were soon found to widen the breach. The French insisted on the evacuation of Malta, Egypt, and the Cape, to which Great Britain refused to accede. An angry diplomatic correspondence ensued, and in an interveiw with the British ambassador, Lord Whitworth, the wrath of Bonaparte broke out with great violence. In speaking of Egypt, he said, that if he had felt the smallest inclination to take possession of it by force, he might have done it a month ago, by sending 25,000 men to Abonkir. “This he should not do, whatever might be his desire to have it for a colony, because he did not think it worth the risk of a war; sooner or later Egypt would belong to France." "As a proof of his desire to maintain peace, he wished to know what he had to gain by going to war with England. A descent was the only means of defence he had, and that he was determined to attempt, by putting himself at the head of the expedition."-He acknowledged there were a hundred chances to one against him, but still he was determined to attempt it, if war should be the consequence of the present discussion.—He then expatiated on the natural foree of the two countries, France with an army of 480,000 men-and England with a fleet that made her mistress of the seas, might, by a proper understanding, govern the world, but by their strife will overturn it.
Thus it appears that Malta was made the apple of discord, and the fatal brand by which the flames of war, scarcely extinguished, were again lighted up.
On the 19th of May, 1803, Lord Whitworth arrived in London from Paris, and on the day prceeding, his Britannic Majesty's declaration of war had been issued. In the course of a few days after this declaration had appeared, the First Consul gave orders for the seizure of all British subjects in France, and in those countries occupied by the French armies. Upwards of 11,000 persons were said to have been
