STATE PAPERS. 
This note is of sufficient impor- 
tance to be submitted to the pro- 
found wisdom of his majesty the 
emperor Selim III. and your excel- 
lency is requested to take the ear. 
liest opportunity of laying it before 
him, 
The undersigned requests his ex- 
cellency the Reis Effendi, to accept 
the assurance of his high considera- 
tion. 
(Signed) Horace Sebastiani. 
Declaration of his Britannic Majesty. 
_ The negotiations in which his 
majesty has been engaged with 
France haying terminated unsucy‘css- 
fully, his majesty thinks proper to 
make this public declaration to his 
subjeéts and to Europe, of the cir- 
cumstances which have led to 
an issue which his majesty deeply 
regrets. He has no object nearer 
to his heart than the conclusion of a 
secure aud permanent peace. Ile 
laments the continuance of a war 
affecting the happiness of so many 
nations, and which, even amidst all 
the successes that attend his arms, 
is so burthensome to his faithful and 
affectionate people. But he is con- 
fident that there can arise on this 
occasion no other sentiments, either 
in his own dominions, or in any 
part of Europe, than that of an in. 
creased conviction, that the restora- 
tion of general tranquillity is re- 
tarded only by the injustice andam- 
bition of the enemy. 
The French government, unsatis- 
fied with its immense acquisitions on 
the continent, still openly perseyeres 
in a system destructive of the inde- 
pendence of every other power. 
War is pursued, not for security, but 
for conquest; and negotiations for 
peace appear to be entered into for 
793 
no other object than that of de. 
luding the neighbouring powers into 
a state of false security, while 
France is herself preparing, arrang- 
ing, and executing, her unremitted 
projects of encroachment and ag~- 
gression. 
Her conduct in the recent discus- 
sions has afforded but too many 
proofs of this disposition. 
The negotiation originated in an 
offer made by the French govern- 
ment, of treating for peace on the 
basis of actual possession, which was 
stated to admit of mutual compensa. 
tion ; anda distinct assurance was 
added, that his majesty’s German 
dominions, which had been attacked 
without even the pretence of any 
cause of hostility, should be re. 
stored. 
Such a proposal appeared to his 
majesty to-afford a just foundation 
for negotiating : It was, therefore, 
accepted, with this reserve, that the 
negotiations should be conducted 
by his majesty in concert with his 
allies. j 
No sooner had this basis been mu. 
tually admitted, than it was depart- 
ed from by the eaemy, and that too 
in points of so great importance, as 
to call for an immediate declaration 
on the part of his majesty, that un- 
less the principle proposed by 
France herself were adhered to, the 
communications which had been 
opened between the two govern 
ments must at once be closed. 
This produced new professions of 
the disposition of France to make 
considerable sacrifices for the at= 
tainment of peace, if the discussions 
were suffered to proceed; at the 
saiie time that a difficulty was start. 
ed on avcount of the'want of full 
powers m the person intrusted by his 
majesty with this communication, 
Steps 
