The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-06-20 00:00:00

NTOOTIATION WITH GENERAL DESSALINES.

A British Agent was dispatched from Jamaica
on the 3d of January, on board the Tartar frigate,
with pi oposalt for a treaty, which had for their
basis the original agreement between Gen. Mait-
land and Toussaint, with a few modifications and
extensions favourable to the commerce of St. Do-
mingo. On the I tith he had an interview with
the Governor General, when numerous objeaions
were made by him to the treaty, and amendments
and additions were suggested, to which it was im-
possible to accede, so very extravagant were his
demands. Dessalines wished to stipulate for uni-
versal commerce, and for freedom of navigation
round the island, to any distance from the coast his
vessels might proceed. He also insisted on being
supplied by us with arms, ammunition, and, what
was most extraordinary, with Negroes. Dining five
days more, while the British Agent and his col-
leagues remained at Port an Prince, only another
interview took place. Dessalines seized the op-
portunity of recapitulating a number of old griev-
ances, complained of by Touissaint, and tending
to chew his doubts of oar sincerity. He Lid vast
stress on the confidence reposed in him by the people
of Hayti, and of the dignity and independence of his
Government, which obliged him to rejeft the terms
see proposed, and to which he could not think of
acceding, since the island was open to the commerce
of the whole world, France excepted. To a pro.
position, that he should put us in possession of the
pest of the Mole, during the war only, he answered
that it was altogether impossible, and that he had
given orders to destroy all the fortifications on the
.land side of the town, which had been carried into
etre& at Port au Prince, and was to be done through
the whole of St. Domingo. Our agent returned to
Kingston, with the proposals of Dessalines in writ-
ing, after a solemn promise that an answer should
be sent from Governer Nugent, at Jamaica, with all
possible dispatch. The British agent did not remain
quite a week at Kingston, when he embarked in
the same frigate, for St. Domingo, with Governor
Nugent's tekvereawn. With the exception of some
trifling modifications, it differed little from our first
proposals. The Governor thought it, however,
expedient to send presents to Dessalines and his
principal officers, to the value of several hundred
-pounds, chiefly composed cf hats, gold lace, epau-
lettes, and sabres. On the 10th of February, our
agents were landed at Jerernie ; but as Dessalines
was then at Aux Cayes, no interview took place
until his arrival, which was the 25th. Instead
of relaxing in the demands he had before made,
he renewed all his objeetions, and even insisted,
as a preliminary, that we should furnish him with
enc million pounds of powder, equal to five hundred
tons, with fifty thousand musquets and ammuntion ;
fifty thousand sabres for infantry, five thousand for
cavalry, and fifty barrels of flints. So ertraord:.
nary a proposal was a convincing proof that he had
no intention of treating with us ; but it was consi-
dered the wisest course to mare Dessalines, that
Isis demand should be laid before the Governor of
-Jamaica. The agents returned to Kingston, and,
we understand, that in ennseqnence of Governor Na-
gent's dispatch.-s, all idea of a treaty with the Re-
public of Hayti is entirely relinquished.

last week, a soldier belonging toa troop of Light
Dragoons quartered at Ringwood, after some alter-
cation with his Quartermaster, went towards him
with a pistol in his hand, saying, 64 I believe you
ovrc me sonic ill-will." The circumstance gave
ILA^ to infer, that he meant to fire at the Quarter-
s:uns, who attempted to wrest the pistol from
him. and then it appeared, that the tushappy man
was armed for his own destradion, as be did not
::to -opt to fire at his officer, but izzawdiately shut
1.i7t..4t; Dad wired sbort!y aster.

lielm...

NAVAL IN'T'ELLIGENCE.

PORTIVOUTa, JlliZ 18.

Arrived last night, the 411 eden man of war,
from Plymouth, and Arvn frigate, with the George,
Cox, from Cadiz, and two other vessels, under con-
voy, from Gibraltar, and are all under quarantine,
Went' out of Harbour, the ARive, Le Seaillon,
and remains with the rest of the outward-bound.--
Wind W.S.W.

TALM0(1111, JUNE

Arrived the Dike or elorence packet, Lawrence,
om New-York and 'Halifax, in 17 days loom the
Lori* place.
S ailed the Tv:war:lend packet, Dodd, for Lisbon.
—Wind N.N.W.

Mail., JUNE IS.
Sailed the Penelope frigate, on a cruise, off
Flushing.
Arrived the Sessiege sloop of war, from Ports-
mouth ; and liansber armed ship, with a convoy
from Falmouth, which are sailed for the River.

Arrived the Inniatea, Chantp;an, Trusty, and La
Seine frigates ; Beadle, Dart, Harpy, Speedy, and
Ores'ec sloops of warp Fairy bomb ; Archer, Lewuct,
and Bruiser gun-brigs, from off the coast of France,
and have sailed again this afternoon, to resume their
stations of Calais, Dunkirk, &c.
Arrived the Lord Nelson, Admiral Mitchell, An-
ion', Diadem, Anacreon, Perseus, Ranger, and fitl-
der block ships, from Ireland s and remain in the
Down:, with the rest of the ships, as per last.