Dutch ports having any other 
destination than to the colonies ; 
and concluded, that, for his part, he 
could not comprehend the motives 
which had necessitated a resort to 
such a measure on the part of his 
majesty’s government. 
He then desired leave to go to 
the first consul, promising that he 
would let me know the result when 
we met at dinner at the Prussian 
minister’s. He did not come there 
till near seven o’clock, and when 
we rose from dinner, he took me 
aside, 
