H. FOREIGN STATE PAPERS.

I. FRANCE.

1. Report concerning Kolli's Plan for liberating Ferdinand, King of Spain.

Paris, April 27.

I informed your majesty that the Sieur Berthemy, officer of the staff attached to Prince Ferdinand, and commandant of the castle of Valancay, had acquainted me with the introduction into that castle of a Baron de Kolli, calling himself minister of England to Prince Ferdinand, in his pretended quality of King of Spain. This individual having been brought to my office, I transmit to your majesty, 1st, The letter of M. Berthemy, announcing the arrest and forwarding of Kolli; 2, A copy of a letter from Prince Ferdinand to the Sieur Berthemy, relative to the arrival of Kolli; 3, A copy of Koll's examination; 4, 5, and 6, Copies of three letters, of which Kolli was the bearer. Two of these letters are addressed by King George to Prince Ferdinand; one of them is in Latin. Nos. 7 and 8 are copies of a letter from M. Berthemy, and one from Prince Ferdinand.

I have committed Kolli to safe custody. He is a close prisoner in the castle of Vincennes, and I wait the orders of your majesty upon this affair. The diamonds and other effects of which this individual was the bearer, are deposited at the of fice of general police.

(Signed)

FOUCHE.

No. I.--Copy of a letter addressed to the Senator, the Minister of General Police, by M. Berthemy, VOL. LII

M. D'Amezaga, intendant of the household to the Spanish princes, came to apprise me, on the part of his highness Prince Ferdiband, that an English emissary had introduced himself into the castle. I instantly repaired to the prince's apartments, and found him in a state of great emotion.

"The English," said he, addressing himself to me, "have done much injury to the Spanish nation. They continue to cause blood to be shed in my name. The English ministers, deceived by the false idea that I am detained here by force, have proposed to me means of escape. They have sent to me an individual, who, under the pretext of selling some objects of art, engaged to deliver to me a message from his majesty the King of England."

I speedily discovered and arrested this emissary, who stated himself to be the Baron de Kolli, an Irishman, and minister from his majesty the King of England to Prince Ferdinand. I forward him post to your excellency, with the pretty numerous papers of which he was the bearer. The examination to which you will subject him, I have no doubt, must disclose all the details of his plans, and the accomplices he may have had. According to the preliminary inqui ries which I have made here, I am induced to think that he has come alone, and that he is totally unacquainted with this place.

Kk

I think

I think it my duty, sir, to avail myself of this opportunity to repeat to your excellency what I have already had the honour to communicate to you. Prince Ferdinand is animated with the best disposition; he is profoundly impressed with the opinion that his majesty the Emperor is his only support and his best protector. A profound sense of gratitude, the wish and hope of being declared the adopted son of his majesty the Emperor: such are the sentiments which fill the heart his highness; and under such circumstances it was, and at the time when the prince had assembled every person of distinction in the province, at the castle of Valancay, to participate in the brilliant entertainments which he gave in celebration of their majesties' marriage, that the Baron de Kolli came to deliver his wicked and ridiculous messages. Assuredly nothing could have been more easily anticipated than the reception he has experienced.

I request that your excellency will transmit to me a detailed acknowledgment of the receipt of the various articles which I have adressed to you.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) BERTHEMY.

No. II.-Copy of a letter from
Prince Ferdinand to M. Berthe-
my, governor of the castle of Va-
Jancay, dated April 6, apprising
him of the conduct of Kolli.
- Sir,-An unknown person having
introduced himself into this place,
under the pretence of working in
the turnery line, has subsequently
ventured to make to M. D'Ame-
zaga, our first equerry and intend-
ant, the proposition of carrying me

off from Valancay, of delivering to me some letters which he had, and in short, of bringing to its issue the project and plan of this horrid ene terprise.

Our honour, our repose, the good opinion due to our principles, all would have been singularly compromised, had not M. D'Ame zaga been at the head of our household, and had he not on this perilous occasion given a fresh proof of his fidelity and his inviolable attachment, both to his majesty the empe ror and king, and to me. This officer, whose first step was to inform you at the very instant of the enterprise in question, apprised me of it immediately after.

I am anxious, sir, to inform you, personally, that I am unac quainted with this affair, and to take this occasion of again manifesting my sentiments of inviolable fidelity towards the Emperor Napoleon, and the horror which I feel at this infernal project, of which I wish the authors and abettors to meet with condign punishment. Accept, sir, the sentiments and esteem of your affectionate

(Signed) PRINCE FERDINAND. P.S. I request that you will come to M. D'Amezaga's at halfpast three o'clock."

No. III.---Copy of Kolli's examination at the office of General Police.

On the 8th of April, 1810, was brought to the ministry of general police, an individual arrested at Valancay on the 6th, who was interrogated as follows:

Q. What are your naine, surname, age, place of nativity, pro fession, and domicile?---A. Charles Leopold, Baron de Kolli, aged 32

years,

years, born in Ireland, minister from his majesty King George III. to the Prince of the Asturias, Ferdinand VII.

Q. To whom did you apply in London to propose, and to procure the acceptance of the project which has brought you to France?---A. To his royal highness the Duke of Kent, who mentioned it to his father, the king. The affair was afterwards conducted by the Marquis Wellesley.

Q. What were the means put at your disposal for executing this enterprise?--A. There were deliver ed to me---1. A letter of credence to remove all doubts as to my person and my mission to Prince Ferdinand. 2. Two letters from the King of England to the prince, which have been found among my papers. 3. Forged passports, routes, orders from the ministers of marine and war, stamps, seals, sigrratures of the officers in the departinent of the secretary of state, all of them seized at the time I was arrested, and which I carried with ine, to convince the prince of the means I had. 4. As to the funds requisite for the undertaking, I had about 200,000 francs, and eventually an unlimited credit on the house of Maensoff and Clanoy, of London. Finally, the vessels that were necessary, viz. the Incomparable, of 74 guns, the Dedaigneuse, of 50 guns, the Piquante galliot, and a brig. This squadron, which is victualled for five months, waits for my return on the coast of Quiberon. Thus provided, after taking leave of the king and his minister on the 24th of January, I left London on the 26th for Plymouth, with Commodore Cockburn, to whom the command of the squadron was con

fided. M. Albert de St. Bonnel, to whom I communicated my plan, remained in London to receive the passports, itineraries, stamps, seals, &c. that were ordered. The departure of M. de St. Bonnel was delayed by the indisposition of Marquis Wellesley; he did not join me before the end of February, and we sailed some days after. I landed at Quiberon on the 9th of March.

Q. What precautions did you adopt on your landing to conceal the documents explaining the object of your journey?--A. I put the letter of credence I mentioned in my cane. The two letters of his majesty the King of England were concealed in the lining of my coat; part of the diamonds were sewed up in the collar of my surtout and the waistband of my small-clothes. M. de St. Bonnel had the remainder, which he secreted in the same way, and in his cravat.

Q. Before your departure from France for England, had you established any communication with Valancay?---A. None.

Q. Where did you go after you landed?---A. To Paris. I travelled with the help of one of the itineraries, which was given me in England, and which I filled up.

Q. Did you remain long at Paris ?---A. I was employed in selling the diamonds which Marquis Wellesley gave me. I bought a horse and cabriolet from M. de Couvert, who resides at the Hotel d'Angleterre, in the street Filles de St. Thomas. M. de St. Bonnel purchased two horses for persons whose names I do not recollect. He was to buy one from Franconia, after I set out for Valancay, and another from the Princess of Carignan.

Q. How did you gain admitKk 2 tance,