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At a Conference last night, between the Russian and Prussian Ministers, Lord C., and myself, the principle was agreed on that England is to issue, on her own credit alone, two millions and a half instead of the five millions as a federative concern which was first in agitation.

An ébauche of a Convention has been drawn up by Russia, the principle founded on the plan which you first originated; and it was read last night. M. le General Pozzo di Borgo will send you this projet. Besides this, it is the intention of the Prussian Government to send M. de Niebuhr to England on their part to assist in the details of the arrangement. Your own plan, as originally laid before me, and the knowledge you have of all the ideas on this subject, here render any instructions wholly unnecessary. The principle agreed to here, all further details can be settled much better in England, and the Convention signed there.

Sir Henry Wellesley to Lord Castlereagh.

Cadiz, August 19, 1813. My dear Lord-I hope to be able to send by the next packet the information which your lordship requires in your private letter of the 22nd of July. I am much inclined to think that it will be advisable to support the interests of the Princess of Brazil, upon certain conditions, which I shall submit to your Lordship's consideration in my report upon the present state of Spain.

Nothing can be worse than the state of affairs at Cadiz. It is thought that the new Cortes will not comply with the late decrees for their assembling here; and that they will not assemble at Madrid of their own authority. I own I am of a different opinion. Such a step would require more energy and decision than I believe is to be found in the country. It is to be expected likewise that all the Deputies of the new Cortes who are of the same way of thinking with the Liberales will readily assemble at Cadiz, where they are certain of the sup

port of the people. If, however, in spite of the late decrees, the new Cortes should assemble at Madrid, and should appoint a new Government, which I conclude would be their first step, I shall feel considerable difficulty in deciding upon the line which it would be right for me to take, but should of course avoid taking any decided step without instructions from your lordship.

I understand that the Regency are satisfied with Lord Wellington's last letter of the 7th of August, and that this business will be settled in a manner satisfactory to him. No answer has as yet been returned to my note, which, I am persuaded, has produced a good effect, although I am told that I am to expect an angry reply.

I know not how far your lordship may be disposed to approve the appointment of M. Pizarro; he certainly possesses talents, and, if I am to trust to his assurances, he will not give any trouble; indeed, he appears to me to consider it to be his interest to conform himself entirely to the wishes of the British Government.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

H. WELLESLEY.

Mr. Edward Thornton to Lord Castlereagh.

Belitz, August 30, 1813.

My Lord-Although I might have regarded myself as authorized, by your lordship's letters of the latter part of last year, to have gone to a much greater extent on the subject of money than I have done in my despatch No. 98, of this day's date, yet I was unwilling, after so long an interval has passed, and under circumstances so very different from what they then were, to go farther even for this service, which appears to me most essential, without your lordship's special consent. Yet I am not sure that, in the long run, it may not appear right to your lordship to renew to me this authority according to circum

stances.

I found the other day that the P. R. had engaged himself towards the French commander of Breslau, if he will deliver up that fortress, to pay him one hundred thousand Hamburgh dollars. I am quite sure that it is utterly out of his own power to do this; and he may perhaps find the means of acquitting himself of this engagement, with the assistance of Prussia. That, however, is not probable; and his own power of doing it diminishes every day, in proportion as other daily engagements in the course of his command, and such indeed as are the natural consequences of that command, press upon all his means.

Your lordship will easily comprehend what I mean, but I do not wish to speak plainer, even writing by a special messenger in these times; and I have not time to put all which I have to say in cipher. I will endeavour to find a moment I have the honour of being, &c.,

of more leisure.

I

EDWARD THORNTON.

Lord William Bentinck to Lord Castlereagh.

Tarragona, August 31, 1813.

My dear Lord-You will see, by my despatch to Lord Bathurst, that I find myself compelled, by the accounts I have received from Lord Montgomerie of the state of affairs in Sicily, to relinquish the command on the eastern coast of Spain, and to return to Sicily. When I accepted the joint situations of Commander of the Forces in the Mediterranean and Minister in Sicily, I never imagined that the duties of the one would have been incompatible with those of the other. But so they have hitherto proved. From one day to the other, I have been constantly in the hope of being able to leave Sicily; but I am now convinced that such is the weakness of the Hereditary Prince, and such will be the incapacity of any set of

1 The remainder of this sentence is in cipher, the explanation of which is given on a separate paper that accompanies the letter, headed by this remark in pencil, "Evidently a mistake of the ciphers."

men who may be placed at the head of the Government; such also the silly, the interested, and depraved character of the people, it will be impossible for the British Political Authority ever to absent himself from Sicily.

It is quite otherwise in Spain and in Sicily. In the former, there seems the greatest jealousy of British interference; but in the latter, both prince and people desire the protection and direction of the British authority, and are satisfied they cannot go on without it.

If this opinion of the necessity of the constant residence of a British Minister in Sicily be correct, I hope your lordship will allow me to ask to be relieved of my political charge. I prefer and I wish to follow my profession. I should be happy to retain the military command separately in the Mediterranean; or, if it is thought necessary to unite both appointments in one person, I should then anxiously desire to give up both; and my humble prayer would be to be appointed a Lieutenant-General on the Staff of the Portugal army. But, as a military man, I feel that I am losing both the right and fitness for military command in remaining in a civil situation, when such active military service is going on, and when the greater part of the army which I myself command is employed in it. Excuse my troubling you so much at length about myself. I remain, &c.,

W. BENTINCK.

Draft.

Lord Castlereagh to Lord Cathcart.

Foreign Office, September 1, 1813. My dear Lord-Your letters of the 12th were most acceptable. However sanguine you had taught us to be on the issue, we were nevertheless deeply anxious.

I approve entirely of your holding your hand on the mediation, when my despatch reached: the authority to do so was given en prévoyance of the case, as the acceptance was acceded by Great Britain to the formal request of the Allies.

I wish you to ascertain clearly whether any and what basis. of alliance between the three great Powers has been laid at Prague-I should be glad to know how and when your lordship was first informed of the interview with Murat. I have the greatest confidence and admiration of the Emperor; but I do not like his concealing anything which is in progress from your lordship, of which there has been a striking instance recently, although I am sure from no bad motive. When it can be done without unnecessarily retarding business, if the sentiments of the British Cabinet cannot be consulted, the opinion of their Minister on the spot should be taken previous to decision. Engagements of secrecy against us are of bad precedent, and must not be. I advert to this the rather because I believe both the treaties with Prussia were signed before your lordship saw them.

As the fact of our being prepared to accept the Austrian mediation is now known to all the Allies, I presume your lordship did not attempt to conceal it from Austria when at Prague. I am not aware of any objection to a full disclosure in that quarter. Our line was friendly and respectful to that Court, and I am sure Metternich will not complain that your lordship saved him from the embarrassments of the disclosure at the eve of the rupture.

I rather expect Bonaparte, notwithstanding the resumption of hostilities, will have sent a contre-projet to Austria, if possible to embarrass. Metternich seems to have outmanœuvred him. It was said a certain not very popular Minister in Russia saved his country by tempting the enemy to speculate upon his weakness and his influence: perhaps a speculation of the same nature may have produced another false calculation— would that it may lead to as signal a result!

Our latest news of Lord Wellington is to the 19th-the armies quiet-the attack on St. Sebastians about to be renewed with augmented means. Till both Pampeluna and St. Sebastians fall, the army must act on the defensive.

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