. The life of Napoleon I, including new materials from the British official records . re the coasts of Italy, to the rovers ; yet hesuggested a partial demolition, which seems to provethat the British officers in command at Malta did notcontemplate the retention of the island and the infrac-tion of the peace. Our Government, however, disapproved of the destruc-tion of the fortifications of Valetta as wounding the sus-ceptibilities of the Czar, and as in no wise renderingimpossible the seizure of the island and the reconstructionof those works by some future invader. In fact, as theBritish Mini
. The life of Napoleon I, including new materials from the British official records . re the coasts of Italy, to the rovers ; yet hesuggested a partial demolition, which seems to provethat the British officers in command at Malta did notcontemplate the retention of the island and the infrac-tion of the peace. Our Government, however, disapproved of the destruc-tion of the fortifications of Valetta as wounding the sus-ceptibilities of the Czar, and as in no wise renderingimpossible the seizure of the island and the reconstructionof those works by some future invader. In fact, as theBritish Ministry now aimed above all at maintaining goodrelations with the Czar, Bonapartes proposal could only beregarded as an ingenious device for sundering the Anglo-Russian understanding. The French Minister at was doing his utmost to prevent the rapproche-ment of the Czar to the Court of St. James, and was striv-ing to revive the moribund league of the Armed last offer had been rejected in the most peremptorymanner and in terms almost bordering upon M 1 G ^ > ? pi 3 bc O c -,„ &? I 2 ^, o « ft S g ° ?W 0) G ?« O S > > xtv THE PEACE OF AMIENS 315 Still there was reason to believe that the former Anglo-Russian disputes about Malta might be so far renewed asto bring Bonaparte and Alexander to an sentimental Liberalism of the young Czar predisposedhim towards a French alliance, and his whole dispositioninclined him towards the brilliant opportunism of Parisrather than the frigid legitimacy of the Court of St. Maltese affair and the possibility of reopening theEastern Question were the two sources of hope to the pro-moters of a Franco-Russian alliance ; for both these ques-tions appealed to the chivalrous love of adventure and tothe calculating ambition so curiously blent in Alexandersnature. Such, then, was the motive which doubtlessprompted Bonapartes proposal concerning Valetta; suchalso were the reasons w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnapoleo, bookyear1901
