... I have been so fortunate as to have an opportunity of at once communicating to a very influential personage the chief points of the conversation I had the honour of holding with the Emperor respecting the want of cordiality, not to say coolness, now unhappily prevailing between France and England, my object being humbly to contribute, as far as might be in my power, to the growth of better feelings. I have dwelt on the earnestness with which His Majesty had expressed himself with respect to the English alliance, and on the warmth with which he had spoken of his affection for this nation. I did not fail to repeat what His Majesty had said of his consciousness of never having done a single act which could be construed as injurious or even unfriendly to England; of his feeling that he had most scrupulously fulfilled his duties as an ally; of his having nothing so much at heart as to be on the most intimate terms with this country, feeling confident that that would be for the advantage of both France and England, whilst it gave him, personally, heartfelt satisfaction. What I said was extremely well received, and the same wish was expressed as that which had been expressed by His Majesty, that the two countries should always act cordially together; that His Majesty would find England most desirous to cultivate an alliance so eminently advantageous to both nations, provided that could be done without sacrifice to England’s honour and interests, and that on this side of the channel they were not aware of ever having given France any just cause of complaint. But that many things created the impression that France, not satisfied with the eminent position in which she was placed, was striving to extend her influence and possession beyond what was just and fair towards her neighbours. In support of this impression a great many facts were alleged. It was stated that Savoy and Nice were annexed not only against the most explicit professions to the contrary, but on pretence that would justify any other annexation of territories that France might covet. I was, moreover, told that France, knowing how injurious it might be to English interests to alter the territorial arrangements on the coast of Barbary with reference to Gibraltar, had nevertheless encouraged an unjust attack on the part of Spain or Morocco; that France was favourable to the fall and partition of the Turkish Empire, well-knowing that England would oppose this consummation with all her might; that agents were traced to Belgium and other parts, endeavouring to create a party in those populations favourable to the annexation of territories now belonging to other States, to France; that agents had even been found at work in Ireland, that the number of pamphlets published in France directed to prepare the world for extensive territorial alterations in favour of an enlargement of