750 
he considered a proof that France 
was as sincerely disposed as Great 
Britain to put an end to an order 
of things, equally prejudicial to.the 
interests of both countries. 
In fact, it appeared to his majesty 
to be the only principle upon which 
it was probable that a negotiation 
could be brought to a successful 
issue. From the nature of the 
interests of the parties engaged in 
it, there was but little hope that 
any satisfactory arrangement could 
be made on the ground of recipro- 
cal restitutions, by giving up their 
respective acquisitions ; whilst on 
the other hand, the principle of 
uti possidetis naturally presented it- 
self, as the mode of terminating 
the unfortunate hostilities between 
the two nations, both of whom 
were in possession of conquests ex- 
tensive and important in poiut 
both of territory and of influence; 
France on the continent of Europe, 
and Great Britain in other parts of 
the world. 
This truth appeared still more 
striking to his majesty, upon re- 
flecting that the state of possession 
in which the two nations held their 
respective acquisitions could scarce- 
ly suffer any important change by 
the continuance of the war; the 
superiority of the naval force of 
Great Britain being, according to 
all appearance, uot less firmly es- 
tablished on the scas, than that of 
the armies of France on the conti- 
nent of Europe. 
It was under the impression which 
these ideas naturally produced, 
that his majesty accepted, without 
hesitation, the proposal of treating 
upon the principle of uti possidetis, 
with the reservation. due to the 
connection and the concert that 
made, to announce the readiness — 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
subsisted with the emperor of Rus# 
sia ; and as a proof of his sincerity, © 
his majesty fixed upon the person by © 
whom the communication had been 
Saab tate 
with which he had acceded to the — 
basis proposed for the conclusion of © 
a treaty. 
The undersigned is by no means ~ 
disposed to conceal the satisfaction 
his majesty derived from these hap- 
py prospects of speedily restoring 
to his subjects the blessings of 
peace, upon just and equitable 
principles, such as were conform. 
able to the honour of his crown; 
nor the regret which his majesty felt, 
when, almost at the very moment of 
his declaring his acceptance of the © 
proposal that had been made to — 
him, it was signified that this prin- © 
ciple was suddenly abandoned by © 
the demand of the evacuation and 
cession of Sicily; a demand which 
has hitherto been modified merely © 
pace ees 
ee eee 
be totally inadequate and inadmis~ — 
sible. “ ; 
This demand, so incompatible © 
with the avowed principles upon 
which the two powers were treating, — 
was in itself sufficient to put an end © 
to the negotiation, but the anxiety © 
of his majesty the king of Great © 
Britain and [reland to concur with © 
his ally the emperor of Russia, / 
and to secure to his subjects the © 
“blessings of peace, induced him to — 
receive any new proposal for ob- 
taining for his Sicilian majesty, in 
exchance for Sicily, a real and sa- 
tisfactory equivalent, such as that 
sovereign should consent to ac- © 
cept. : 
No satisfactory proposal of this 
nature having yet been made, the 
unders 
