728 
mities, and the cause of which would 
be so insignificant, the object in 
question being a miscrable rock. 
His excellency must have been 
aware, that the twofold necessity of 
making an agreement with the gua- 
ranteeing powers of the treaty of 
Amiens, and of not violating a com- 
pact, in the execution of which, the 
honour of France, the security for 
the future, and the good faith of the 
diplomatic intercourse between the 
nations of Europe, were so deeply 
interested, had imposed a law upon 
the French government, of discard. 
ing every proposition diametrically 
contrary to the treaty of AMHENG — 
Nevertheless, the first consul, 
customed for two months to ie 
every species of sacrifice for the 
maintenance of peace, would not re- 
ject a mezzo-termino of a nature to 
conciliate the interests and dignity 
of the two countries. 
His Britannic majesty appears to 
have been of opinion, that the Nea- 
politan garrison, which was to be 
placed at Malta, would not afford a 
sufficient force for securing the ac- 
tual independence of the island. 
This motive being the only one 
which can explain his majesty’s re- 
fusal to evacuate the island, the first 
consul is ready to consent that the 
island of Malia shall be placed in 
the hands of one of the three pow- 
ers who have guaranteed its inde- 
pendence—either Austria, Russia, 
ér Prussia, with a proviso, that, as 
foon as France and England shall 
have come to an agreement upon this 
article, they shall unite in their re- 
guisitions, to engage cther powers, 
either contracting or acceding to the 
treaty of Ariiets, te consent to it. 
Were it possible that this propo- 
sition should not be accepted, it 
would be manifest, not only that 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
England never intended to comply 
with the terms of the treaty of 
Amiens, but that she has not been 
actuated by good faith in any of her 
demands, and that in proportion as — 
France. conceded one point, the 
British government advanced ano- 
ther. If this should be demon- 
strated, the first consul will at least 
have given another proof of his sin- 
cerity, of his anxicty to devise the 
means of avoiding war, of his eager- 
ness to embrace them, and of “the 
value which he would place on their 
being adopted. 
Paris, 14 Floreal, Year 11. 
No. 68. 
Dispatch from Lord Hawkesbury to 
b. ord Wi ‘hitworth, dated May 7, 
1803. 
My lord, 
Your excellency’s dispatches haye 
been received,and laid before the king. 
The propositions which have been 
made to you, on the part of the 
French government, and which have 
induced your excellency to delay 
your departure until the return of 
the messenger Sylvester, are in every 
respect so loose, indefinite, and un- 
satisfactory, aud fall so short of the 
just pretensions of his majesty, that 
it is impossible that the French go- 
vernment could have. expeéted them 
to have been accepted. During the, 
whole of the discussions which have 
lately occurred, his majesty has had. 
a right to consider himself in the 
character of the injured party. No. 
means have been omitted, on his 
part, to induce the French govern- 
ment to make a full and early ex- 
planation of their views, and to af- 
ford to his majesty that satisfaétion 
and security to which he considered- 
himself to ‘be entitled. It was in 
consequence of the apparent deter- 
mination 
