The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-12 00:00:00

but in which, Lerd Haselresbut, tells Mr. Freres

that on that point alone, Great Britain is not de- •
sirous to break off the negotiation. This, Mr, Frerc
received (the date is material ) between the I eth
of February and the 5d of March. He saw the
Prince of Peace, but rover made any mention of
the conditions which formed the determination of
his Court. Why did not Lord Hswkesbury see M.
Anduaga on the suhjeet, or else write to Mr. Frere,
that if that condition was not complied with, it
must rause a war between the two conntries f It
was, he said. distinetly stated by M. Anduaga, that
money would be substituted for troops, and if
any of the late Administration were in the House,
he wit't el to know whether the neutrality of
Spain wet not by them deemed desireahle
From this time till the Noble Lord went out of
office, not a •ingie line of communication did he
send to Mr. Frere, who was left to aft just accord-
, in gto hit own conception of thirgs, till Lord Har-
i e'rs came into offiee, and then he would suppose,
t • it, according to his accustomed industry and good
i ment, his very first effort would be a consi'dera-
e •
no., of the rehtinns subsisting between this country
and Spain. Ilk first dispatch was on the 22J May,
but it contained no reference to the dispute between
the two Governments. That we had a right to de-
clare war, he would not dispute, but that right
,
might be waved by a convention, agreement, or under-
standing, call it which you will. On the 'led
May. Lord Harrosrby takes no no:ice of the dispute
between the two countries. From Eke 21st of Ja-
nuary to the 296 of December, not a line passed
from any of His Majesty's Ministers on the inkjet.
On the t'.9th of Septemirer another dispatch was sent
by Lord Herroseby to Mr. Frere, in which a language
was used towards Spain very different to any which
badliithertobeen held onthe subject. In thisdispatch
Mr. Frere is desired by his Lordship, in consequence
of advices received from Admiral Cochrane, of the
arming of ships of war ie the part of Ferrol,to request
immediately eneudiraceof M.Cevallos,in whichheis
to cell tothe reenlleßion of thatMinistertlieg rounds on
which His Majesty has hitherto forborne from con-
sidering. Spain as an enemy; and among many ();lier
paints, Mr. Free is direded to require of the Spanish
:paints,
the immediaie vocal of all orders for
the naval armaments at. Ferrol, Cadiz, and Car-
-1 I thegena ; and to apprise M. Cevallos, that ea-
less he received a satisfadory answer, without de-
lay, he WAS ordered to quit Madrid." Mr.
Grey said. he read this, because it Was material
to ascertain whether the answer of M. Cevallos
wa• dies A or equivocal. Mr. Frere, by a note of
•
t the •27th Sept. calls nn M. Cevallos, "to ;account for
the arming of certain ships of war at Ferrol, and
desiring him to consider the consequence of a perse-
verance in such measures." To this note M. (Weal-
los repiied the Id of Odober in the following terms :
et 'I hat he had made a report to the King his master,
of the contents of Mr. Frere's note of the 27th last,
in which he speaksof a naval ai filament which he sup-
poses to be fitting out at 1' et rol. His Majesty orde. ed
him to answer, that he had never thought of beMg
wanting in tee Agreement entered into with the British
Government; dot the cessetionof all naval armaments
should be observed, as it had been to that time ;
and that whatever information had reached him on
that head, it was altogether unfounded, and offen-
sive to the reputation which the Spanish Government
justly enjoys." By this, it appears, that Mr. Frere's
continuance at Madrid was to depend on a satisfac-
tore answer from M. Cevallos, in regard to naval
armaments, previous to the dispatch of the 29th of
September: therefore, Mr. Frere had made a de-
mand, and received an answer which was not satie-
teflon.. M. Cevallos tells him there was no aims.
ment hostile to England ; but, what there had ever
been,was discontinued. Mr. Frere, after this, remain-
ed three weeks it Madrid, without making anyfurilier
mention of this armament, and this silence, he con-
tended, was a complete admission that he was fully
satisfied with that answer. On the t6th Oelober, a
negociation began in consequence of the dispatch of
29th September, in which Mr. Frere states, as ordered
thereby,a peremptoryexplanation as to the armament
in the Port of Ferrol ; M. Cevallos denied it, and
gave Mr. Frere a copy of the conversation between
M. Ala:lege and the English Minister for Foreign
AS-i is, Mr. Frere acknowledged to be an
agreement. He then asserts a right in Great Bri-
tain to declare war on the appearance of any arma-
ment whatever; a monstrous principle, which he
thought could not be reconciled either with reason
or ju-tice. If an agreement then took place in
which armaments were to cease at the time of that
agreement,—if Spain complied with that, she did
every thing that was necessary or could be required
- of her ; Lid he would ask, whether Mr. Frere did
V.:,t exceed any power which had been entrusted to
em, when he went so far as to say, " You shall
st arm, eves for the purpose of quelling your
•tvn rebellious subjeefs." He contended Mr. Frere
was not authorised to insist on this as a condi-
tion for remaining at Madrid, especially as the
Spanish Minister had unequivocally declared,
• ,
1 there was nothing in the subsidy that amounted
to an injury toGreat Britain. He said, he did not
deny the right of Great Britain to ask this explana-
ti in, but, if the answer of Spain was dire& and
fair, without any subterfuge, or equivocation, he
could nut possibly Account tor Mr. Freres conduß.
unless he hid. in the man time, received an ac-
cuunt of the taking of the Spanish frigates. He
had alleged, that the answer ef the Spanish Minister
was not satisfaelory, and, therefore, he told him
he violet have his passports. It put him in mind of
the r.i:•2.aticm Lveast O'T wee. in the comedy
of Tic Rivals, in which he wishes to fix a quarrel on
Capt. Medal's • in which, lifter several retorts, being
asked by the Captain to explain the cause of quarrel,
be answered,—" Oh, my jewel. the quarrel is a
very pretty quarrel as it stands, and you'll only
Spoil it by asking for an explanation."fhis, he
thought, was precisely the case with respect to our
dispute with Spain. We might have continued on
terms of peace and amity with her, if His Majesty's
Ministers had been so inclined. Spain had, through-
out the whole transadion, evinced a continued de-
sire to remain on terms of peace and amity with
Great Biitain • she had constantly avowed this as
her earnest wish, and clearly shewed, both in the
conversations which M. IYAnduaga held with the
Minister for Foreign Affairs in this country, as well
as all the different communications which took
place between Mr. Frere, the Prince of Peace, and
AI. Cevallos, that she was heat Lily desirous of this,
and that she entered into the subsidy with France

\ .