252 
‘wre that he comprehended perfeétly what 
we required, but that, in fimilar cafes, it 
weis uiual to fhate the demand in writing, 
and he defired I would give him a note 
wpon the fubjeét. I told him that I would 
fepeat to hime once more, or as often as he 
pleafed, the exprefs terms which Lhad ftated 
to him, and that, as my communication to 
kim was verbal, 1 fhould of conrfe be con- 
tent with en anfwer in the fame form.* 
He confented at length to receive it, and to 
communicate to me the Firft Conful’s an- 
fwer as foon as poflible. I defired that he 
would recolle& that Tuefday next mutt be 
the day of my departure, : 
No. 64, 
Extrall of a Difpatsh from Lord Whitworth to 
Leré Hamkefhury, dated April 2g, 1803. 
My lait letter to your Lordthip was of 
yefierday evening. This morning a perfon 
came t0 me, whom I fufpeét.of being em- 
ployed by the Firft Conful for the purpofe 
of afcertaining my fentiments, and told me 
that ¥ fhould, in the courfe of the day, re- 
ceive a letter from M. de Talleyrand, drawn 
up under the infpetion of the Firft Conful, 
which, although not exaétly what I might 
with, was however {o moderate as to afford 
re 2 well-grounded hope, and might cer- 
tainly be fufficient to induce me to delay, 
far a fhort time, my departure, I told him 
that at would be a matter of great fatisfac- 
fiom te me to perceive a probability of 
bringing the negotiation toa favourable iflue ; 
and that I fhould be extremely forry to 
fpoil the bufinefs by any ufelefs precipita- 
tion. Butit muit be recolleGed that I aéted 
im conformity to inftru€tions; that thofe 
infiruGions were pofitive; that by them I 
was enjoined to leave Paris on Tuefday 
next, unlefs in the intermediate time certain 
eonditions were agreed to. Having received 
no letter in the courfe of the day, about 
fexr o'clock I went to M, de Talleyrand ; 
Tteid him that my anxiety to learn whether 
ke kad any thing favourable to tell me 
brought me to him, and, in cafe he had not, 
to ‘recall to his recolleGion that Tuefday 
was the day on which I muft leave Paris, 
and to requeli that he would have the ne- 
ecfiary pallports prepared for me and my 
family. Heappeared evidently embarraffed, 
and after fome hefitation ébferved, that he 
could not fuppofe I fhould really go away ; 
but that at all events the Firft Conful never 
would recall hisambaflador. Tothis I re- 
plied, his Majefty recalled me in order to 
put an end to the negotiation, on the prin- 
ciple that even a€tual war was preferable 
to the flate of fufpenfe in which England, 
and indeed all Europe, had beem kept for 
_fo long a {pace of time. 
# It appears, by fubfequent papers, that Lord 
- Whitworth withheld the written communi- 
cation, without any inftructions te do fe, 
- 49m the Britifh Government, 
_ 
Correfpondence between Great Britain and France. [June 1, 
From the tenour of his converfation, I 
fhould rather be ied to think that he does 
nct confider the cafe as defperate. Upon 
my leaving him he repeatedly taid,*F’at en- 
core de Vefpoir. 
; Saturday Evening. 
P.S. This day has paffed without any 
occurrence whatever. The letter in queftion 
is not yet arrived, 
No. 65.. ; 
Extra& of a Difpatch from Lord Whitworth te 
Lord Hawkefbury, dated May 2, 1803. 
Another day has paffed over without pro= 
ducing any change. I determined to go my- 
felf to M. de Talleyrand, and to deliver, 
inftead of fending, the inclofed Letter. I 
told him that it was with great reiuétance 
that Lcame to make this lait application to 
him. That I had long ‘ince informed him 
of the extent of the terms which had been 
afitgned for my ftay at Paris, and that as L 
had received to this moment no anfwer 
whatever to the propofal IF had repeatedly 
made, I could no longer delay requiring 
him to furnifh me with the neceffary pafl- 
ports for the return of myfelf, my family, 
and the remainder of the miffion, to Eng- 
land. Upon this I gave him the letter, a 
copy cf which I inclofe, and on reading it 
he appeared fomewhat ftartled. He lament- 
ed that fo much time had been loft; put 
faid that enough remained, if I was author- 
ized to negotiate upon other terms: I could 
of courfe but repeat to him, that I had no 
other terms to propoie, and that therefore 
unlefs the Firft Conful could fo far gain 
upon himfeif as to facrifice a falfe pun€hilio 
to the certainty ef a war of which no one 
could forefee the confequence, nothing cauld 
poffibly prevent nry departure to-morrow 
night. He hoped, he faid, this was not fo 
near; that he would communicate my let= 
ter, and what I had faid, to the Firft Confnt 
immediately, and that in all probability I 
fhould hear from him this evening. I 
thought it, however, right to apprize him 
that 1t was quite impoflible I could be in- 
duced to difobey his Majefty’s orders, and 
protraét a negotiation on terms fo difad- 
vantageous to ourfelves, unlefs he fhould 
furnifh me with fuch a juftification as would 
leave me no room to hefitate; and that I 
did not fee that any thing fhort of a full 
acquiefcence in his Majefty’s demands could 
have that effe&t.—He repeated that he would 
report the converfation to the Firft Conful, 
and that I fhould fhortly hear from him. 
In this ftate the bufinefs now refis; I am — 
expe€ting either 2 propofition or my pafl- 
ports, and am confequently taking every 
meafure for fetting out to-morrow night. 
Tranflation of Inclofure referred to in No. 65, 
ig a Faris, May 2, 1803. 
_ When 7 had the honour on Tuefday laf 
of communicating to you officially the laf 
propofitions which I was inftru&ted by my 
Court to fubmit to the French Sone 
af 
