objection. He said, that he was happy No. VIII-Dispatch from the Right he made many apologies for not naving appointed an earlier day for our conference. I told him that my impatience proceeded from my wish to avoid all possible misunderstanding between our two courts; that I was sorry to observe, that in the note, which he addressed to me, he had made use of certain expressions which would with great reason create considerable uneasiness in England; that he must be sufficiently well acquainted with the British government to know that whatever might be the wishes and views of this court, no more effectual mode could have been adopted to prevent their receiving that attention which had uniformly been given to the representations of this country, than the use of language which implied menace. I acknowledged that the very current reports of an embargo being about to be laid upon English ships in Russian ports, (which reports, I was sorry to observe, had originated with a person employed in the office for foreign affairs,) had perhaps the effect of making me attribute a more hostile sense to some parts of the note than what was really intended by his excellency; but that the knowledge of these reports would certainly reach England, and that it was now therefore, in the highest degree essential, that I should receive from him assurances that the emperor entertained no hostile intentions towards Great Britain. Count Romanzow answer Sir, I had the honour, by the last messenger, to inform you of my having communicated to count Romanzow a copy of the capitulation of Copenhagen, accompanied by a short note, in which I expressed my hope that this capitulation might be followed by the re-establishment of Peace between Great Britain and Denmark. Six days after I received the enclosed note from the Russian minister. The pretensions set forth in this paper, and the tone in which they are urged, appear to me to be of a nature to call for an immediate answer. In my reply (of which I enclose a copy) I endeavoured to satisfy the Russian minister that his majesty's government had, in the communications which I had been authorized to make, shewn every reasonable mark of respect and considera-ed, that I must be aware, how little worthy tion for his imperial majesty, notwithstanding his change of system and principles; but I thought it no less necessary to let the Russian minister clearly understand, that his majesty was not to be frightened out of the pursuit of such measures as he might judge expedient for the security of his empire, by any indirect menace or intimation of the displeasure of the emperor of Russia. At the same time that I sent this answer, I requested a conference with count Romanzow,with the view of extracting from him some explanation of the expression, "que l'empereur se doit à luimême comme aux interêts de son empire de ne pas s'y montrer insensible." Two days and a half passed without any notice being taken of this request of a conference. renewed my demand; when on the following day count Romanzow wrote that he intended passing two days at Gatschina, the palace of the empress mother, but that on his return on Wednesday he would receive me. I accordingly called upon him this day. Upon my entrance VOL. X. of credit were the frequent reports that had been raised at St. Petersburgh, of an embargo being to be laid upon English ships; and that he could assure me that the Russian government had not even thought of such a measure. But upon my construing his words into an assurance, that no embargo would take place, and expressing the sa tisfaction I should feel in transmitting such an assurance to my court, he replied, that he was not authorised to say any thing to me of the future intentions of his sovereign; that neither he nor the Danish minister had received any accounts from Kiel since the capture of Copenhagen, that the emperor, therefore, being as yet unacquainted with the sentiments or views Iof the prince royal of Denmark since that event, naturally waited for the communication of them before his imperial majesty could make up his own opinion upon the question. Count Romanzow then asked ine, whether it was the intention of his majesty's government to restore the ships to the king of Denmark in the case of peace P being concluded with France. I observed, that hostilities having commenced, the possession of the Danish fleet had been obtained by force, and not by negociation; and that he would see, by the terms of the capitulation, that no such condition had been agreed to by the commanders of his majesty's forces; but that I had received no dispatches whatever from you since the news of the capture of Copenhagen had reached London. I have the honour, &c. GRANVILLE LEVESON GOWER. (First inclosure referred to in No. 8.) The undersigned has had the honour to lay before the emperor, the note and the copy of the capitulation of Copenhagen, transmitted to him by his excellency lord G. L. Gower. His imperial majesty has viewed with infinite concern all the misfortunes which have overwhelmed a monarch, to whom he is attached by the ties of blood, and of those of a long friendship. When the British ministry conceived the design of despoiling Denmark of her fleet: when they dispatched for that purpose to the Baltic, a numerous land force and a considerable fleet: they gave no intimation of it to his imperial majesty. This silence, this extreme reserve, may serve as a proof, that the cabinet of St. James's were themselves persuaded, that what they were undertaking was directly contrary to the interests of Russia. So in fact it is, and the emperor owes it two himself, and to the interests of his empire, not to shew himself insensible to it. His majesty considers himself as guarantee of the security and of the tranquillity of the Baltic Sea; at what period have the tranquillity and the security of that sea been so molested as in this instance? The undersigned, having apprized his Britannic majesty's ambassador of the sentiments of the emperor his master, avails himself of this opportunity, &c. (Signed) COUNT NICHOLAS DE ROMANZOFF. St. Petersburgh, Sept. 1, 1807. (Second inclosure, referred to in No. 8.) The undersigned, his Britannic majesty's ambassador, has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note of yesterday's date, which the count de Romanzoff addressed to him. He will lose no time in transmitting it to his court, but the charges which it contains against the British government, impose on the undersigned the duty of requesting his excellency to submit without delay to his imperial majesty some observations, which may place in their true light the reciprocal proceedings of both powers. Although the celerity indispensible to the execution of the measure of precaution adopted with regard to Denmark, did not allow of any anterior communications, the note of the undersigned, dated the 2d September, so far from concealing the reasons which produced that expedition, declared them with frankness, and the explanation of them was repeated and accompanied with details in the highest degree satisfactory, at the first conference of the undersigned with the ministry of that day. The secret articles of the Treaty of Tilsit are moreover still unknown' to the court of London; and the undersigned has vainly required a communication of those arrangements, the execution of which daily developes objects in no way conformable to the spirit of the ancient alliances, and absolutely prejudicial to those interests, the maintenance of which formerly constituted an essential part of the Russian system. Is it, then, for Russia to complain of secrecy, whilst that court absolutely refuses the only explanation which could have been satisfactory to the court of London, as to the intentions and the projects meditated with regard to her? This silence, this extreme reserve, may serve as proof that the cabinet of St. Petersburgh were themselves persuaded that their secret arrangements were directly contrary to the interests of Great Britain. As to the tranquillity of the Baltic, England has never recognized any exclusive rights, and whatever may have been the pretensions of Russia to the title of guarantee of the security of that sea, her silence at the period when every port from Lubeck to Memel was shut against the British flag, appears an open abandonment of those pretensions. (Signed) GRANVILLE LEVEson Gower, 12 (24) September, 1807. No. IX.-Extract of a Dispatch from Lord Granville Leveson Gower, to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated St. Petersburgh, October 29th, 1807. Sir Robert Wilson arrived here on Saturday the 17th, and delivered to me your dispatches. The emperor having returned from the inspection of his army in Poland, only on Thursday last, and count Romanzow having for some days previous to that time been waiting at Gatschina the arrival of his imperial majesty, it was not till Saturday night that I succeeded in obtaining a conference with the Russian minister. My reports of the change of minis try here, and of the unfriendly tone which has marked the communication I have received from this government since that change, will have dissipated the hopes which the account of my last conversation with general Budberg and other representations had led his majesty's government to entertain of the future conduct of this court. I began my conference with count Romanzow, by saying, that I had received instructions which were written under an impression that there existed in this cabinet a disposition to renew its former footing of confidence with the English government; I explained to him fairly what had caused this impression, and added that though his majesty could regard the energy and resources of his own people as the only sure foundation of the safety and prosperity of his kingdom, yet that he was always inclined to avail himself of any opportunity which this court might afford for re-establishing that union and confidence which appeared advantageous to the mutual interests of both countries, and almost essential for the recovery of the independence of Europe, that the communications I had received from his excellency, and the conduct of this government since the portefeuille of foreign affairs had been committed to his hands, had so changed the state of things, that I almost doubted whether I should be justified in executing the instructions I had received; but that trusting that he would do justice to the persevering moderation of his majesty, I would state to him with frankness what was the nature of these instructions. His majesty's declaration, I observed, sufficiently explained to Europe, that the court of London had no views of aggrandizing or enriching itself at the expence of Denmark. For the security of the British dominions, his majesty had been forced to remove out of the reach of France the naval means of Denmark; but the object being accomplished, the English government were ready to forego any advantage that might be derived to Great Britain from the continuance of this war; and his majesty was ready to concert with Russia the means of re-establishing the tranquillity of the north of Europe. That object could be obtained only by the restoration of the neutrality of Denmark, and that neutrality could be rendered real and permanent only through the means of Russia. The court of Petersburgh, I said, were even more interested than the court of London in the suc cess of this negociation. Count Roman- No. X.-Extract of a Dispatch from I have the honour to inclose a copy of an official note, which, in consequence of the instructions contained in your dispatch of the 27th Sept. I immediately addressed to count Romanzow, upon the question of the proffered mediation of Russia. It is now nearly ten days since I sent it, and have as yet received no answer. (Inclosure referred to in No. 10.) Notwithstanding his excellency the minister for foreign affairs has anounced his imperial majesty's determination not to make any confidential communication of the secret articles contained in the treaty of peace between Russia and France, a determination which the Russian minister has been apprised must render fruitless the offer of mediation proposed by the court of St. Petersburgh, the undersigned, his Britannic majesty's ambassador, cannot nevertheless entirely abandon his solicitations without requesting his excellency count Romanzow to furnish him with a statement of the reasons which may have produced this reserve. His excellency will see moreover, that discussion in which the destinies of so many nations are involved, and which have had for their object the re-establishment of general | sent to the restoration of the neutrality of Denmark. The French general has remonstrated violently against this measure; and the Russian cabinet alarmed by the violence of his language, is undecided what answer to return to the overture received from England. But the fear of Bonaparte's displeasure will no doubt prevail. No. XII.-Extract of a Dispatch from the right honourable lord Granville Leveston Gower to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Saint Petersburgh, 8th November, 1807.-Received Dec. 2. I had the honour of apprizing you by the last messenger, of the difficulty I had experienced in obtaining a conference with count Romanzow. I yesterday wrote a letter to him, of which the inclosed is a copy, and I this morning received the inOct. 11, (23) 1807. closed note. The contents of this paper No. XI.-Extract of a Dispatch from are so extremely important, that I will not the Honourable Lord Granville Leve-detain sir Robert Wilson, by making any son Gower, to Mr. Secretary Can- observations upon the unfounded assertions ning, dated Saint Petersburgh, Nov. and misrepresentations with which it 4th, 1807.-Received Dec. 2. abounds. This violent measure has been St. Petersburgh, Nov. 4, 1807. produced by a peremptory demand On Saturday morning, the 31st ultimo, (brought by the last messenger from Paris) no notice having been taken by count of the immediate execution of all the seRomanzow, either of my note of the 23d, cret articles of Tilsit: and the French or of my verbal overtures respecting Den- mission have boasted, that, after some diffimark, I requested of his excellency an culties, they have gained a complete triearly conference. On Monday I wrote a umph, and have carried not only this act second note to the Russian minister, in of hostility against England, but also every which I expressed my regret at being other point essential to the success of Bounder the necessity of reminding him that naparte's views. I intend asking for passI had two days before requested a confer- ports to-morrow, and shall set out in the ence. I yesterday afternoon received an course of a few days. P. S.-I inclose a answer, in which he informs me, that he is copy of a printed declaration, which has by order of the emperor going to Gats-been sent by the Russian government to china, and that he cannot, till his return to all the foreign ministers residing at this St. Petersburgh, mention the time when court. he can receive me. This detail of the difficulties I have experienced in obtaining an interview with count Romanzow will, I trust, acquit me in the opinion of his majesty of any dilatoriness in the execution of your instructions. I confess than I am at a loss to find any satisfactory explanation of this wish to avoid communication with me. I have been informed that some members of the council, who have been consulted in the present very critical state of affairs, had advised the emperor not to reject the present opportunity of re-establishing the tranquillity of the North of Europe; that their opinion has been adopted; and that a note has been written to general Savary, with a view of engaging the French government to con (First Inclosure, referred to in No. 12.) The ambassador of his Britannic majesty has repeatedly signified for more than a week his desire to converse with his excellency the count Romanzow: his sollicitations have been hitherto fruitless, but the ambassador deems it his duty to renew once more his application, previous to announcing to his court the apparent determination of his excellency to` avoid the customary communications. Oct. 26, (Nov. 7), 1807. (Second Inclosure, referred to in No. 12.) The emperor, who in the course of the war which he has just terminated, had to complain of the conduct of England towards him, suppressed his just resentment in the consoling hope that the Great Britain and Russia, and especially the convention of 5-17 June 1801. He proclaims anew the principles of the Armed Neutrality, that monument of the wisdom of the empress Catharine, and pre-engages never to depart from that system. He demands from England complete satisfaction for his subjects on all their just claims for ships and merchandise seized or detained against the express tenor of the treaties concluded during his own reign. The emperor declares, that no arrangements shall take place between Russia and England until the latter shall have given satisfaction to Denmark. The emperor expects, that his Britannic majesty, instead of permitting his ministers, as has lately been the case, to scatter anew the seeds of war, listening, only to the dictates of his own feelings, would lend his assistance to the conclusion of a peace with his majesty the emperor of the French, which would extend the incalculable blessings of peace over the whole world. When the emperor shall be satisfied upon all the preceding points, and especially as to the peace between France and England, without which no part of Europe can pro peace he had so lately concluded would lead to a general peace. He had constituted himself mediator, he had subsequently offered his mediation in acquainting his Britannic majesty that his desire was to obtain for him an honourable peace. England rejected his offices. It seemed as if her views were not to suffer the flames of war not to be extinguished, but to kindle them anew in the North by an event sudden and novel. The fleets and armies of his Britannic majesty came to perpetrate against Denmark, an act of which history furnishes no example. The emperor, who, to the knowledge of England was a guarantee of the tranquillity of the Baltic, which is a close sea; the emperor, who had been forewarned of nothing, did not conceal his resentment; and, in a second note delivered to lord Gower, informed England, that he did not intend to remain a quiet spectator of what had befallen a king, his relation and his friend. The emperor confesses, he did not foresee, that, after this declaration, England would make him the proposal of undertaking to convince Denmark, that it was her interest to submit to what had recently befallen her, and to render Rus-mise itself real tranquillity, his imperial sia guarantee, that Great Britain should possess in perfect security that which she had so lately wrested from Denmark. The Prince Royal of Denmark had not ratified the convention of Copenhagen. As to the second proposals which were made to him he has again represented to his imperial majesty how greatly he was irritated by this new procedure of the British ministry towards him. The emperor, penetrated with the confidence which the Prince Royal reposed in his friendship, having considered his own wrongs against England, having maturely examined his engagements with the powers of the North, engagements entered into by the empress Catharine and his majesty the late emperor, both of glorious memory, has resolved to fulfil them. His majesty has therefore ordered the undersigned to declare to his excellency, lord G. L. Gower, his Britannic majesty's ambassador, that his imperial majesty breaks off all communication with England. His imperial majesty recalls the whole of his mission in that country, and will not allow that of his Britannic majesty to remain at his court. There shall henceforward be no relations between the two countries. The emperor declares that he annuls for ever every act heretofore concluded between majesty will then readily renew with Great Britain the relations of friendship, which considering the dissatisfaction which the emperor so justly feels, he has, perhaps, already preserved too long. The undersigned, having thus fulfilled the orders of the emperor his master, requests his excellency the ambassador to lay the contents of this note, without delay, before the king his sovereign. (Signed) The Count NICOLAS ROMANZOW. St. Petersburgh, 27th Oct. (9th Nov.) 1807. DECLARATION OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. The great value the Emperor attached to the friendship of his Britannic Majesty, the greater was his regret at perceiving that that monarch altogether separated himself from him. Twice has the emperor taken up arms, in which his cause was most directly that of England; and he solicited in vain from England a co-operation which her interest required. He did not demand that her troops should be united with his; he desired only that they should effect a diversion. He was astonished that in her cause she did not act in union with him; but coolly contemplating a bloody spectacle, in a war which had been kindled at her will, she |