[4S0] 



STATE PAPERS. 



I. BRITISH. 



1 His Majesty^s Speeches at the 

 opening and concluding the Ses- 

 sion of Parliament, 



Jit the opening of Parliament, 

 Jan. 23,'lSlO. 



MY Lords and Gentlemen,— 

 His majesty commands us 

 to express to you his deep regret 

 that tlie exertions of the Emperor 

 of Austria against the ambition 

 and violenceof France haveproved 

 unavailing, and that his imperial 

 majesty has been compelled to 

 abandon the contest, and to con- 

 clude a disadvantageous peace. 

 Although ihe war was undertaken 

 by that monarch without en- 

 couragement on tlie part of his 

 majesty, every effort was made for 

 the assistance of Austria which 

 his majesty deemed consistent 

 with the due support of his allies, 

 and with the welfare and interest 

 of his own dominions. — An attack 

 upon the naval armaments and 

 establishments in the Scheldt, 

 afforded at once the prospect of 

 destroying a growing force, which 

 was daily becoming more formida- 

 ble to the security of this country, 

 and of diverting the exertions of 



France from the important objects 

 of reinforcing her armies on the 

 Danube, and of controlling the 

 spirit of resistance in the north of 

 Germany. These considerations 

 determined his majesty to employ 

 his forces in an expedition to the 



Scheldt Although the principal 



ends of this expedition have not 

 been attained, his majesty con- 

 fidently hopes that advantages, 

 materially affecting the security 

 of his majesty's dominions in the 

 further prosecution of the war, 

 will be found to result from the 

 demolition of the docks and arse- 

 nals at Flushing. This important 

 object his irmjesty was enabled 

 to accomplish, m consequence of 

 the reduction of the island of Wal- 

 cheren, by the valour of his fleets 

 and armies. — His majesty has 

 given directions that such docu- 

 ments and papers should be laid 

 before you as he trusts will afford 

 satisfactory information upon the 

 subject of this expedition. — We 

 have it in command to state to you 

 that his majesty had uniformly 

 notified to Sweden his majesty's 

 decided wish, that in determining 

 upon the question of peace or war 

 with France, and other continental 

 powers, she should be guided by 

 considerations resulting from her 



