334 MISSION TO PORTUGAL. [1806. 



Confederation of the Eliine was extreme ; and the 

 hostility to France was stronger in the Prussian terri- 

 tories than in any other part of the German states. 

 The exasperation was increased by the discovery that 

 Napoleon had proposed to give up Hanover as part 

 of his terms with England, allowing part of the Hanse 

 towns as a compensation. Everything seemed to 

 portend a rupture with France, which of course meant 

 an invasion of Germany. The Emperor Alexander 

 had, by his ambassador, concluded a treaty entirely 

 favourable to Napoleon ; and nothing prevented Eussia 

 from breaking with him but the negotiations still 



o o 



pending with England and the ratification of the 

 treaty was delayed. All these things had been known 

 to our Government before we left England, in conse- 

 quence of Lord Yarmouth's communications, acting 

 as our minister at Paris previously to Lord Lauder- 

 dale's more formal appointment ; and I conceived the 

 plan of opening a direct intercourse with Madrid. 

 This was laid in detail before my colleagues in the 

 commission, who all, especially Lord St Vincent, 

 entirely approved of it, as did the Government at 

 home. The chief minister (Godoy, Prince of the 

 Peace) was applied to for passports that I might pro- 

 ceed to Madrid and carry on the negotiation there 

 directly. A week's delay in sending them was pro- 

 posed, and I proceeded during that time to the north, 

 charged to examine the preparations pretended by the 

 Portuguese Government to be making on that frontier 

 against any attack, though the ministers were ? or 



