The proposition about the Hans Towns being entirely new,

I promised to refer it, without апу comment, to уои for His Ма-

jesty's consideration.

July Midnight

1806.

Paris.

240.

Е. Mr. Fox Ко Lord Yarmouth.

Уош- Lordship's despatches of the frst instant were received here

early yesterday morning, and I lose по time in apprizing уои of

Н. M's commands ироп the present state of the discussion with the

French Government.

The abandonment of Sicily is а point оп which it is impossible

for Н. М. to concede. Your Lordship has already stated unanswerably

to Mr. Talleyrand that this demand is inconsistent with his express

declarations and with the whole principle оп which the negociation

rests. It is besides а proposal in itself quite inadmissible. The king's

troops оссиру Sicily for it's defence but with по right to cede it to

France. It is not easy to content that the possession of Sicily сап

bc necessary to that of Naples; пот if it were so, could that be

assigned as а reason for Н. M's consenting to abandon that island,

which Не тау justly hope His naval and military forces will be able

to defend against all attack. The Hans Towns could not in the pre-

sent circumstances answer the purpose of ап equivalent for Sicily,

even if there were not other obvious objections to such а proposal.

Nor would it be possible that апу solid basis for the public tranquil-

lity 0f Europe could be established оп the idea thrown out to уои

by Mr. Talleyrand of leaving Great Britain and France at liberty to

prosecute the war against the allies of each other; а state of things

102