CRN ee ee eee 
ae ee ers 
476 
explanation, 1 told him, thatii the object of 
the French Government was to protract the pre- 
fent ftate of futpenfe and uncertainty, that ob- 
ject might be anfwered to the extent indeed of a_ 
very few days, by forcing me to fuch a refer- 
ence; but I muft, at the fame time, declare to 
him, that it could be productive of no advan- 
tage, and would ferve only to provoke fuch a 
recapitulation of the fyftem and conduct which 
France had purfued fince the Treaty of Amiens, 
as would have all the appearance of a maniiefto, 
every item of which would carry conviGtion to | 
every individual in Europe; that it appeared, 
therefore, more likely to anfwer the end which 
both parties propofed, that of hattening the con- 
clufion of an amicable arrangement, to take up 
the bufinefs on the bafis which I thould propofe, 
and by which they would admit no more than 
what was incontrovertible, namely, shar if the 
French Government exercifed a right of extend- 
ing its influence and territory, in violation of 
the fpirit of the Treaty of Amiens, Creat Bri- 
tain had, if fhe chofe to avail herfelf of it (which 
I was contident fhe would not do further than 
was neceffary as a meature of fecurity), az u- 
doubted vight to feck a counterpoife, He did not 
feem inclined to difpute this pofition, but rather 
to acmit that fuch a right did exift, and might 
be claimed in confequence of the acquifitions 
which had been made by France. On the point 
of fatisfaction 1 found him much more obftinate : 
he faid that the Firft Conful was hurt at the ex- 
preflion( fatisf2Gion ),to whichyhe gave an inter- 
pretation | had never underttood belonging to It, 
as implying fuperiority; fo that if the Britith 
Government required fatisfaCtion of the Freach, 
it arrogated to itfelf a fuperioriry. told him, 
what certainly mutt be underftood by every one, 
that the demand of fatisfaction implied that-one 
party had been offended by another, and of courfe 
had a right to demand fuch fatisfaétion; that 
an inferior had an equal right with his fuperior 
to demand it: but in the cafe in queftion there 
was perfect equality, and confequently there was 
no offence to be found but inthe conduct which 
rendered fuch an appeal neceffary. The dii- 
cuffion of this point took up a confiderable time 
without producing any thing decifive. 
We at laft came to the main point of the bu- 
finefs; and on this I cannot fay any real pro- 
grels has been made. M. de Talleyrand re- 
peated to me, that the Firft Conful had nothing 
more at heaft than to avoid the neceffity o} going 
to war, and that there was no facrifice he would 
not make, fhort of his honour, to obtain this end, 
Is there, faid M. de Talleyrand, no means of 
fatisfying both parties? for, at the fame time 
that the Firft Conful infifts, and will always in- 
fift, on the full execution of the Treaty, he will 
not object to avy.mede by which you may ac- 
guire the fecurity you think fo neceffary- You 
are not fatished with the independence of Nea- 
politan troops; what others will aniwer the pur- 
pole? He then ftarted the idea of a mixed gar- 
yifJon, compofed of Englifh, French, Itahan, 
Germans, &c. He begged that I} would refer 
ence more to your Lordfhip, and fubmit the in- 
clofed paper, which he drew up in my prefence. 
¥ told him that we were only lofing time by fuch 
a reference; that my inftructions were politive, 
and had certainly not been fent me without the 
tulleit confideration, I could not, however re 
fufe what he fo earneftly required ; and your 
Lordihip will fee by the paper how the matter 
reits after this conference, I will coafefs to 
your Lordthip, that my motive for confenting te 
forward this fort of propofal is, that fuppofing we 
fhould find the Firft Conful as cbftinate as he 
now appears to be on the point of abandoning 
Malta to us in perpetuity, and that a temporary 
poffeffion might be confidered as the next beft 
thing, fomething of this kind might derive from 
it. WHITWORTH. 
The Rt. Hon. ‘Lord Hawkefbury. 
( Tranflation of Inclofure referred to in No. 53.) , 
The converfation with M. Talleyrand to day 
has led us to thisrefult: every thing which may 
tend to violate the independence of the Order 
of Malta,will never be contented to by the French 
Government, very thing which may tend to 
put an end to the prefent difficulties, or be 
agreeable to the Englifh Government, and which 
fhall not be contrary to the Treaty of Amiens, 
the French Government have no objection to 
make a particular convention refpecting it- The 
motives of this convention fhall be inferted in the 
preamble, and fhall relate to the reipectiye 
grievances concerning which the two Govern- 
ments fhall think it advifable- to come to an 
underftanding with each other. 
No. 54. 
Extra of a Difpaich from Lord Whitworth 
pai Hawke/bury, dated Paris, April 14, 
1803. 
Since my laft the negotiation is at a ftand, in 
the expectation, I fuppofe, of the anfwer which 
may arrive, to the overture which I communi- 
cated to your Lordfhip on the gth inftant, and 
which is expected here to produce a good effet, 
notwithitanding the little hope I have given. 
Tomorrow I fhall, in all probability, be in pof- 
feflion of this aniwer from your Lordfhip, and 
be enabled to fpeak ftill more pofitively. 
No. 55. 
Downing fireet, April 13, 1803. 
My Lord, 
His Majefty has received from his Chargé 
d’ Affaires at Hamburgh,the moit extraordinary 
account of the conduct of Monfieur Rheinhardt, 
the French Minifter at that place, with refpec® 
to a moft grofs and unwarrantable libel upon his 
Majetty’s Government. He has been affured 
that the French Minifter, having propofed the 
infertion of that libel in the Official Gazette of 
the town of Hamburgh, and the infertion of it 
having in the firft inftance been refufed, the 
French Minifter went fo far as to demand, in 
his official capacity, the infertion of that article 
by order of the Senate. Eis Majefty is unwil- 
ling to believe that the French Goverament 
could have authorized fo outrageous an attack: 
upon his Mayefly and his Government, and fo 
daring a violation of the independence of a~ 
neutral ftate. Itis his Majefty’s pleafure, that 
you fhould communicate thefe circumftances to 
the French Government, and ftate at the fame 
time the impoffibility of bringing the prefent 
difcuflions to an amicable conclufion, unlefs 
fome’ fatisfaétion fhall be given to his Majefty — 
Correfpondence between Great Britain and France. |Junet, - 
\ 
for the indignity which has thus been offeredto 
him, in the face of all Kurope, by the French 
Minilter at Hamburgh. 
His Excellency Lord Whitworth, K, B. 
HAWKESBURY. ~ 
o 
