The Governments of England and France having determined to adopt such measures as they may consider necessary to put an end to the hostilities between the Republics of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, the undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary of her Britannic Majesty to the Argentine Confederation, has the honour, conformably to the instructions received from his Government, to inform H. E. M. Arana, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Buenos Ayres, that the sanguinary war at present carried on between the Government of Buenos Ayres and that of Monte Video, must cease, for the interests of humanity and of the British and French subjects, and other Foreigners who are residing in the country which is now the seat of war; and therefore requires of the Government of Buenos Ayres:--1. The immediate cessation of hostilities between the troops of the Argentine Confederation and those of the Republic of Uruguay. 2. That the troops of the Argentine Confederation (it being understood that those of the Republic of the Uruguay will adopt a similar course) remain within their respective territories, or return to them in case they should have passed their frontier.--The undersigned requests H. E. to reply as soon as he conveniently can, whether it is the intention of the Government of Buenos Ayres to accede to these demands, and has the honour to be, &c. J. H. MANDEVILLE. _To H. E. Don Felipe Arana._ [D] _Buenos Ayres, December 28th, 1842._ MY DEAR M. DE VIDAL,--I received this morning your private letter of the 20th; after thanking you for it I have little to add, except that Count de Lurde and I have received an answer to our note demanding an armistice, stating that a demand of this nature, menacing as it does the Argentine Confederation, requires time for deliberation before a reply can be given. In the mean time, I trust that the step which I and the French Minister have taken will in no manner weaken, but, on the contrary, hasten and encourage the zealous efforts of your Government to resist invasion, because, where winds and waves are concerned, no man can say, when he leaves Europe, in what week or in what month he will arrive at Monte Video. I know nothing of the operations of the armies on either side of the Uruguay; I thank you for the information which you send me about them; I know nothing from any other source. Believe me ever, my dear M. de Vidal, ever your sincere friend, J. H. MANDEVILLE. _To his Excellency M. de Vidal, &c. &c. &c._ _Buenos Ayres, January 12th, 1843._