The following was his direction to his Minister of Police, Fouche: "Have caricatures made--an Englishman purse in hand, _entreating the various Powers to take his money.

This is the real direction to give the whole business._" How well he knew mankind: he rightly counted on its gullibility where pictures were concerned; and the direction which he thus gave to public opinion bids fair to persist, in spite of every exposure of the trickery.[10] But, to return to the plans of the allies, Holland, Switzerland, and Italy were to be liberated from their "enslavement to France," and strengthened so as to provide barriers to future aggressions: the King of Sardinia was to be restored to his mainland possessions, and receive in addition the Ligurian, or Genoese, Republic.[11] On all essential topics the British Government was in full accord with the views of the Czar, and Pitt insisted on the need of a system of international law which should guarantee the Continent against further rapacious acts.

But Europe was not destined to find peace on these principles until after ten years of desolating war.
Various causes hindered the formation of this league.

On January 2nd, 1805, Napoleon sent to George III.

an offer of peace; and those persons who did not see that this was a device for discovering the course of negotiations believed that he ardently desired it.