・jesty's Answer-Stanzas on the Death of Nelson-Proclamation of his Majesty, appointing the Duke of Cambridge Governor of Hanover-Death of the Marquis of Lansdowne: Of Sir William Pulteney.

1805.-ON the 2d of December in the last year, Buonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French: on the 2d of January this year, he wrote the subjoined letter to his Majesty, expressing his wish for peace. His Majesty caused a reply to be written by Lord Mulgrave, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

"Sir and Brother,

"Called to the throne of France by Providence, and by the suffrages of the senate, the people, and the army, my first sentiment is a wish for peace. France and England abuse their prosperity. They may contend for ages; but do their Governments well fulfill the most sacred of their duties, and will not so much blood, shed uselessly, and without a view to any end, condemn them in their own consciences? I consider it as no disgrace to make the first step. I have, I hope, sufficiently proved to the world, that I fear none of the chances of war; it, besides, presents nothing that I need to fear: peace is the wish of my heart, but war has never been inconsistent with my glory. 1 conjure your Majesty not to deny yourself the happiness of giving peace to the world, nor to leave that sweet satisfaction to your children for certainly there never was a more fortunate opportunity, nog a moment more favourable, to silence all the passions, and listen only to the sentiments of humanity and reason. This moment once lost, what end can be assigned to a war which all my efforts will not be able to terminate! Your Majesty has gained more within ten years, both in territory and riches, than the whole extent of Europe. Your nation is at the highest point of prosperity; what can it hope from war?-To form a coalition with some powers of the Continent!-The Continent will remain tranquil: a coalition can only increase the preponderance and continental greatness of France. To renew intestine troubles?-The times are no longer the same. To destroy our finances?-Finances founded on a flourishing agricolture can never be destroyed. To take from France her colonies?-The colonies are to France only a secondary object; and does not your Majesty already possess more than you know how to preserve? If your Majesty would but reflect, you must perceive that the war is without an object, without any presumable result to yourself. Alas! what a melancholy prospect, to cause two nations to fight merely for the sake of fighting. The world is sufficiently large for our two nations to live in it, and reason is sufficiently powerful to discover means of reconciling every thing, when the wish for reconciliation exists on both sides. I have, however, fulfilled a sacred duty, and one which is precious to my heart. I trust your Majesty will believe in the sincerity of my sentiments, and my wish to give you every proof of it, &c.

"NAPOLEON."

Answer by Lord Mulgrave, addressed to M. Talleyrand.

"His Britannic Majesty has received the Letter which has been addressed to him by the Head of the French Government, dated the 2d of the present month. There is no object which his Majesty has more at heart, than to avail himself of the first opportunity to procure again' for his subjects the advantages of a peace, founded on bases which may not be incompatible with the permanent security and essential interests of his dominions. His Majesty is persuaded that this end can only be attained by arrangements which may at the same time provide for the future safety and tranquillity of Europe, and prevent the recurrence of the dangers and calamities in which it is involved. Conformably to this sentiment, his Majesty feels it is impossible for him to answer more particularly to the overture that has been made him, till he has had time to communicate with the Powers on the Continent, with whom he is engaged in confidential connexions and relations, and particularly the Emperor of Russia, who has given the strongest proofs of the wisdom and elevation of the sentiments with which he is animated, and the lively interest which he takes in the safety and independence of the Continent.

"14th January, 1805."

"MULGRAVE.

His Majesty, being present in Council, on the 11th of January, issued the following Order for granting Letters of Marque against Spain;

"Whereas his Majesty has received information that the King of Spain has issued a Declaration of War against his Majesty, his subjects, and people; his Majesty, therefore, being determined to take such measures as are necessary for vindicating the honour of his Crown, and for the vigorous prosecution of the war in which he finds himself engaged, is pleased, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that general reprisals be granted against the ships, goods, and subjects of the King of Spain, so that as well as his Majesty's fleets and ships, as also all other ships and vessels that shall be commissionated, by letters of marque or general reprisals, or otherwise, by his Majesty's Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, shall and may lawfully seize all ships, vessels, and goods, belonging to the King of Spain, or his subjects, or others inhabiting within the territories of the King of Spain, and bring the same to judgment in any of the Courts of Admiralty within his Mjesty's dominions; and, to that end, his Majesty's Advocate-General, with the Advocate of the Admiralty, are forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his Majesty at this Board, authorizing the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral, or any person or persons by them empowered and appointed, to issue forth and grant letters of marque and reprisals to any of his Majesty's subjects, or others whom the said Commissioners shall deem fitly

qualified in that behalf, for the apprehending, seizing, and taking the ships, vessels, and goods belonging to Spain, and the vassals and subjects of the King of Spain, or any inhabiting within his countries, territories, or dominions; and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission, as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and his Majesty's said Advocate-General, with the Advocate of the Admiralty, are also forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his Majesty at this Board, authorizing the said Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral, to will and require the High Court of Admiralty of Great Britain, and the Lieutenant and Judge of the said Court, his Surrogate or Surrogates, as also the several Courts of Admiralty within his Majesty's dominions, to take cognizance of, and judicially proceed upon, all and all manner of captures, seizures, prizes, and reprisals of all ships and goods that are or shall be taken, and to hear and determine the same; and, according to the course of Admiralty, and the laws of nations, to adjudge and condemn all such ships, vessels, and goods as shall belong to Spain, or the vassals and subjects of the King of Spain, or to any others inhabiting within any of his countries, territories, and dominions; and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission, as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and they are Jikewise to prepare, and lay before his Majesty, at this Board, a draft of such instructions as may be proper to be sent to the Courts of Admiralty in his Majesty's Foreign Governments and Plantations for their guidance herein; as also another draft of instructions for such ships as shall be commissionated for the purposes aforementioned.

His Majesty's speeches to Parliament, from the unsettled state of the Continent, continued to be important. The following, delivered on the 15th of January, states the progress of public affairs since the close of the last Session.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"Since the end of the last session, the preparations of the enemy for the invasion of this kingdom have been continued with incessant activity, but no attempt has been made to carry their repeated menaces into effect. The skill and intrepidity of my navy, the respectable and formidable state of my army and militia, the unabated zeal, and improved discipline of a numerous volunteer force, and the general ardour manifested by ail classes of my subjects, have, indeed, been sufficient to deter them from so presumptuous and desperate an enterprise. While this spirit continues to animate the country, and its voluntary

exertions for its own defence subsist in their full vigour, we need not fear the consequences of the most powerful efforts on the part of the enemy. But let us never forget, that our security has arisen from the resolution with which we have met and provided against the danger, and that it can be preserved only by steady perseverance, and unremitting activity. The conduct of the Court of Spain, evidently under the predominant influence and controul of France, compelled me to take prompt and decisive measures to guard against the effects of hostility. I have, at the same time, endeavoured, as long as it was possible, to prevent the necessity of a rupture; but, in consequence of the refusal of a satisfactory explanation, my Minister quitted Madrid, and war has since been declared by Spain against this country. I have directed a copy of the Manifesto, which I have caused to be prepared on the occasion, to be laid before yon, together with such papers as are necessary to explain the discussions which have taken place between me and the Court of Madrid. You will, I trust, be convinced by them, that my forbearance has been carried to the utmost extent which the interests of my dominions would admit, and while I lament the situation of Spain, involved in hostilities contrary to its true interests, I rely with confidence on your vigorous support in a contest, which can be attributed only to the unfortunate prevalence of French councils. The general conduct of the French Government on the continent of Europe, has been marked by the utmost violence and outrage, and has shewn a wanton defiance of the rights of neutral territories, of the acknowledged privileges of accredited ministers, and of the established principles of the law of nations. Notwithstanding these transactions, so repugnant to every sentiment of moderation and justice, I have recently received a communication from the French Government, containing professions of a pacific disposition. I have, în consequence, expressed my earnest desire to embrace the first opportunity of restoring the blessings of peace, on such grounds as may be consistent with the permanent safety and interests of my dominions; but I am confident you will agree with me, that those objects are closely connected with the general security of Europe. I have, therefore, not thought it right to enter into any more particular explanation, without previous communication with those powers on the Continent with whom I am engaged in confidential intercourse and connection, with a view to that important object, and especially with the Emperor of Russia, who has given the strongest proofs of the wise and dignified sentiments by which he is animated, and of the warm interest he takes in the safety and independence of Europe.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"I have directed the estimates for the public service to be laid before you. I regret the necessity of any additional burthens being imposed on my people, but I am sure you will be sensible how much their future safety and happiness depend on the vigour of our exertions, and that in the mode of raising supplies, you will continue to shew your anxiety for the support of public eredit, and for restraining as much as possible, the accumulation of the national debt.

"In considering the great efforts and sacrifices which the nature of the contest requires, it is a peculiar satisfaction to me, to observe the many proofs of the internal wealth and prosperity of the country. It will, I am sure, be your great object to maintain and improve these advantages, and at the same time to take all such measures, as by enabling me to prosecute the war with vigour, may afford the best. prospect of bringing it to a safe and honourable termination."

Lord Elliot moved the Address in the House of Lords. He doubted the sincerity of France in the late overtures for negociation, and observed, that the presumptuous boasts made at the commencement of the war, that this country was no longer able to cope "single-handed" with France, was now given up, and that after the boastful enemy had brought his preparations for invasion to the highest state, he seemed now conscious of the vanity of his hopes. He considered the cause to be the well-disciplined army and navy, and the armed patriotism of the country. Much had been heard of the wily policy of the French Ruler, and his late desire for peace would be treated with caution and doubt.-Lord Gwydir congratulated the House on the exalted state of the country; and the inability which the enemy, after all his gasconading, experienced of hazarding his boasted fleets and his flotilla from under the protection of his cannon on shore. The rupture with Spain, he said, had been long expected; and the surprize was, how it could have been so long delayed: The councils, the treasures, the fleets, and the armies of Spain, had long been under the controul of the despotism of France. Spain was a devoted country; its will was, or obliged to be, that of France. Self-preservation required exertion on the part of England; the treasures of Spain ought to be seized upon, to prevent their being converted to the use of the enemy. On the communications lately sent from France, he observed, the House could not form an opinion until their nature and extent were ascertained. Nothing could be lost by perseverance in strenuous exertions; those alone were likely to bring about, not a false and hollow security, like the last peace, not peace in words, and malignity in actions, but a peace that