t._

"I hereby solemnly protest, in the face of Heaven and of men, against
the violence done me, and against the violation of my most sacred
rights, in forcibly disposing of my person and my liberty. I came
voluntarily on board of the Bellerophon; I am not a prisoner, I am
the guest of England. I came on board even at the instigation of the
Captain, who told me he had orders from the Government to receive me
and my suite, and conduct me to England, if agreeable to me. I
presented myself with good faith to put myself under the protection of
the English laws. As soon as I was on board the Bellerophon, I was
under shelter of the British people.

"If the Government, in giving orders to the Captain of the Bellerophon
to receive me as well as my suite, only intended to lay a snare for
me, it has forfeited its honour and disgraced its flag.

"If this act be consummated, the English will in vain boast to Europe
of their integrity, their laws, and their liberty. British good faith
will be lost in the hospitality of the Bellerophon.

"I appeal to History; it will say that an enemy, who for twenty years
waged war against the English people, came voluntarily, in his
misfortunes, to seek an asylum under their laws. What more brilliant
proof could he give of his esteem and his confidence? But what return
did England make for so much magnanimity? They feigned to stretch
forth a friendly hand to that enemy; and when he delivered himself up
in good faith, they sacrificed him.

"Signed, NAPOLEON."

"On board the Bellerophon,
4th August 1815."

On the above I shall only observe, that no snare had been laid, either
on the part of His Majesty's Government or mine. I was placed before
Rochefort for the open purpose of preventing Buonaparte from making
his escape from that port; and the exertions of myself and those under
my command had been so completely successful, that the intention of
forcing past the ships under my orders, as well as every other plan
proposed, of which there appear to have been several, were abandoned
as utterly hopeless. And so far was I from seeking communication with
Napoleon, that all the flags of truce proceeding from him, were
strongly reprobated by me, as improper, except in extraordinary cases,
and were only resorted to when, as appears from Lord Keith's letter of
the 23rd of July, orders had been sent from Paris for his arrest, and
when (as has si