[Footnote 144:  Lord W. Bentinck reported to the Brit.  Admiralty ("Records,” Meditn., No. 22), from Alessandria, on June 15th:  “I am sorry to say that General Elsnitz’s corps, which was composed of the grenadiers of the finest regiments in the (Austrian) army, arrived here in the most deplorable condition.  His men had already suffered much from want of provisions and other hardships.  He was pursued in his retreat by Genl.  Suchet, who had with him about 7,000 men.  There was an action at Ponte di Nava, in which the French failed; and it will appear scarcely credible, when I tell your Lordship, that the Austrians lost in this retreat, from fatigue only, near 5,000 men; and I have no doubt that Genl.  Suchet will notify this to the world as a great victory.”]

[Footnote 145:  The inaccuracy of Marbot’s “Memoires” is nowhere more glaring than in his statement that Marengo must have gone against the French if Ott’s 25,000 Austrians from Genoa had joined their comrades.  As a matter of fact, Ott, with 16,000 men, had already fought with Lannes at Montebello; and played a great part in the battle of Marengo.]

[Footnote 146:  “Corresp.,” vol. vi., p. 365.  Fournier, “Hist.  Studien und Skizzen,” p. 189, argues that the letter was written from Milan, and dated from Marengo for effect.]

[Footnote 147:  See Czartoryski’s “Memoirs,” ch. xi., and Driault’s “La Question d’Orient,” ch. iii.  The British Foreign Office was informed of the plan.  In its records (No. 614) is a memoir (pencilled on the back January 31st, 1801) from a M. Leclerc to Mr. Flint, referring the present proposal back to that offered by M. de St. Genie to Catherine II., and proposing that the first French step should be the seizure of Socotra and Perim.]

[Footnote 148:  Garden, “Traites,” vol. vi., ch. xxx.; Captain Mahan’s “Life of Nelson,” vol. ii., ch. xvi.; Thiers, “Consulate,” bk. ix.  For the assassination of the Czar Paul see “Kaiser Paul’s Ende,” von R.R.  (Stuttgart, 1897); also Czartoryski’s “Memoirs,” chs. xiii.-xiv.  For Bonaparte’s offer of a naval truce to us and his overture of December, 1800, see Bowman, op. cit.]

[Footnote 149:  Pasquier, " Mems.,” vol. i., ch. ii., p. 299.  So too Mollien, “Mems.”:  “With an insatiable activity in details, a restlessness of mind always eager for new cares, he not only reigned and governed, he continued to administer not only as Prime Minister, but more minutely than each Minister.”]

[Footnote 150:  Lack of space prevents any account of French finances and the establishment of the Bank of France.  But we may note here that the collection of the national taxes was now carried out by a State-appointed director and his subordinates in every Department—­a plan which yielded better results than former slipshod methods.  The conseil general of the Department assessed the direct taxes among the smaller areas.  “Mems.” de Gaudin, Duc de Gaete.]