350

LETTERS.

[ 1804 .

you will sail in twenty-four hours; and you will not receiveany letter from the Dey to me, as that would open a negotia-tion which could never end. In your first conversation withthe Dey, every sorrow is to be expressed that his Highnessshould commit such an insult to his Majesty as sending awayhis Representative, and taking his Maltese Subjects prisoners.To whatever the Dey may urge, and endeavour to turn theconversation to any complaints of his own, you are never toreply, but always to answer by telling him that you werecome for reparation of an insult, and not to attend to his com-plaints, which he had sent to England and settled. Althoughyou will never give up the reparation due to his Majesty,yet if he sends off the Maltese, you will receive them;but you will never recede a tittle from your original demands.

The Dey will probably, if you are parting with only partof your Mission accomplished, ask you repeatedly, ‘ Well, arewe now at Peace V To which, unless you completely succeed,only reply, that you will communicate with me what of ourjust demands have not been complied with, and that is theonly answer you will give. Never appear satisfied with whathas been granted, but demand what has not; and leave thequestion of Peace or War entirely open, so that it may hangover his head. If the Consul is not received, I shall neversend again to Algiers ; and more reparation will be demandedif he even wishes to receive the offer now made him. Shouldthe Dey (which I am told is often the case) rise up in apassion and retire, you will signify to him by letter, that youwill not submit to be so treated, and that you will nevercome into his presence again to be insulted ; nor, unless youreceive his word of honour, that all your just demands shallbe satisfied and finished if you go again to him, and that youwill sail in twenty-four hours.

The Dey may, to our demand for the Sicilian Vessels,reply by asking, ‘If one of my Subjects, on my account, freighta French Ship, will you allow her to pass?’ The answerwould be, ‘ Yes, under similar circumstances. If your High-ness were driven out of Algiers , and all your Vessels destroyed—that you were with your Subjects besieging it, or havingobtained it, as was the case with Maltese and British, and youfreighted a Vessel with provisions to keep you from perishing,