His Excellency the Governor of this place having last evening received
a letter from the Emperor, inclosing a communication transmitted by
the French Consul, together with a note from Paris, His Excellency has
honoured me with both to peruse. Their contents were the most severe
philippics against England; our blessed government was represented the
most perfidious and treacherous in the world, and great art used to
excite distrust, and to produce a rupture with England. M. Talleyrand
informs His Imperial Majesty, by command, of the taking of Naples, and
the republic of Ragusa; that Bonaparte, for certain political reasons,
has thought it expedient to appoint Louis Bonaparte King of Holland;
and Joseph, his other brother, King of the Two Sicilies: that it was
Bonaparte's determination to exclude the English from every port in
Europe: that Ceuta should, as soon as an opportunity offers, be
occupied entirely by French troops; that Spain and Portugal would soon
become provinces of France, and that His Imperial Majesty could do no
better thing than to abandon the English, and make common cause with
France: that the French Consul was charged to demand five thousand
bullocks, as many horses and mules; wheat and barley for the French
forces: that an equivalent in territory should be given to the
Emperor, and a certain scheme submitted to the Court of Morocco highly
honourable and advantageous to Barbary.
I told His Excellency to be on his guard; for that, by art, Bonaparte
has enslaved, plundered, and overturned the continent of Europe: that
I could not help ridiculing the idea of exporting provisions and
cattle from Barbary: that Bonaparte might cause them to be exported by
air-balloons, but by no other means or conveyance, while England rules
the seas. I availed myself of this opportunity of delineating the
features of the Great Nation, and relating the acts and deeds of
Bonaparte at Alexandria, Acre, and Jaffa; which had the desired
effect. He then confidentially informed me, that the Emperor had
commanded him to reply to the French government as he deemed most
conducive to the interest and good of Barbary: that he should cut
matters short: that proper steps should be taken to defeat their
cabals and intrigues, and a watchful eye kept for the future on the
motions of the French Consul, and all his agents; and that I might
assure the British government, that his influence shall always be used
for the interests of the English. Upon which I thanked him, and told
him that the Emperor might always command my services, whenever he
deemed them necessary.
You will no longer apprehend the ascendancy of the French in this part
of the world, as it is all over with them; nor will they ever succeed
as long as this excellent Moorish Chief guides the councils of thee
Emperor.
I remain, with due respect,
SIR,
Your Most obedient servant,
JOHN BUFFA.
To John Ross, Esq.
Acting Consul General, '
Tangiers.
No. VI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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