1830 I am further commanded by His Majesty to express his confidence in the disinterested views of His Mos Christian Majesty, and in his desire to render the con sequences of this enterprize generally beneficial to the States of Christendom. It appears, however, that the character of the Expedition is of no ordinary description for if I correctly interpret the Despatch of M. de Polignac, it is undertaken, not so much for the pur pose of obtaining reparation, or of inflicting chastise ment, as of carrying into execution a project which may possibly lead to a War of extermination. Under these circumstances, the declaration of His Most Christian Majesty, that, in the event of the destruction of the Algerine State, he will concert with his Allies the means of most effectually securing the objects proposed. can scarcely be considered as affording that entire satisfaction which we may reasonably expect to receive 965 In the developement of the intentions of the French Government, as afforded by the Despatch of M. de Polignac, I will not conceal from your Excellency that the entire silence respecting the rights and interests of The Porte, has been observed with some surprize. It is difficult to imagine that, under any change of cir cumstances, these claims should be neglected by His Most Christian Majesty. It is true that many of the States of Europe, and France and England amongst the number, have long been accustomed to treat the Regencies as Independent Powers, and have held their Governments to be responsible for their conduct; but we have neither forgotten their relation to The Porte, nor the species of Sovereignty which the Sultan still exercises over them. It is only very recently that His Most Christian Majesty has renounced the intention of availing himself of the mediation and authority of the Turkish Government, in order to effect a reconciliation with Algier. These Barbary States are still vassal and tributary to The Porte, and, when the power of the Vassal ceases to exist, it is reasonable to suppose that the rights of the Sovereign may meet with attention, The solicitude which His Most Christian Majesty has always shewn for the preservation and welfare of the Turkish Empire forbids us to think otherwise. Whatever may be the means which shall be found necessary to secure the objects of the Expedition, the French Government ought at least to have no difficulty 1830 renouncing all views of territorial possession or aggrandizement. The expressions of a former Despatch from the French Minister, and the substance of which was communicated by the Duke de Laval to His Majesty's Government, were sufficiently precise in this respect; and it is therefore to be presumed that the Cabinet of the Tuileries will feel no reluctance in giving an official assurance to the same effect. M. de Polignac is doubtless aware of the great importance of the geographical position of the Barbary States, and of the degree of influence which, in the hands of a more civilized and enlightened Government, they could not fail to exercise over the commerce and maritime interests of the Mediterranean Powers. The difficulty in accomplishing any radical change in the e actual state of possession, by which these interests ch would not be equally and injuriously affected, is perle haps the chief reason for the existence of a lawless at and piratical Authority having been so long tolerated. Your Excellency may recall to the recollection of the French Government the conduct observed by His Majesty upon an occasion not dissimilar from the pre15 sent. When His Majesty found it necessary, for the evindication of his own dignity and the reparation of his wrongs, to prepare an Armament against Algier, the Instructions addressed to the Commander of His Majesty's Naval Forces in the Mediterranean were communicated to his Allies without any reserve; and the whole plan, objects, and extent of the Expedition, were laid open. Your Excellency will read this Despatch to M. de Polignac, and you are authorized to deliver a Copy of it to his Excellency. I am, etc. Lord Stuart de Rothesay to the Earl of My Lord, Aberdeen, Paris, 26th March, 1830. 23d instant, I went to the Prince de Polignac, and After receiving your Lordship's Despatch of the a 1830 observed to his Excellency, that, although the state ment of the motives for the Expedition to Algiers and the views of the French Government upon. that Country contained in the Letter which he has caused to be communicated to your Lordship', had been received with satisfaction by my Government, that measure in volves considerations upon which we are justified in seeking further explanation, which I could not do better than by reading the Despatch I had received: from your Lordship upon the subject. After hearing the contents of that Paper the Prince de Polignac said, that, having in the first instance made it known that the Expedition is not undertaken with a view to obtain territorial acquisitions, he had not thought it necessary to insert the positive declaration which your Lordship appears to expect, but that he can have no difficulty in giving me any assurance which may be calculated to remove the uneasiness of His Majesty's Government; though he begged me to remember, that he does not mean to abandon the Establishments of La Calle and Bastion de France together with the rights which have accompanied the possession of those Ports during more than a century, and which are necessary for the protection of the French Fisheries on that Coast. He added, that His Most Christian Majesty does not dispute the Sovereignty of The Porte, and will not reject the offer of that Government to interfere, for the purpose of obtaining the redress he is entitled to expect; and, although the presence of a French Negotiator has been rendered impossible by the conduct of the Algerines, if the Agents of The Porte can obtain conditions, which he has told me the French Government are determined to exact, there will be no reason to send the Expedition; but that they have too much experience of the utter inability of 'The Porte to influence the Authorities at Algier, to induce him to advise his Sovereign to delay measures for obtaining this object by force. His Excellency further observed, that, since France geeks no territorial advantages, in case the present Government of Algier shall be overturned, the arrangements for the settlement of the future system by which the Country is to be ruled, will of course be concerted with the Sultan, and, being executed under his autho- 1830 rity, will imply a due consultation of his rights. He assured me, that the Instructions for the conduct of the Expedition had not yet been drawn up, and that he had hitherto, sought in vain for the Communications which had been addressed to the French Government upon the departure of Lord Exmouth, in order to follow the precedent established by my Court upon that occasion. His Excellency asked me officially to communicate to him your Lordship's Despatch, or the substance of that Despatch, in a Note which he might lay before the King I did not, however, feel myself at liberty to comply with this request, without a special Instruction to that effect. I have, etc. Lord Stuart de Rothesay to the Earl of My Lord, Paris, 9th April, 1830. I am to acknowledge your Lordship's' Despatch, by which I observe that your Lordship attributes the delay of the French Government to give a full expla nation of the objects of the projected Expedition, and the assurances that they entertain no views of territorial aggrandizement on the Coast of Africa, to my omission to deliver the Copy of your Lordship's Despatch of the 23rd ultimo, at the time that Document was read to the Prince de Polignac. If this excuse has been put forward, I must observe, the Despatch "in extenso" was read to, and read by, Monsieur de Polignac when it reached my hands a fortnight ago; that at least a week has elapsed since the Copy was delivered to his Excellency, during which time I have more than once asked him, if the explanation required by His Majesty's Government rendered the subject of a Communication which me on both occasions to send to M. de been he promised Laval. has 1830 with this request dependent on the delivery of the C of your Lordship's Despatch, which, having read, knew I could have no reason for withholding, and he told me the explanation required would be sen Monsieur de Laval in the same form with his ear Communications on this subject; I am justified in rat believing his assertion to be true, that his numer occupations are the causes of delay. In a conversation that took place on the s subject to-day, his Excellency said, that the explanat had been drawn out in terms which he feels convin will be considered satisfactory by my Government, that it would have been sent off to-night, if he l not thought proper to place it before the Cabinet their meeting to-morrow morning. He hinted that the anxiety which I manifested up the subject of this explanation, indicated a feeling mistrust which the verbal explanations I had more th once received do not warrant; that he had looked w satisfaction to this measure because it offered an portunity of showing to the World the mutual confider of the 2 Governments; and that he hopes to be co soled for the disappointment he felt, in not obtaini the concurrence of my Court in the active operatio they are about to undertake, for a purpose of eq benefit to the commerce of all Nations, by our co currence in the future settlement of the questions which the success of their efforts would give rise; an that, if I had Full Powers, he would readily sign Convention recognizing every principle which had bee put forward by my Government, in the Communication which had taken place on the subject. I answered that, feeling no inclination to discred these assurances, I shall be happy to recognize in th explanatory Letter which he has drawn out, the pro of his sincere determination to remove every groun for the unfavourable feelings of which, I think unreas nably, the French Government are inclined to complai I have, etc. Stuart DE ROTHESAY. |