for some plantations which he desired to purchase in Surinam and Barbice.  His interpreter advised him, by the orders of Fouche, to alter his mind, and, as he was fond of colonial property, lay out his money in plantations at Cayenne, which was in the vicinity of Surinam, and where Government would recommend him advantageous purchases.  It was hinted to him, also, that this was a particular favour, and a proof of the generosity of our Government, as his papers contained many matters that might easily be construed to be of a treasonable nature.  After consulting with Schimmelpenninck, the Ambassador of his country, he wrote for his wife and children, and was seen safe with them to Bordeaux by our police agents, who had hired an American vessel to carry them all to Cayenne.  This certainly is a new method to populate our colonies with capitalists.

LETTER III.

Paris, September, 1805.

My lord:—­Hanover has been a mine of gold to our Government, to its generals, to its commissaries, and to its favourites.  According to the boasts of Talleyrand, and the avowal of Berthier, we have drawn from it within two years more wealth than has been paid in contributions to the Electors of Hanover for this century past, and more than half a century of peace can restore to that unfortunate country.  It is reported here that each person employed in a situation to make his fortune in the Continental States of the King of England (a name given here to Hanover in courtesy to Bonaparte) was laid under contribution, and expected to make certain douceurs to Madame Bonaparte; and it is said that she has received from Mortier three hundred thousand livres, and from Bernadotte two hundred and fifty thousand livres, besides other large sums from our military commissaries, treasurers, and other agents in the Electorate.

General Mortier is one of the few favourite officers of Bonaparte who have distinguished themselves under his rivals, Pichegru and Moreau, without ever serving under him.  Edward Adolph Casimer Mortier is the son of a shopkeeper, and was born at Cambray in 1768.  He was a shopman with his father until 1791, when he obtained a commission, first as a lieutenant of carabiniers, and afterwards as captain of the first battalion of volunteers of the Department of the North.  His first sight of an enemy was on the 30th of April, 1792, near Quievrain, where he had a horse killed under him.  He was present in the battles of Jemappes, of Nerwinde, and of Pellenberg.  At the battle of Houdscoote he distinguished himself so much as to be promoted to an adjutant general.  He was wounded at the battle of Fleures, and again at the passage of the Rhine, in 1795, under General Moreau.  During 1796 and 1797 he continued to serve in Germany, but in 1798 and 1799 he headed a division in Switzerland from which Bonaparte recalled him in 1800, to command the troops in the capital and its environs.