ries of aggressions on the
continent which he declared to be outside the treaty and beyond the
province of Great Britain.[10] None of the compromises laboriously
discussed in the winter of 1802 betoken any desire on the part of
either government to retreat from its main position, though it does not
follow that either sought to bring about a renewal of the war. Whitworth
constantly reported that no formidable armaments were being prepared,
and clung for months to a belief that Napoleon, knowing the instability
of his own power and the ruinous state of his finances, would ultimately
give way. On the other hand, Talleyrand and Joseph Bonaparte never
ceased to hope that Great Britain would make concessions which might be
accepted.

Such hopes were rudely dispelled by the king's message to parliament on
March 8, 1803, complaining of aggressive preparations in the ports of
France and Holland, and recommending immediate measures for the security
of his dominions. This message, with the consequent embodiment of the
militia, startled the whole continent, and was followed five days later
by the famous scene in which the first consul addressed Whitworth in
phrases little short of insult. During a public audience at the
Tuileries on the 13th, Napoleon, after inquiring whether the British
ambassador had received any news from home, broke out with the words:
"And so you are determined to go to war". The altercation which ensued
is best told in Whitworth's own words[11]:--

"'No, first consul,' I replied, 'we are too sensible of the advantages
of peace.' 'We have,' said he, 'been fighting these fifteen years.' As
he seemed to wait for an answer, I observed only, 'That is already too
long'. 'But,' said he, 'you desire to fight for fifteen years more, and
you are forcing me to it,' I told him that was very far from his
majesty's intentions. He then proceeded to Count Marcoff and the
Chevalier Azzara, who were standing together at a little distance from
me, and said to them, 'The English are bent on war, but if they are the
first to draw the sword, I shall be the last to put it back into the
scabbard. They do not respect treaties. They must be covered with black
crape.' I suppose he meant the treaties. He then went his round, and was
thought by all those to whom he addressed himself to betray great signs
of irritation. In a few minutes he came back to me, to my great
annoyance, and resumed the conversation, if such it can be called, by