716 
to his majesty for the indignity 
which has been offered him by the 
French minister, in his official cha- 
racter, there could be no possibility 
whatever of bringing the present 
discussion to an amicable issue. M. 
de Taileyrand assured me, that the 
French government saw the conduct 
of M. de Rheinhardt in the same 
light as his majesty’s ministers, and 
that they could not be more sur- 
prised than the first consul had been 
at seeing such an article inserted by 
authority; that an immediate ex- 
planation had been required of M. 
Rheinhardt, five days ago; and if 
his conduét had been such as had 
been represented, he would, doubt- 
less, feel the effects of the first con- 
sul’s displeasure ; and that, in the 
mean time, I might inform your 
lordship that he was completely 
disavowed. I told M. de Talley- 
rand, that, as the insult had been 
public, it would be necessary that 
the reparation should be so also. 
He answered me again, that the 
first consul considered M. Rhein- 
hardt’s conduét as so reprehensible, 
that every satisfaction might be ex- 
pected. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) Whitworth, 
The Right Hon. Lord Hawkesbury, 
&c. &c. &e. 
Na. 58. 
Dispatch from Lord Whitworth to 
Lord idawkesbury, dated April1s8, 
1803. 
My lord, 
T have the honour to acknow- 
tedge the receipt of your lordship’s 
dispatches of the 13th instant. 
_t saw Joseph Bonaparte imme- 
diately on the receipt of your lord- 
ship’s dispatch ; and without troub- 
jing your lordship with a repetition 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
of the arguments I used to hasten 
the conclusion of the negociation, 
amongst which I endeavoured to 
convince him of the importance of 
preventing the ultimatum which 
would mevitably follow the rejec- 
tion of what I had to propose, I 
will briefly state, that, on finding 
it -perfeétly impracticable to establish 
the principle of our keeping posses- 
sion of Malta in perpetuity, I deli- 
vered to him, in writing, the se- 
cond proposal I had to make. He 
did not fail to observe, that, by this 
modification, the difficulty which he 
considered as insurmountable was 
not removed; that although the 
order was restored, it could, not 
be considered as independent; and, 
in fact, Malta would belong to that 
power which had possession of the 
forts. 1 enforced the adoption of 
this plan by every reason which 
could serve to recommend it; but 
the possession in perpetuity was 
constantly urged asa difficulty which 
nothing could remove. Our con. 
versation lasted near two hours. I 
confess that I gained no solid ground 
of hope that the project, which he 
assured me he would take to the 
first consul at St. Cloud, would be 
adopted. But he said that he was 
not without hope that he might be 
authorised to propose to me the oc- 
cupation of the fortresses for a term) 
of years. It was my wish, that such 
a proposal should come from him ra- 
ther than fromme. 1 told him that 
I did not well see how such a tenure 
would suitus; but that I wished too 
sincerely to avoid the fatal extre- 
mities to which I saw the discussion 
was tending, not to give any rea- 
sonable proposal which might be 
made on their part every assistance 
in my power. ‘This proposal ori- 
ginated with him, and was therefore 
received 
