306J A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



instructions were immediately sent out for withdrawing the King's 

 troops from that country. Buonaparte could no longer dissemble 

 his ambitious projects. The shameful violation of the treaty of 

 Luneville, in overrunning and subjecting the Swiss Cantons, the an- 

 nexation to France of Piedmont, Parma, Placentia, and the Isle 

 of Elba, confirmed the suspicions entertained by the British Go- 

 vernment that Buonaparte was preparing for the worst. Indeed, 

 the First Consul little less than avowed his intentions in a confer- 

 ence with Lord Whitworth on the 17th February. A tedious ne- 

 gotiation for the giving up of Malta was interrupted by an in- 

 sulting demand, accompanied by a threat on the part of the French 

 Government, for its immediate evacuation ; and an official note 

 was delivered to their Legislature, rudely asserting " that Great 

 Britain was not able to contend single-handed against France." 

 With the avowed intention of reducing the refractory West India 

 colonies, immense naval and military preparations were making in 

 the ports of France and Holland. In this state of things it be- 

 hoved his Majesty's Ministers to resort to something like precau- 

 tionary measures, especially as they were said to be in possession of 

 certain intelligence, which left no doubt of Buonaparte's ulterior ob- 

 ject. On the 8th of March, therefore, the following Message from his 

 Majesty was delivered to the House of Commons, and another of a 

 similar import to the Lords : " His Majesty thinks it necessary to 

 acquaint the House of Commons, that as very considerable military 

 preparations are carrying on in the ports of France and Holland, 

 he has judged it expedient to adopt additional measures of precau- 

 tion for the security of his dominions. Though the preparations to 

 which his Majesty refers are avowedly directed to colonial service, 

 yet as discussions of great importance are now subsisting between 

 bis Majesty and the French Government, the result of which must 

 be uncertain at present, his Majesty is induced to make this commu- 

 nication to his faithful Commons, in the full persuasion, that whilst 

 they partake of his Majesty's earnest and unvarying solicitude for 

 the continuance of peace, he may rely with perfect confidence on 

 their public spirit and liberality, to enable his Majesty to adopt 

 such measures as circumstances may seem to require for supporting 

 the honour of the Crown, and the essential interests of his people/' 

 This Message was immediately transmitted to Lord Whitworth, 

 who was instructed to assure the French Government of his Majes- 

 ty's earnest desire for the preservation of peace. M. Talleyrand 

 asserted that there were no grounds for his Majesty's apprehensions, 





