462  Correfpondence between Great Britain and Fraace. 
conclufion of the definitive treaty, the infi-’ 
nuations and charges contained in the report 
of Colonel Sebaftiani, and the views which 
that report difclofes, without feeling it ne- 
ceffary for him diftinétly to declare, that it 
will be impoffible for him to enter into any 
further difcuffion relative to Malta, unlefs he 
receives fatisfattory explanation on the fub- 
jeét of this communication. 
Your Excellency is defired to tale an early 
opportunity of fully explaining his Majefty’s 
fentiments as above flated to the French Go- 
vernment, HAWKESBURY. 
His Excellency Lord Whitworth. 
No. 
Extra& of a Difpatch from Lord Whitworth to 
Lord Hawkefoury, dated Paris, February 17, 
1803. 
I have the honour to acquaint your Lord- 
fhip, that I faw M. de Talleyrand on Tuef- 
day laft, for the purpofe of carrying into eft. & 
your Lordihip: s inftructions of the gth inftant. 
I began by telling him that I had nething new 
to communicate to him; but merely to con- 
firm officially that which I had already from 
myfelf premifed. I did not however pafs over 
with the fame indifference, the arguments 
with which your Lordfhip has furnifhed me. 
I recapitulated them all; the principle on 
which the Treaty of Amiens was founded ; 
and the right which naturally arofe from that 
principle, of int erference on our part for the 
purpote of obtaining fatisfa€tion or compenfa- 
tion, for any effential differences which may 
have arifen in the relative fituation of the 
two countries. I inftanced the caf-s, begin- 
ning with Italy and concluding with Swit- 
ferland, in which-the territory or influence 
of France had been extended subipaatent to 
the Treaty of Amiens. 
I reprefented to him that this fara of 
compenfation had been fully and formaily ad- 
mitted by the French Government, in the 
courfe of the negociation at Amiens. 1 then 
told him that, notwithftanding the indifputa- 
ble right which his Majefty might have de- 
rived of claiming fome counterpoife for fuch 
acquifitio: ns, inftru€@tions would have. been 
given me, by which I fhould have been em- 
powered to declare his Majefty’s readinefs to 
carry into effe&t the full intent of the tenth 
article of the treaty, if the attention of his 
Majefty*s Government had not been roufed 
by the official! publication of Colonel Sebaf- 
tiani’s report to the Firft Conful. it was uie- 
lefs to recapitulate the particulars of this very 
extraordinary report; but J] appealed to him 
whether it was not of a nature, exclufive of 
the perfonal allufions it contained, to excite 
the utmoft jealoufy in the minds of his Ma- 
jefty’s Minifters, and to demand on their part 
every meafure of precaution. I concluded 
with the diftinét declaration, that it was im- 
poilible for his Majefty to enter into any fur- 
ther difcuffion relative to Malta, unlefs he 
receives fatisfactory explanations on the fub- 
jet of the Firft Confyl’s views. 
[June fy 
M. de Talleyrand, in his reply, did not at- 
tempt to difpute the drift of my argument. 
He admitted, with’ an affeéted tone of can- 
dour, that the jealoufy we felt on the fcore 
of Egypt, with a view to our pofleffions in 
India, was natural. But he could not admit 
that any thing had appeared in the conduét 
of the French Government in juftification of 
the alarm we exprefied. After repeating what 
he had faid to me in a former converfation on 
the fubje& of Sebaftiani’s mifiion, which he 
afierted to be firiGly commercial, he expatiated 
at great length on the fincere defire of the 
Firtt Conful to maintain inviolable the peace 
which had been fo lately conciuced ; adding, 
that the fituation of the French finances was 
fuch, that were not this defire for peace in 
the Firft Conful an effe@ of fyftema, it would 
be moft imperioufly di€tated to him by the 
total impofiibility in which this country found 
itfelf of carrying on that cxtenfive ftate of 
warfare, which even a partial rupture would 
naturally lead to. He expreffed great fur- 
prife, therefore, that any fuifpicion fhould at- 
tach, when the means of diiturbing the pub~ 
lic tranquillity were, as muft be well krown 
in England, fo completely wanting ; and de- 
fired to know what was the nature and de- 
gree of fatisfa@tion which his Majity would 
require. On this I told him, that I could 
not pretend to fay by what means thofe appre- 
henfions, which the conduét of this Govern- 
ment had raifed in England, were to be al- 
layed; but I could affure him, that in the 
difcuffion of them, we fhould be animated 
folely by afincere defire to be convinced of 
the truth of his affertions, fince on that de- 
pended the peace and happinefs of Europe, J 
took this opportunity of affuring him, that 
although, according to his ftatement of the 
fituation of. France, we might poflefs in a 
greater degree the means of fupporting the 
expence of a war, fince thofe means arofe 
from fources which even a ftate of warfare did 
not dry up, yet fuch was his Majefty’s fincere 
defire of maintaining peace, that nothing but 
abfoiute and unavoidable neceflity would ever 
induce him to deprive his fubjeéts of the blef= 
fings which they begin to enjoy. 
No. 38. 
My Lord, Paris, February 21, 1803. 
My laft difpatch of the 17th, im which fF 
gave your Lordfhip an account of my confe- 
rence with M. de Talleyrand, was fcarcely 
_ gone, when I received a note from him, in- 
forming me that the Firft Conful withed to 
cenverfe with me, and defired I would come 
to him at the Thuilleries at nine o’clock, 
He received me in his cabinet with tolerable 
cordiality, and, after talking on different fub- 
jects, for a few minutes, he defired me to fit 
down, as he himfelf did on the other fide of 
the table, and began. He told me, that he 
felt it neceflary, after’ what had pafied be- 
tween me and M. de Talieyrand, that he 
fhould, in the moit clear and authentic man- 
ner, make known his fentiments to me, in 
= order 
e 
