The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-05 00:00:00

IJ

sent. The w1,.1e tenor of the conversation was '
calculated to inspire the public mind with confidence
In oar strength, and the sufficiency of our prepara-
tions for war ; had such a conversation sprung up
incidentally, it could bear no other than a warlike
construetion, but in the present case it was called
for, if not rendered necessary, by the charge.
NV:th the exception then of the tone, temper, and
manner of the speakers, we see little in the conver-
sation of a warlike nature. We own, however, that
if the account which we have heard of the discus-
ions with France be true, there can be but
little hope of a satisfaCtory conclusion. It is
said, the English Minister has proposed to open a
negotiation fur the perpetual possession of Malt; or
its temporary retention. If the answer to the pro-
position be the rthimaturt, we fe ir we are only at
the beginning of our difficulties, but we hope better
from his M A.UST it'S Councils.

Yesterday a Court of Direaors was held at the
East Inds House, when EDWARD LARKIN, Esq.
was appointed lnspeElor of the Company's teas in
China, in the room of Mr. HENRY BAGSHAW, de-
ceased. Mr. PRICE was sworn into the command
of the Alen, and Mr. BARKER of the Nartharroton.—
The Court adjourned at six o'clock, till Wednes-
day next.
Letters from Constantinople, brought by the
Dutch Mail, completely contradia the account
given in the Ilkni:eur of the English having carried
away the cannon and all the military stores from
Alexandria. They state, that the place was given
up by the English in the best possible state of de-
fence.
A letter from Madrid, of the sth of April, men-
tions the arrival of a French General Officer there,
sent by the Caller CONSUL, to request the media-
tion of that Court, to prevent a rupture between
France and England. The same letter adds, that
the general opinion at Madrid was, that there
would be no war at present, as BONAPARTE was
inclined to negotiate, and that the English Ministry
bad not energy enough to anticipate the blow he
shortly means to strike at that country. The vales,
the paper currency of that country, which had sunk
to 40 per cent. discount on the first rumour of war,
were again beginning to rise in their value on the
idea of peace.
Numerous applications for employment from
Officers in the Navy continue to be made at the Ad-
miralty.
The ships in commission in the Riser have received
orders to proceed as expeditiou.ly as possible to
the Nore.
A report prevails that the Earl of ROSSLYN is to
succeed the Duke of Poa T tarp in the Presidency of
the CounciL

Government, it is said, have finally closed their
contra& with Mr. WILL AN for the purchase of
artillery horses, to the full extent of that which they
made with him in the late war.
The passports from Paris to this country are now
made out for Calais direct, so that nobody can go a
step out of the straight road.
General Vicroa sent on the 25th last a consider.
able number of Officers of Artillery and Engineers
to the Isle of Goree, to take charge of the fortifica-
tions and batteries in that Isle. The consent of the
Batavian Government to this measure has not been
asked, that being thought unnecessary.
Tuesday morning the third battalion of the first
regiment of Foot Guards, doing duty at Windsor,
had a granil field-day in the Little Park, commanded
by General %VINYARD.
Tueslay the Earl of Mot:slaw, ft is, and the
Earl of J xasxv, dined with Mr. Pow ELL in Strat-
ford-place.

The Courts of Naples, Spain and Portugal, appear
anxious to keep out of the war, should hostilities
take place, and also to avoid those continual contri-
butions which BON A? Ait a imposes upon them upon
every report of peace or war. Spain has positively
refused the last sums demanded from her.—Covrirr
efr Loadra. -

The brothers of the FIRST CONSUL hare appen-
dages of a new kind. Each conquered country, or
ally, pays them an annual sum, exclusive of the
contributions exalted by the French Government.
These Gentlemen exercise over the conquered coun-
tries a sort of Protetlorate, which places them as
mediators between them and the Fr car Cow .L'L, and
fur this mediation they are made to pay dearly.
M. LUCIEN protet.cts Holland, Spain and tiortugal.
Dl. JosErii, the princes of Germany. M. Louis,
the Cisalpine, Piedmont, Etruria, the Pope and
Naples; and JEROSIE, as future grand Admiral,
receives tribute from the Colonies.—lbid.
The DIET COMO L has been very ill treated at
Piedmont. The inhabitants cruelly abuse his effigy.
ADDASA AR MENOLT has used as much energy to as.
&rt the honour of his master, as he has shewn talent
to preaerve Egypt. —Bid.
The Hereditary Prince of a Sovereign House in
Germany, disappeared in the night between the
4th and sth of April. The Courur de Londree, of
last night, says, that the Prince has arrived at Paris
to implore the protection of the Fiasr Cossut. who
has promi,ed it, and sent him back with a commis-
sioner to enquire into the cause of his complaint.
A letter from the Hague of the 29th April says,
•' It is very true, that about 6000 French troops are
now at Nimeguen and in its neighbourhood. But,
t is net true, that those 6000 troops are an augmen-
tation of the French army, which has been for a
month now within the territory of this Republic.
The troops now at Nimeguen came from Dutch
Brabant. It is above three weeks since any new
troops entered the Batavian territory."
The greatest discontent prevails throughout the
Bataviati Republic with respeCl to the imperious
conduß.of the French Generals quartered there, and
the elm/lions praftised by some of them. At Breda,
the French Commandant required from the Magis-
tracy a large sum as a contribution. On its being
refused, he placed soldiers in the houses of the in-
habitants, who were then glad to come forward,
and each pay a certain quota, to be liberated from
the nuisance and expence.—Outrages of a more se-
rious nature have taken place at Helvoet, where a
corps of French troops appeared, and the Com-
mander intimating that his intention was to take
charge of the fortress, the Dutch Commandant re-
fused his admission, on which he shelved a positive
in to do so from DONAPARTL.