Έγγραφο/έκθεση ανώνυμη, αλλά πιθανώς προερχόμενη από κάποιο μέλος της ιεραρχίας του Foreign Office (1812), με στοιχεία που έχει δώσει και ο Φοσκάρδης, όπου παρουσιάζεται η πολιτική ιστορία της Επτανήσου από την κατάλυση της Δημοκρατίας της Βενετίας ενώ γίνεται ιδιαίτερη αναφορά στα όσα σχετίζονται με την επτανησιακή σημαία. Επίσης ειδική μνεία γίνεται και στην περίπτωση της σύλληψης στην Κωνσταντινούπολη του Επτανήσιου, Δενδρινού, και με αφορμή την περίπτωσή του γίνεται αναφορά στις συνθήκες της κατάλυσης της Επτανήσου Πολιτείας και τις αντιδράσεις που αυτό το γεγονός προκάλεσε από την πλευρά της Βρετανίας και της Πύλης. Επίσης, στο έγγραφο γίνεται μία ανάλυση για το αν η Επτάνησος Πολιτεία με την συνθήκη της Αμιένης αναγνωρίζεται ως ανεξάρτητο κράτος που δεν υποχρεούται πληρωμής φόρους υποτέλειας στην Πύλη και τι δικαιώματα έχει, ενώ γίνεται και σύγκριση με την πραγματικότητα που βιώνει η Ραγούζα.
Συγκεκριμένα το έγγραφο αναφέρει:
At the dissolution of the Venetian Republic the Seven Islands were annexed to the Cisalpine Republic. In 1799 the Russians took Corfu from the French. By a Treaty with the Porte in March 1800 the Islands were formed into the Septinsular Republic, Russian being allowed to keep a garrison in Corfu, and an nominally independent constitution was formed for the interior government from the notables, while its relations to the Porte were placed upon the same footing with those of the Republic of Ragusa; which were, that the new Republic, as a vassal, should acknowledge suzerainty of the Porte, to pay a tribute of 75,000 Piastres every three years, and to send a mission, and keep a Consulate at the Porte. The New Republic sailed of course like the Ragusans under their own flag, and the Right of nagivating the Black Sea under their own Flag was particularly conceded by the Porte. By the Treaty of Amiens the Republic of the Seven Isles was declared Independent; in which Treaty, France, Russia, Great Britain, and the Porte, all agreed.
By a secret article of the Treaty of Tilsit, Russia gave up its claim to have a garrison in Corfu, and France occupied it; then took the other Islands and annexed them to the French Empire. This annexation by France has not been explicitly acknowledged by the Porte, and the Constitution of the Seven Islands, its Independence, and its Rights to its own flag, still on a legal view subsist according to the Treaty of Amiens.
After the occupying of Corfu and the other Islands by the French, the Inhabitants of the Ionian Islands endeavored to liberate themselves from French subjection, and a Dispute arose at Constantinople in 1809 as to the point of their Independence. Dendrino, a Septinsular Subject, placed himself under the protection of Mr. Adair our minister; the French minister Maubourg arrested him in the streets, as a French subject, and imprisoned him in his palace; Mr, Adair claimed him as being under English protection. The French remonstrated, and the Porte, to get rid of difficulties, stated him to be their subject in right of sovereignty.
The French minister then declared, by a Public affiche, that the Ionian Republic was annulled; that they were no longer to be allowed a cancellerie at the Porte, in which a contrary Declaration were made in the name of the Porte, that the Declaration of the French Minister was false and that the Republic of the Seven Islands was not annulled.
Mr. Adair protested against the claim of Sovereignty under which Dendrino was released, alluding to the Treaty of Amiens, by which the Independence of the Ionian Islands was guaranteed by the Porte.
Now suppose the Independence recognized by the Treaty of Amiens was intended to include the sovereignty of the Porte as established in 1800; - this sovereignty was merely a feudal sovereignty of protection, which allowed interior Independence; and being described to be the same as over the Republic of Ragusa, the Ionian Republic had a Right to all the Privileges of the Ragusan Republic: but the Ragusan Republic had always its own Flag and the Porte on demand gave firmans of protection.
If the article of the Treaty of Amiens excludes and annuls the sovereignty of the Porte, that Court has no claim at all over the Ionian Republic.
The Question then which arises is not whether the Ionian Republicans have a Right to sail under their own Flag, but whether they have a Right to sail under Ours. The Sovereignty of the Porte is compatible with the Right of their enjoying their own Flag; - the Question is whether that Sovereignty excludes them from placing themselves under our Flag, as by our capitulations with the Porte we cannot give the Protection of our Flag to their subjects.
The Ionian Islands taken possession by us, have been taken under orders for their liberation and the restitution of their Independence – it was found however necessary by General Oswald to keep British Garrisons in the Islands, and he hoisted both British and Septinsular Flags.
Mr. Foresti states that upon the invasion of the French the Islanders were found to sail under the French Flag which was recognized by the Porte.
He also states that the Republic never paid the tribute stipulated by the Treaty of 21 March 1800 and that it was understood that this treaty was relinquished or given up and that they were terminated by the Porte under the Treaty of Amiens recognized by the Porte under the Treaty of Amiens as Independent. He also states that at present the ships of Corfu at Constantinople hoist the French Flag.
When the Republican Flag was acknowledged by the Porte, the Porte gave firmans to protect them against the Barbary states, which now refuses.
Mr. Adair gave in a note to the Porte desiring to know whether the Porte acknowledge the existence of the Septinsular Republic or not. Mr. Adair refused a note by the Porte and the issue remained unanswered. Mr. Adair stated that if she acknowledged the Septinsular Republic he would consider her claims of Sovereignty.
The ground object of the Ionians is to be placed under our Flag – they detest the Turks and wish to have thin connexion with them.
The allowing to certain vessels to hoist French Flag at the Porte is a definite proof that the Porte admits the Right of France to the Islands – of course she might equally admits our Right of Conquest.