478 
it would be neceffary that the reparation fhould 
be fo alfo. He anfwered me again, that the 
Firft Conful confidered M- Rheinhardt’s con- 
duct as fo reprehenfible, that every fatisfaction 
might be expected WHITWORTH. 
Rt. Hon. Lord Hawkefbury. 
No. 58. > 
My Lord, Paris, April 18, 1803. 
IT faw Jofeph Bonaparte immediately on the 
receipt of your Lordfhip’s difpatch, No. 56; 
and without troubling your Lordfhip with 
a repetition of the arguments [I ufed to 
haften the conclufion of the negociation, 
among which I endeavoured to convince him 
of the importance of preventing the ultimatum 
which would inevitably follow the rejection of 
what I had to propofe, I will briefly ftate, that 
on finding it perfectly impracticable to eftablifh 
. the principle of our keeping pofieflion of Malta 
in perpetuity, I delivered to him in writing the 
fecond propofal ] had to make. He did not 
fail to obferve, that by this modification the 
difficulty which he confidered as infurmounta- 
ble was not removed ; that although the Order 
was reftored, it could not be confidered as in- 
dependent, and, in fact, Malta would belong 
to that power which had poffeffion of the forts. 
I enforced the adoption of this plan by every 
reafon which could ferve to recommend it 3 but 
the -pofleilion in perpetuity was conftantly urged 
as a difficulty which nothing could remove. 
®ur converiation Jafted nearly two hours. I 
confefs that I gained no folid ground of hope 
that the projeét, which he affured me he would 
take to the Firft Conful at St. Cloud, would be 
adopted. But he faid that he was not without 
hope that he might be authorized to propofe to 
me the occupation of the fortreffes for a term 
of years. It was my with, that fuch a propofal 
fhould come from him rather than from me, I 
. told him that I did not wellfee how fuch at tenure 
would fuit us; but that I. withed too fincerely« 
to avoid the fatal extremities to which I fawthe 
difcuffion was tending, not to give any reafon-’ 
ble propofal which might be made on their part 
every affiftance in my power.* This propofal 
eriginated with him, and was therefore received 
by me merely as a matter which } would refer 
to your Lordfhip.* If however I can bring the’ 
matter to an immediate conclufton, and without 
further reference to your Lordfhip on tee prin- 
ciple of our retaining poffeffion of the torireffes 
of Malta for a term of years not lefs than that 
pointed out by your Lordfhip, and with the af- 
furance that this Government will not oppoie 
the cefiion of the ifland of Lampedofa, I fhall 
have great pleafure in announcing to your Lord- 
’ fhip tucha conclufion. 
I do not.enter into a detail of the converfation 
which I had the fame morning with M. de 
Talleyrand, immediately upon leaving Jofeph 
Bonaparte, as it differed in no wife irom what 
I have above mentioned. He fuggefted alfothe 
pofiibility of coming to an arrangementon the 
ground of a temporary occupation, and I made 
him the fame anf{wer. 
Such is the ftate of the difcuffton at this 
moe 
* See Lord Hawkefbury’s Inftruétions, 
No. 5% 
ment. Tam in expeétation of hearing very 
fhortly either from Jofeph Bonaparte or M. de 
Talleyrand ; and i am not without hopes that 
I may be able to announce to your Lordfhip, 
that fuch an arrangement is made, as may an~ 
{wer his Majefty’s expectations, in a very few 
dayse Your Lordfhip may be affured, that I 
feel the: neceflity of expedition. 
urgent, I might perhaps hope to bring the dif- 
cuffion to even a more favourabfe iflue, 
WHITWORTH. 
Right Hon. Lord Hawkefbury. 
(Tranflarion of Inclofure referred toin No. 58.) 
His Majefty will confent, for the fake of pre- 
ferving peace, that the Government of the ifland 
a 
Correfpondence between Great Britain and France. [Junei, — 
Were it lefs © 
of Malta fhall be given to the Order of St. 
John; the Maitefe enjoying thofe privileges 
which have been ‘granted on former occafions. — 
The fortifications of the ifland fhall be occupied — 
in perpetuity by the roses of his Majefly. 
0. 59+ 
My Lord, Paris April2o, 1803- 
I had hoped that the firft extraordinary Mef- 
fenger I fhould have had occafion to fend, 
would have been to announce to yottr Lordfhipy, 
that the differences 
vernments were adjufted, on one of the modifi- 
cations pointed out to me by my laft.inftructions 
from your Lerdfhip. In this expectation I am 
deceived. 
before laft, before I had fealed up my difpatches 
of that evening to your Lordfhip ; but as all he 
faid, tended only to juftify the hope I had given 
your Lordfhip in thofe difpatches, I added 
nothing tothem. He affured me pofitively, 
that I thould hear from M. de Talleyrand it 
the courfe of yefterday morning, and that a 
meeting would be appointed in order to fettle 
the term of years for which the Firft Conful 
between the two Goe 
w< 
might be induced to confent to the ceffien of 
Malta. 
Itis true that he declared, that, im™ 
order to gain his confent, it would be neceffary © 
to hold out the ‘advantages which the Britifa 
Government was willing to offer in return, 
meaning the acknowledgments of the new Go= 
vernments in Italy, JF told him that this offer 
was made only with a view to the poffeffion of 
Malta in perpetuity ; but after fome converfa-— 
tion, I gave him to underftand, that I would 
not refufe to admit the demand, /ud fperati,on — 
the condition, that the-ceffion fhould be made 
for a confiderable term of years; that Holland 
and Switzerland fhould be evacuated ; and that 
a fuitable provifion thould be made for the King | 
of Sardinia. He feemed to think there could 
be no difficulty in this arrangement ; and I left 
him in the periuafion, that I fhould the nextday, 
yefterday, or this morning, receive the fum- 
mons from M. de Talleyrand, which -he had 
given me reafon to expect.’ 
J am ferry to fsys that no fuch fummons has 
been received by me, neither has any further, 
notice been taken of the bufinefs. So that I 
feel, that I fhould betray the confidence your 
Lordfhip may place in me, were I to delay any 
longer requeiting, that I may be immediately — 
furnifhed with the ‘terms on which his Ma- 
jeity’s Minifters would be willing to conclude, 
and which probably will not differ much from 
thofe above fated, in order that 1 may propole | 
ak 
heng. 
I faw Jofeph Bonaparte the night — 
