your memorialifts again to addrefs your High Mightineffes, and to implore once more your fovereign and efficacious protection. Their memorials are founded upon well grounded apprehenfions of inevitable ruin, not only to themselves, but to the State at large, if the English Minty obftinately perfift in their prefent proceedings towards our ships.

Fly, your memorialifts firmly bell 2, that this State is neither deficient in power, nor that her inhabitants want inclination or courage to maintain the independency of their republic against all unjust violence; and they aljo look on it as infufferable, that a nation which owes the fecurity and preservation of her cruil and religious liberties to the affitance and co-operation of this republic, and which otherwife is united with her by ties of mutual and positive intereft, fhould dare, against the first principles of natural equity, against all rules of right, adopted by all civilized nations, and against the faith of all folemn treaties, for the reason only of CONVENIENCE; that this very nation, we fay, fhould dare to caufe fo much trouble and prejudice to the commerce and navigation of this republic, and that in fo notorious a manner, that the total ruin of individuals, and the entire decay of trade, as well as of navigation, must be the final refult of their conduct.

from Lord Suffolk, one of his Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State, to the Count Welderen, dated the 19th of October, the moft convincing proofs of his Majefty's friendfhip towards them.

After an explicit detail of the hoftile and unprecedented conduct of his moft Chriftian Majesty, which conduct occafioned the feeming irregularity of the Court of Great Britain, in feizing the hips appertaining to neutral powers, bound to the ports of France, the measure hath been fully explained on the principles of neceffity and felf-defence, against an enemy who hath ever acted covertly and by furprize.-The moderation and equity of the King my master, would not permit him. to difregard the complaints of the fubjects of their High Mightireffes, from the moment there appeared a poffibility to renew them. It is for this reason that his Majefty has declared his intention to releafe the Dutch veffels, under conditions the most amicable and the least disadvantageous, as far as circumftances will admit. The war, however, fill continues, and the active endeavours of the enemy to push matters to extremity, obliges his Majefly to guard against the danger. He wishes, neverthelefs, to involve his good neighbours and allies as little as poffible; and although France has even threatened to invade his Majefty's dominions and territories, having, for that purpofe, affembled numerous armies on their coaft, the King, my mafter, ftill forbears to claim fuch fuccour from their High Mightineffes as they are bound to grant, by the most explicit and folemn treaties, whenever [Dd] 3

fuch

fuch fuccours may be on his part required, namely, the treaty of 1678, and the feparate article of 1716; his Majefty confines himself for the prefent folely to lay before their High Mightineffes the fate of affairs, the motive of his conduct, and the neceffity he finds himfelf under to take meafures for his own defence, and the prefervation of his dominions.

It is only with this view that I am ordered by his Britannic Majefty, to propofe to their High Mightineffes a conference, to confider of the most proper means to wards an amicable regulation of fuch a mode of proceeding in fu. ture, refpecting fuch articles as his Majefty, without yielding to his enemies, cannot poffibly fuffer them to be fupplied with. It can not have escaped the attention of their High Mightineffes, that Lord Suffolk in explaining his Majesty's fentiments to Count Welderen, fully, demonftrated the King's fincere defire to pay the strictest regard to the faith of treaties, as far as they do not directly tend to expofe him to imminent danger. It is by no means his intention, nor is it his wifh, to caufe the leaft interruption to the commerce of Holland, ufually carried on with France, excepting warlike and naval ftores, and even this restriction fhall be enjoyed with equity, and, I am con

affure their High Mightineffes, the as well from my being authorised by his Majesty, as from my being perfonally difpofed, after a refidence in this country of 27 years, their High Mightineffes will find in me every readiness to attend to their complaints, and regard for their welfare; and I flatter myself that in the courfe of the conference I fhall convince them, that whatever forced and affected turn may have been given to the conduct of my Court, it has been founded on the juftice, moderation, and neceffity of our fituation. In expectation of the decifion of their High Mightineffes on what I have laid before them, I truft that their known equity and friendship towards his Majefty, agreeable to their recent affurances by their Envoy, will prove fuficient not to authorize their fubjects to carry naval ftores, under convoy, to France, as being the moit dangerous object to the fecurity of Great Britain.

of generofity.

I therefore, in obedience to my inftructions, have taken the liberty to request an audience, to know whether, in confequence of the anfwer delivered to Count Welderen, their High Mightineffes are refolved to open a conferen e with me? On my part, I intreat you to

my matter hath entertained, that your High Mightineffes, animated with the defire of perpetuating the perfect harmony which fubfifts between France and the States General, will, in the prefent circumftances, fcrupuloufly adhere to the principles of abfolute neutrality, has induced his Majefty to comprehend the United Provinces

in the regulation which was made in the month of July laft, concern ing the commerce and navigation of neutral powers.

His Majefty has ftill lefs reafon to doubt the perfeverance of your High Mightineffes in thefe princi. pies, after so many affurances given in claiming their captures, which are the foundation and guarantee of the folid repofe and profperity of the Republic. But his Majesty, notwithstanding, wifhes to procure on this head a more certain affurance, and it is with this view that his Majefty has ordered me to demand of your High Mightineffes a clear and fpecific explanation of your ulterior determinations, and fo to ftate them, that his Majefty may be enabled to judge whether they tend to maintain or annul the reciprocal regulations which his Majefty would wish to confolidate.

The better to explain his Majefty's views and intentions to your High Mightineffes, I have the honour of notifying to you, that the King my mafter flatters himself, that your answer to this Memorial will preferve to the flag of the United Provinces, all the liberty which of right belongs to them, as an independent State, and to their commerce all the refpect which is due by the law of nations, and the

faith of treaties.

The leaft derogation from thofe principles of neutrality you have profeffed, will betray a partiality, the confequences of which will incur the neceffity of putting an end to not only the advantages which his Majefty promifes to your flag in cafe of a strict obfervance of neutrality, but alfo the effential favours and benefits which the

commerce of the United Provinces enjoy in all the ports of his kingdom.

This Memorial is prefented without any other motive, than to fhew the good will and affection of his Majefly for your High Mightineffes.

Hague, Dec. 8, 1773.

ORDER of the French King's Council of State, which is to take place on the 26th of January, 1779, and revokes, with respect to the fubje&ts of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, (the City of Amfterdam excepted) all the advantages given, by the first article of the regulation of the 26th of July, 1778, to the navigation of neutral velfels: directs alfo, that all Holland veffels fhall provifionally execute the first, fecond, third, fourth, and fifth articles of the regulation of the 21st of October, 1744; fubjecting the faid veffels to the payment of duties on freightage, and to the making

[Dd] 4

the

the fubjects of the Republic of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, has in council ordered and declared as follows:

Article the ift.

The Republic of the United Provinces not having obtained of the Court of London the liberty of navigation, equal to that which the King had conditionally promifed to their flag, and which their treaties with England fhould fecure to them, his Majefty revokes, with respect to the fubjects of the faid Republic, the advantages granted by the first article, concerning the commerce and navigation of neutral fhips; and in confequence declares it his pleafure, that the veffels of the faid Republic fhall provifionally execute the firft, ind, third, fourth, and fifth articles of the regulation of the 21st of October, 1744

2. His Majesty further declares, that from the date of the 26th of January, 1779, the veffels belonging to the fubjects of the faid Republic fhall pay the duty on freightage, as is established by the ordinances and regulations, and particularly by the declaration of the 24th of November, 1750, and the order of Council of the 16th of July, 1757; his Majefty referving to himself the power of laying, when he pleafes, new duties on the commodities of the United Provinces, and the productions of their manufactures.

3. His Majefty, however, confidering that the city of Amfterdam has made the moft patriotic exertions, to perfuade the Republic to procure, from the Court of London, the fecurity of that unlimited erty, which belongs to their

flag, in confequence of her independence and integrity of commerce, which the rights of nations and treaties fecure to her; and his Majesty, defirous of giving the faid city a ftriking example of his benevolence, has referved to the fhips freighted by the inhabitants of Amfrdam, the liberty promifed by the first article of the regulation of the 26th of July laft, concerning the navigation of neu tral veffels, as well as the exemption of the duties of freightage; except fuch veffels as are employed in the French coafting trade, which fhall continue to be fubject to the order of Council of the 16th of July, 1757. His Majesty further referves to the inhabitants of the faid city, the advantages granted to their own commodities, and the productions of their manufactures, conformably to what is at prefent practifed.

4. To fecure to the veffels of Amfterdam, exclufively, the enjoyment of the advantages granted in the preceding article, his Majefty declares, that the captains of the faid veffels fhall be fupplied with a certificate from the Commiflary of the Marine established at Amfterdam, and an atteftation of the magiftrates of the faid city, afferting that the veffels were actually freighted by the inhabitants of that city, and that they went directly from their port for the place they were bound to.

5. The faid Captains fhall be bound, on their return, to appear before the faid Commiffary of the Marine, and to give fufficient proof, that he landed his cargo in no other port or harbour of the Republic than that of Amfterdam. His Majefty alfo enjoins the faid Commiffary,

Commiffary, to refufe in future any new certificate to thofe, who fhall not be provided with good proof of their integrity, or who fhall be convicted of having landed their cargo in any other port or harbour of the republic.

6. His Majefty efpecially commands his ambaffador to the republic of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, ftrictly to attend to the due obfervance of this order.

His Majefty orders and commands the Duke de Penthievre, Admiral of France, to fign the execution of the prefent order, which fhall be entered on the registers of the Admiralty, and from whence all the neceffary letters fhall be difpatched.

Given in the King's Council of State, his Majefty being prefent, held at Verfailles, Jan. 14, 1779. (Signed)

DE SARTINE.

Memorial prefented by Sir Jofeph Yorke, to the States General of the United Provinces.

"High and Mighty Lords,

THE HE King of Great Britain, from the friendship he has for your High Mightineffes, and taking into confideration the regard reciprocally between Sovereigns, has hitherto forebore interfering in the negociation which has been carrying on relative to the protection to be given to the tranfportation of all forts of naval ftores during the war, which is actually carrying on between your High Mightineffes and France; but the last proceedings of the French ambaffador forbid his keeping fi

lence any longer, and his Majefty would think he wronged the ancient leagues between his crown and your High Mightinesses, if he did not inform them to what danger they will expofe themfelves, by liftening to propofals which will oblige them to infringe a neutrality which they have fo often declared they wished to fupport, and which at once attack their independence, fap the bafis of their government, and threaten nothing less than their difunion.

"Your High Mightineffes are too well inftructed not to feel that a foreign power, who takes upon itfelf the right of granting particular favours to part of your government to the prejudice of the reft, can have no other view than to fow difcord, and to break the ties which unite you; and that if other powers were to follow the fame example, the republic would be torn to pieces by an internal combuftion, and an univerfal anarchy would fucceed.

"Thus far the intereft only of your High Mightineffes feems concerned; but when we perceive that the end of all these intrigues is manifeftly defigned to caufe the republic to quarrel with the King, and to bring on a war between your High Mightineffes and Great Britain, under the feducing pretence of a perfect neutrality and the intereft of trade, the King can no longer remain an indifferent fpectator, but finds himself obliged to lay before your High Mightineffes the danger into which France withes to plunge you.

"What right has France to dictate to your High Mightinçles the arrangements you ought to

make