1803.] 
two Governments; adding, that it was abfo- 
lutely neceffary that the French Government 
fhould know what it was meant to-do,» when 
that claufe in the Treaty of Amiens, which 
ftipulates the ceflion of Malta, fhould be fully 
accomplifhed. He’ faid that. another: Grand 
Matter weuld now very foon be elected; that 
alt the powers of Europe invited fo to do, 
with the exception of Ruffia, whofe difficul- 
tiesit was eafy to remove, and without whom 
the guarantee would be equaily complete, 
Were ready to come forward ; and that confe- 
quently the term would very foon arrive, 
when Great Britain could have no pretext ‘for 
keeping longer pofleflion. I informed him 
that J would report his converfation. to your 
Lordfhip, and would havé the bonour of com- 
municating to him your Lordfhip’s anfwer as 
foon as I could receive it. 
WHITWORTH. 
The Rt. Hon, Lord Hawkefbury. 
| No. :36. 
Downing-fireet, Feb. 9, 1803. 
My Lord, 
In anfwer to your Excellency’s difpatch of 
January 27, relative to the inquiry sade of 
you, by the French government, on the fub- 
ject of Malta, I can have no difficulty in af- 
furing you. that his Majefty has entertained 
a mott fincere defire that the Treaty of Amiens 
might be executed. in a full and complete 
manner; but it las not been poffible for him 
to confider this treaty as having been*founded 
on principles different from thofe which have 
been invariably applied to every other ante- 
cedent treaty or convention, namely, that 
they were negutiated with reference to the 
adual ftate of pofteffion of the different par- 
ties, and of the treaties or public enyage- 
ments by which they were bound at the time 
of its conclufion; and that if the ftate of 
poffeflion, and of engagements, was fo mate- 
rially altered by the act of either of the par- 
ties as to affect the nature of the compaét it- 
felf, the other party has a right, according 
to the law of nations, to interfere for the 
purpofe of obtaining fatisfaction or compenfa- 
tion for any effential difference which fuch 
fa&s may have fubfequently made in their 
relative fituation; that if there ever was a 
cafe to which this.vrinciple might be applied 
with peculiar propriety, it was that of the 
late treaty of peace; for the negociation was 
conducted on a bafis not merely propofed by 
his Majefty, but {pecially agreed to in an of- 
ficial note by the French government, viz. 
that his Majefty fhould keep a compenfation 
out of his conquetts for the important acqui- 
fitions of territory made by France upon the 
continent. This is a fufficient proof that the 
compact was under(tood to have been con- 
cluded with reference to the then exifting 
ftate of things; for the meafure of his Ma- 
jefty’s compenfation was to be calculated with 
reference to the acquifitions of France at that 
times; and if the interference of the French 
Government in the general affairs of Europe, 
Montrury Mac. No. 101. 
Correfpondence between Great Britain and France. 
AGL. 
fince that period; if their interpofition with 
refpect to Switzerland and Holland, whofe 
independence was guaranteed by them at the 
time of the conclufion of the treaty of peace 5 
if the annexations which have been made to. 
France in various quarters, but particularly 
thofe in Italy, have extended the territory 
and increafed the power of the French Go- 
vernment, his Majefty would be warranted, 
confittently with the {pirit of the treaty of 
peace, in claiming equivalents for thefe ac 
quifitions, as a counterpoife to the augmenta- 
tion of the power of France. His Majefty, 
however, anxious to prevent all ground of 
taifunderftanding, and defirous of confolidat- 
ing the general peace of Europe, as far as 
might be in his power, was willing to have 
waved the pretenfions he might have a right 
to advancé of this nature; and as the other 
articles of the definitive treaty have been ia 
a courfe of execution on his part, fo he would 
have been ready to have carried into effect 
the true intent and foirit of the roth article, 
the execution of which, according toits terma, 
had been rendered impraéticable by circum~ 
ftances which it was not in his Majefty’s 
power to controul. A communication to your 
Lordfhip would accordingly have been pre- 
pared, conformably to this difpefition, if the 
attention of his Majefty’s Government had 
not been attra&ted by the very extraordinary 
publication of the report of Colonel Sebaftiani 
to the Firft Conful. It is impoflible for his 
Majefty to view this report in any other light 
than as an official publication; for without 
referring particularly to explanations whick 
have been repeatedly given upon the fubject 
of publications in the Moniteur, the article 
in queftion, as it purports to be the report to 
the Firft Conful of anaccredited agent—as it 
appears to have been figned by Colonel Sebaf- 
tiani himfelf, and as it is publifhed in the of. 
ficial paper, with an official title affixed to it, 
muft be confidered as authorized by the French 
Government, This report contains the moft 
unjuftifiable infinuations and charges againft 
the officer who commanded his forces in 
Egypt, and againft the Britifh army in that 
quarter, infinuations and charges wholly de- 
ititute of foundation, and fuch as would war~ 
rant his Majefty in demanding that fatis- 
faétion, which, on occafions of this nature, 
independent powers ina ftate of amity have 
aright to expect from each other. It dif. 
clofes, moreover, views in the higheft degree 
injurious to the interefts of his Majefty’s do- 
minions, and dire¢tly repugnant to, and ut- 
terly inconfiftent with, the fpirit and letter 
of the treaty of peace concluded between his 
Majefty and the French Government ; and 
his Majefty would feel that he was wanting 
in a proper regard to the honour of his crown, 
and to the interefts of his dominions, if he 
could fee with indifference fuch a fyftem de- 
veloped and avowed. His Majefty cannot, 
therefore, regard the conduét of the French 
Government on various occafions fince the 
290 conclufion 
SEES 
Slat eee 
ea SS 
== oe aes 
Ss SARS AS AGREES 
