N C E. 
FRA 
in the name of the firft confnl, inftant re-eftabliffiment. 
A French army under general Ney immediately advanced 
into the heart of the country, re do red the revolutionary 
government, and difperfed the representatives of the Swifs 
nation, wh > found tliemfelves unable to oppofe, with 
their handful of troops, and unfupporte'd b.y any of the 
powers of Europe, the arms of the confnl of France. 
On the ioth of October, however, the Englifh govern¬ 
ment prefented a remonftrance, at Paris, on the interfer¬ 
ence of that court, in the internal regulations adopted by 
a free and independent country ; referring to the treaty of 
Luneville, for an explicit declaration to that effeCt. Other 
complaints were made, that the republican troops had not 
evacuated Holland, agreeably to the treaty of Amiens ; 
and that the authority of France was dill exercifed over 
the government of the Italian republic. Mutual recri¬ 
minations were now reforted to, and Bonaparte finally 
anfwered, “ that fo foon as the ftipulations of the treaty 
of Amiens were executed in every quarter of the globe, 
particularly at Malta; by the evacuation of the Britidi 
troops, that then, and not before, Holland Ihould be eva¬ 
cuated by the French fofces.” To the complaints re- 
fpeCting Swilferland and the Italian republic, no anfwer 
whatever was given. 
Matters went on in this date of mutual fufpicion and 
jealoufy, and of occafional remondrances and evafive 
anfwers, until the million of Sebaftiani came to be de¬ 
veloped at the court of St. Jameses. This manifedation 
of a deep-laid defign underwent the fcrutiny of the privy 
council, and di[patches were forwarded to lord Whitworth, 
the Englifli ambadador at Paris, to demand fatisfaCtion 
from the French government on the fubjeCt of general 
Sebaltiani’s report, which contained “ the mod unjuftifi- 
able charges againft the officer who commanded his tna- 
jedy’s forces in Egypt, and againft the Britifh army in 
that quarter.” He was farther directed to ftate, that the 
whole report developed a fyftem fo injurious to the in. 
tenefts of his majefty’s dominions, and fo entirely repug¬ 
nant to, and utterly inconfiftent with, the fpirit and letter 
of the treaty of Amiens, that it would he impoflible for 
his government to enter into any future difcuffion on the 
fubjeCt of Malta, until fatisfaflory explanation Ihould be 
given relative to that event. But for this explanation 
M. Talleyrand was completely prepared, by treating it as 
a matter entirely milconceived by the court of London. 
He difclaimed on the part of his government all intention 
of giving reafonable caufe of dillatisfaCtion to the Englidi 
government; and declared that the million of Sebaftiani 
was purely commercial. Lord Whitworth was in confe- 
quence invited to a perfonal interview with the firft con- 
ful, which took place at the Thuilleries three days after¬ 
ward. The firft conful deported himfelf wi;h temper, 
and expreffed a wiftt to preferve a good underftanding 
between the two countries. He deprecated the idea of a 
recommencement of war, but added, that if it were inevi¬ 
table, he mult put the only means of offence he had in 
execution, which was a defcent upon England ; a projeCt, 
the danger and difficulty attendant on, he was well aware 
of, yet which he was determined to attempt. On the (ob¬ 
ject of Malta, he faid he would never in any event allow 
it to remain in the polfeffion of England, in whofe hands 
he would rather fee the principal fauxbourg of Paris! 
Upon lord Whitworth’s allufion to the aggrandifement 
of, and influence gained by, France, lince the treaty of 
Amiens, the firft conful abruptly put an end to this part 
of the difcourfe, by faying, “ I fuppofe you mean Pied¬ 
mont and Swilferland—rhofe were trifle^,which mull have 
been forefeen whilft the negociation was pending. Tri¬ 
fles, indeed, (lie added,) when it is confidered that France 
and England, in ftriCt union, might dictate the law to all 
the world.” Bonaparte then faid, that “ Egypt mu ft 
iooner or later belong to France, either by the dilfolution 
of the grand lignior’s dominion, or by fome arrangement 
with that power.” After dwelling with expreffions of re- 
fentment againft thole in the Britifh legiilutive body, who 
Vol. VII. No. 474. 
857 
“ were notorious for their eternal hatred of France,” he 
added, “ that, while they perfift in their declamations, 
five hundred thoufand men ought and fnould be kept in 
readinefs to avenge her injuries! That whatever fuccefs 
intrigues might have in London, other powers would not 
be involved ; and, the French government avows, with 
confeious pride, that England alone cannot maintain a 
ftruggle againft France.” 
This menace failed not to produce in the bofom of the 
Englifh nation the ftrongeft femiments of refentment. 
Lord Whitworth was iiftruCted to demand'an explanation 
of this menace from M. Talleyrand ; and alfo to make a 
reiteration of the demand for fatisfaCtion in the affair of 
Sebaftiani ; and obtain freftt fecurity for the fulfilment of 
any new arrangement that Ihould be made on the fubjeCt 
of Malta ; olherwife a renewal of the war would be in¬ 
evitable. The effect this melfage produced on the mind 
of the firft conful, maybe be ft conceived from his condudt 
to the Englilh ambadador, when the latter made his next 
appearance at the court of the Thuilleries. Immediately 
on the appearance of lord Whitworth in the circle, the 
firftconful approached him with unqualified agitation and 
refentment—defcanted in the bittereft terms on the con- 
dudtof the Englifh government—fumtnoned the minifters 
of the foreign courts to he the witnefles to this degrading 
harangue—and concluded,by expreffionsof the molt menac¬ 
ing hoftility. The Englilh antballador did not think it 
advifeable to make any anfwer to this ungentlemanly at* 
tack—and it terminated by the firft conful retiring to his 
apartments, repeating his laft phrafes, till he had Ihut 
himfelf in ; leaving nearly two hundred fpeCtators of 
this great national impropriety, in amazement and confter. 
nation ! The Englifh ambadador took the firft opportu¬ 
nity of declaring to M. Talleyrand, that he mult dil- 
continue his vifits to the Thuilleries, if he was to be,ex~ 
pofed to this fpecies of infult and outrage ; upon which 
he received the warmeft alfurances of the French minifter, 
that nothing of the kind fliould again occur. 
After this indecent "violation of the privileges annexed 
to the public character of an ambadador, the conduct of 
Bonaparte became more conciliating ; and a further pro- 
pofition to the French government, for a perfeCT accom¬ 
modation of all exidingdifferences,was made by lord Whit¬ 
worth,as follows: Malta to remain in perpetuity in thepof- 
feffion of his Britannic maiefty, by whom the knights of St. 
John were to be indemnified ; Holland and Swilferland to be 
evacuated by the French forces ; the iflarrd of Elba to be 
coi.firmed to France by his majedy ; and the new king of 
Etruria was to be acknowledged ; as were the republ ics of 
Italy and Liguria, pvovided an arrangement were made in 
I taly for the king of Sardinia. Alter a confiderable degree 
of difcuffion, which lafted until the 9th of April; on the 
part of France it was formally declared, that no (tipulation 
not perfectly confident with the independence of the idand 
of Malta, could be entertained for a moment ; but that the 
firftconful had no objection to make a particular conven¬ 
tion, for doing away the remaining caufes of diffiatisfac- 
tion exilting between the two governments. 
On the 13th of April, freffi inftruttions were given to 
lord Whitworth, that “ by way of laving the point of 
honour to France, the civil government of the idand of 
Malta Ihould be given to the order of St. John, the Mal- 
tefe enjoying therein the privileges which were referved 
to them by the treaty of Amiens ; and that the fortifica¬ 
tions of the idand Ihould be garrifoned in perpetuity, by 
the troops of his Britannic majedy. But if neither of 
the tv/o pi opofitions, ^already detailed, were agreed toon 
the part of France, that then his lordffiip might propofe 
the occupation of Malta for a term of not lefs than ten 
years, provided that his Sicilianmajefty could, fora valua¬ 
ble coniideration be induced'to ceoe Lanipedola to Eng¬ 
land : it is a fmall uninhabited idand, (ituated between 
Malta and the coaft of Tunis. At the end of that pe.riod, 
Malta was to be furrendered to tire inhabitants, and de¬ 
clared an independent date ; and an arrangement was to 
10 1 be 
