1803.] 
P. S. In the interval between the writing 
and the tranfcribing the above difpatch, I 
have taken another opportunity of feeing M. 
de Talleyrand, and F’am glad to find, that 
(for what purpofe I know not) he had‘ repre- 
fented the inftruétions to General Andreoffi 
as much more abfolute and offenfive than 
they really are. I found him to-day entirely 
difpofed to give me another opinion, and to 
convince me that the Firft Conful, far from 
withing to carry matters to extremity, was 
detirous to, difeufs fairly and without paffion, 
a point which he admitted was of importance 
to both countries. He repeatedly affured me, 
that much as: the Firft Conful might have 
the acquifition of Egypt at heart, he would 
facrifice his own feelings to the prefervation 
of peace ; and henceforth feek to augment 
his glory by improving and confolidating the 
internal fituation of the country, rather than 
by adding to its pofieffions. 
No. 41. 
Note from General Andreoffi to Lord Hawhkefbury3 
dated March 10, 1803. 
The underfigned Ambaflador and Minifter 
Plenipotentiary of the French republic to his 
Britannic .Majefty, had received from the 
Firft Conful exprefs orders to require from the 
Britith Government fome explanations refpedt- 
ing the protracted occupation of the ifland of 
Malta by the Englifh troops. He had hoped 
that verbal communications would have been 
fufficient to have produced fatisfa€tory expo- 
fitions, by preparing the way for the mutual 
conciliation of minds and interefts, a conduct 
which has been prefcribed to him by his ar- 
dent zeal for the maintenance of harmony be- 
tween the two countries, and of the peace of 
Europe, objects of the folicitude of the French 
Government: but the underfigned thinks he 
can no longer delay complying with the in- 
ftru€tions he had received, and he has there- 
fore the honour of addreiling the following 
obfervatione to his Excellency Lord Hawkei- 
bury, which recall to recollection the fpirit 
and the leading features of the verbal commu- 
Hications which he has previoufly made to 
him. 
By the conditions of the fourth paragraph 
ef the roth article of the treaty of Amiens, 
the Englith troops were to evacuate the ifland 
of Malta and its dependencies three months 
after the exchange of the ratifications. 
Ten months have elapfed fince the ratifi- 
cations have been exchanged, and the Eng- 
lith troops are ftill at Malta. 
The French troops, on tlie contrary, who 
were ‘to evacuate the Neapolitan and Papal 
ftates, have not waited the expiration of the 
three months which were granted to them to 
withdraw, and have quitted Tarentum, the 
fortifications of which they had re-eftablithed, 
and where they had celleéted 100 pieces of 
¢annon. 
What can be alleged in juftification of 
the delay in evacuating Malta? Has not the 
oth article of the treaty of Amiens provided 
Correfpondence between Great Britain and France. 467 
for every thing? and the Neapolitan troops 
being arrived, under what pretext do thofe 
of England ftill remain there ? 
Is it betaufe all the powers enumerated in 
the fixth paragraph have not yet accepted the 
guarantee which is devolved upon them ? 
But this is not a condition that relates to the 
evacuation of the iflands and, befides, An- 
ftria has already fent its at of guarantee : 
Ruffia itfelf has made only a fingle difficulty, 
which is done away by the accefiion of the 
Firft Conful to the modifications propofed, 
unlefs indeed England itfelf throws obftacles 
in the way, by refuting to acceed to the pro- 
pofals of Ruiha, which after all could not af- 
fect the engagements of his Britannic Ma- 
jefty 5 who, according to the exprefs condi- 
tions of the treaty, is\to evacuate the iflan 
of Malta within three months, placing it un- 
der the guard of the Neapolitans, who are to 
garrifon it until the definitive arrangements 
of the Order are fettled. 
It fhould therefore feem impoftible, and it 
would be without example in the hiftory of 
nations, were his Britannic Majefty to refufe 
to execute a fundamental article of the paci- 
fication, of the very one which, in the draw- 
ing up of the preliminaries, was confidered as 
the firft, and as requiring to be fettled pre- 
vioufly to every other point. 
Indeed, the Firft Conful, who cordially 
relies on the intentions of his Britannic Ma- 
jefty, and cannot fuppofe them to be Icfs open 
and generous than thofe with which he ts 
animated, has hitherto been unwilling to at- 
tribute the deloy of the evacuation of the 
ifland of Malta to any other than to maritime 
circumftances. 
The underfigned is therefore charged to re- 
quire explanations on this point, and he is 
perfuaded that the Britifh Miniftry will be the 
more anxious to furnifh fuch as will be fati- 
fa€tory, as they muft be fenfible how neceflary 
they are forthe maintenance of harmany, 
and how important they are for the honcur 
of the two nations. 
The underfigned avails himfelf of this op- 
portunity to renew to Lord Hawketbury, the 
affurances of his high confideration. 
Portland Place, © F. ANDREOSS. 
1oth March, 1803. 
No. 42. 
My Lord, Paris, March 12, 1803. 
The meflenger, Mafon, arrived yetlierday 
morning early, with your Lordfhip’s letter of 
the 7th, informing me, that in confequence 
of the preparations in the ports of France and 
Holiand, which though avowedly intende? 
for colonial fervice, might, in the event of a 
rupture, be turned againft fome part of the 
Britith dominions, his Majefty had judged ir 
expedient to fend a mefiage to both Houfes 
of Parliament, recommending, in terms void 
of offence, the adoption of fuch meafures as 
may be confiftent with the honour of his 
crown and the fecurity of his dominions, and 
at the fame time. fuch as will maniteft his 
Majefty’s 
