▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁a ▁neutral ▁third ▁party ▁and ▁form ▁a ▁convention ▁to ▁satisfy ▁Britain ▁on ▁other ▁issues . ▁His ▁re jection ▁of ▁a ▁British ▁offer ▁involving ▁a ▁ten - year ▁le ase ▁of ▁Mal ta ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁react iv ation ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁block ade ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁coast . ▁Bon ap arte , ▁who ▁was ▁not ▁fully ▁prepared ▁to ▁res ume ▁the ▁war , ▁made ▁moves ▁designed ▁to ▁show ▁renew ed ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Britain . ▁Mat ters ▁reached ▁a ▁diplom atic ▁crisis ▁point ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁rejected ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁med iation ▁by ▁Ts ar ▁Alexander ▁and , ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁May , ▁ordered ▁Whit worth ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁Paris ▁if ▁the ▁French ▁did ▁not ▁acc ede ▁to ▁their ▁dem ands ▁in ▁ 3 6 ▁hours . ▁Last - min ute ▁attempts ▁at ▁neg ot iation ▁by ▁Tal ley rand ▁failed , ▁and ▁Whit worth ▁left ▁France ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁May . ▁Britain ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁France ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁May , ▁thus ▁starting ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars , ▁which ▁would ▁ra ge ▁in ▁Europe ▁for ▁the ▁following ▁ 1 2 ▁years . ▁ ▁Britain ▁gave ▁its ▁official ▁reasons ▁for ▁res uming ▁host ilities ▁as ▁France ' s ▁imperial ist ▁policies ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Ind ies , ▁Italy , ▁and ▁Switzerland . ▁ ▁War ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 3 , ▁before ▁the ▁official ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁without ▁any ▁warning , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁captured ▁all ▁the