French preparations for the expedition towards England according to the Dutch newspaper Rotterdamse Courant dated 5 November 1803

According to a tiding dated Paris 1 November were some prefects ordered no to start with the building of flat-bottomed vessels if they didn’t do that already. Despite this order was the building at Paris and at the sea harbours was continuously going on and their number was to be sufficient for the expedition. Two newly built and completely fitted out vessels left recently the yard des Invalides via the Seine while a third one was manoeuvring with a detachment cavalry on board. There were still problems where to gather the vessels for the expedition although when this was realized it was believed that within 6 hours 50.000 men could land on the banks of the Thames!

According to rumours at London on 8 October believed the people there that at Dunkirk 100 well built and manned Chaliapin, at Ostend 150, at Boulogne 50, at Calais 70, at Dieppe Fecamp and Blankenburg 50, at Flushing 50 and at Hellevoetsluis 60.