general terms. Nothing but actions blifhment of the publiek tranquillity, and of a general peace, as what they have at all times fincerely wished for upon juft and reasonable conditions. And it is farther refolved, that a copy of this anfwer fhall be fent to all the minilters of the republick at foreign courts, with orders to communicate the fame to thofe courts where they refpectively refide; begging the faid courts to take into confideration the dangerous fituation into which the republick is now brought, and the pernicious maxims, in confequence of which she is threatened by the king of France with flavery and total ruin; and of what unhappy confequence it would be to all the powers in Europe, if they fhould fuffer fuch maxims to be eftablished Conjuring them by the intereft they have in their own liberty and prefervation, and in that of all Europe, to confider this their High Mightineffes Anfwer, and the declaration it contains, as extorted from them by the extreme neceffity to which they are reduced for their own defence, and that of their subjects; and entreating them to join and affilt theirH.Mightineffes in oppofing the calamities with D which the republick is fo unjustly threatened, and the confequences which all other powers must apprehend therefrom. In fuch a juncture then, their High Mightineffes, forced by neceflity on the one fide, and on the other, by the indifpenfable duty of employing thofe means which God and nature have put into their hands, in the defence of their fubjects, and for the prefervation of their liberty and religion, and every thing elfe that is dear to them; and putting their trust in the juftice of their caufe, and in the fuccour and affiftance of almighty God, who has fo often miraculoufly delivered them out of the E hands of their enemies, are firmly refolved to venture their fortunes, their lives, and every thing without exception, to the very last extremity, in their lawful defence; and to make use of the right which his majefty's own conduct gives them, of acting by way of reprifal, as he acts towards them, and con- F fequently of cutting off, diffipating, and obftructing, where ever it fhall be in their power, all the refources which may furnish his majefty the means of continuing his invafion of the republick, with fuperior forces.As to the reft, their High Mightineffes declare, G that in acting thus, it is no more their intention to break with his majefly, than it is his najefty's intention to break with them; but that what they do, is meerly in order to oppole the injuftice which is done to them and their tubjects in fo flagrant and affecting a panner. Their High Mightinciles fall however always be ready and willing to contribute to the re-eltaSee p. 177 E, and p. 458. And a copy of this Anfwer hall likewife be fent to the council of ftate, to the refpective colleges of admiralty, to the directors of the eaft and wett India companies, and farther where it fhall be necellary; fignifying to them at the fame time, that their High Might ineffes have refolved, upon the grounds.contained in the faid answer, and conformably to their intention therein declared, to make reprijals upon the king of France and his fubjects, and to do them all forts of damage wherever it shall be in their power; and that the faid colleges fhall therefore take their meafures: accordingly. L November 7, 1747. 497251 From the cftminster Tourial, Nov. 14. S our first quarrel was with Spain on the fubject of our right of navigation in the American feas, every arHticle of that right, in its full extent, fhould be infifted on, as it was underfood and explained in the debates upon that fubject before the Spanib rupture, The addreffes, petitions, fpeeches, and Treacherous Behaviour of Dutch Governors. refolutions of, the years 1738 and 1739 fhould here be particularly attended to, as alfo the evidence by which they were fupported. If any thing be omitted on this head, we lofe fo much of the grand #object that has drawn us into an expence A of fo many additional millions. B Our quarrel with France is two-fold; firft, as guarantees of the pragmatic fanction, and allies of the Dutch; fecondly, as a naval power, affronted in our flag by the infolent protection of the Spanish fleet by that of France. In the difcuffion of the firft, our interelt, which is but small and remote, must be taken in conjunction with that of our allies: But in the latter queftion we are fole, and ought not to fink a tittle of our own intereft to fupport that of any ally whatsoever. We have never been affifted; we have affifted every other power; who then fhall interfere with C what we have a right to claim by our fuperiority? To deftroy the naval power of France fhould be our darling project: We promise fair towards the doing of it, and peace should not be made till it is done, or till the enemy will con fent to a certain limitation both for their trade and royal navy. T. S. From the Old England Teur tal, Nov. 14. BEHAVIOUR of Dutch GOVERNORS confider'd. the Dutch news-papers, H of How did bedaub the hoary Tr of Tournay with borrow'd praise, for the deftruction he made among the befiegers by his various mines, when there was not one fingle operation of that kind on the part of the town, during the whole fiege! When we hazarded, very unequally, the battle of Fontenoy to relieve the devoted place, did not he refufe fome Scotch and Swift regiments, in garrifon there, liberty to attack the enemy in their rear, during the heat of the battle, tho' they manifefted the practicableness of their defign, and press'd alinoft to a mutiny for his permiflion? Did he not afterwards reftrain the fame brave troops, from the glorious attempt they had projected of breaking thro' the enemy, tho' clated with victory, to join the British troops, rather than tamely furrender themselves prifoners of war among the ftigmatized Dutch? Another old faithlefs chief, after amufing us with gafconades of the strength of H-,, and his own military skill, connived at the approach of the enemy, * See p. 250. D 515 and their feizing an advantageous poft, fo as to give him a colour for betraying the town, with a great number of British troops then in fight of x, who, after a painful march to his afliftance, received no other notice of the enemy's fuccefs than by a furious firing made upon them from the ramparts. The havoc, made on this furprize, among our deceived countrymen, thus led into the flaughter, is not fo publickly known among us as it could be wifhed; nor yet the danger, which the gallant ever-active leader of our armies providentially escaped at the fame time, after having travelled night and day, to make the proper difpofitions in aid of the perfidious Batavian; on whom every man of honour, in every country, cries aloud for juftice; and yet the t-t-r lives. There is an analogous femblance.between the conduct of this man, and that of a late naval officer; one facrificed a fleet, and the other strong towns! and both very tranquilly juftify themfelves under infinuations of private orders. Had the governor of Himme diately received the reward of his demerits, Bergen had never been taken. The Turks knew no other way of putting a stop to treachery, than to reward and punish according to fuccefs; It was their rule to ftrangle a chief under whom any enterprize mifcarried, withor out any regard to cafualties, or even im poffibilities. To this maxim they ow ed all their great conquests; for as their generals fought with the bowftring a bout their necks, they fought defperate. ly! chufing, rather than fuffer by that with infamy after the battle, to fall in it with honour, and according to their notion into the embraces of Mahomet and the joys of paradife. Every circumitance that occurr'd in the laft nine days of the fiege of Bergen, point out to every thinking perfor that the French had more effectually battered the heart of the governor, than the fortifications of the place; fo that having gained the capital eminence, which overlooked the town, it was no great difficulty to find a way into itwhile the good governor was lecping, What I lament equal to the lofs of the town, is the facrifice of our brave northern countrymen, who, overpower with numbers, greatly fell! dealing defruction round, and breathing their laft upon heaps of the flaughter'd foe; while the national troops, whofe bufi nets nefs it more immediately was, had, after the examples of Fantenoy and Lafeldt, timely taken care of themselves, and were run away from the defence of their own country, their eftates, and families, even while defence was not impracticable; (O shame!) and among the first the good governor himself! who never looked behind 'till he had got fafe to Oudenbojch, nor reflected 'till he had dined and then vouchsafed, in virtue of his useful feniority, to put himself at the head of the troops there, perhaps to compleat the iniquitous bar- B gain by delivering up them allo! That the Dutch traders have frequently fold arms to fight against themselves, is notorious: But no man of honour, who had ferved fo long in war, would have accepted of a command to act under private orders which he knew were derogatory of his country's good. A His MAJESTY's molt gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, Nov. 12, 1747. My Lords and Gentlemen, A Sone of my principal views, in calling this parliament, was, that I might receive the most clear and certain information of the fenfe of my people, on the prefent pòftare of affairs; I was defirous to meet you as early as your own convenience, as well as that of the publick, would admit. By the advice of my parliament, I entered into the war again Spain, in order to vindicate and fecure the trade and commerce of my subjects. By their advice alfo, and in conformity to my engagements, I undertook the fupport of the empress Queen of Hungary, and of the juft rights of the house of Auftria. In refent. ment of this condut, fo neceffary for the interefts of my own kingdors and of the ancient allies of my crown, France not only declared war against me, but fomented and fopported an Cunnatural rebellion within this kingdom. In carrying on this juft and neceflary war, I have found the moft chearful and vigorous fupport from my parliament: and though the fuccefs has not been antwerable to our withes, and juft expectations, in the Low Countries; yet it must be allowed, to the honour of this nation, that no part of the misfortunes can be imputed to us. The fignal fucceffes, which it has pleased ged to grant us at fea, have made the enemy feel the weight of our naval ftrength, to their great lofs, and the real and folid advantage of this nation. This has appeared moft remarkably in the operations of my fleet this last year; which have tended no left to the honour of the Erime force and commerce of France. The goBritish flag, than to the reduction of the mavernment of the united provinces has, once more, refumed that connency, which will give great strength to the common canfe; cemeat more firmly the friendship between this kingdom and that republick and be a lasting Security to our infeparable Intercfts. One great effect of this happy alteration in Holland has already appeared, in the vigorous declara-" tolatly made by the States General to the court of France; and the orders given by them, for committing hoftilities every where against the French king and his fubjects. After all, as the fault lies altogether among the great and wealthy in the Dutch commonwealth, the bulk of the people are exceedingly to be pitied, but fenfible of the approaching ruin, have boldly beftirr'd themselves, tho' late, to wreft the power out of their corrupt hands, in the fudden election of a D. ftadtholder: A motion wholly their own without the participation or afliftance of any power whatever! and they no fooner found that their Stadtholder, as he flood, was very unlikely to answer their purpofe, than they refolved to inveit him with power as well as dignity; even to make that high office hereditary, fo as they may never return again under an iniquitous felf-interetted adminiftration compofed out of a French faction. However, it is to be hoped, that cave may be taken, in the approaching congreis to to fettle the barrier, that we may have no further occafion of lavifhing our blood and treature again for the defence of others; tho' it is likewife, in a fecondary manner, for our own defence; for, if we fuffer the French to enlarge their dominions in the Netherlands, we fhall be hardly able to defend our fea coafts against them; at leaft they will become greatly formidable to our trade and navigation; and yet we have reaton to dread the confequence of a congrefs; fince we are not like to find one fingle friend among all the minifters that may compofe it: for our very allies will be interested against us, and will oppole ftrengthening the hands that defended them: Strange paradox! and yet true. F Some overtures for a general pacification have lately been male to me, on the part of Fiance; and though fome of the terms proposed were fuch as could not be approved, yet as I have had no other aim, but to bring about a Late and honourable peace, I have fhewn the utmeft inclination to facilitate it, in conjunction with my allies, and a congrefs is actually agreed to be held at Aix la Chapelle, whither the feveral minifters will foon repair. I hope all the powers concerned will bring with them the fame di pofitions to effectuare this great work, on juft and reasonable conditions, which I fincerely have. Sus p. 509. Ju The LOR D's ADDRESS. A In this fituation, I am confident you will agree in opinion with me, that it is neceflary to be vigilant and attentive to every event; and that there can be no reason to expect a good peace, but by being timely prepared to carry on a vigorous and effectual war. I therefore rely on your hearty and powerful fupport, to enable me to profecute the war, in cafe the obftinacy of our enemies, in not agreeing to juft and reasonable terms of accommodation, should render it unavoidable, For this purpose, I am now actually concerting the neceflary measures with my allies; whofe interests I am determined to adhere to and fupport. Let us be in readiness, in cafe the negociations should fail of B the defired effect, to convince our enemies, how much they are mistaken, if they vainly imagine that Great Britain, and her allies, will fubmit to receive the law from any power whatsoever; and demonftrate to the world, that we will decline no difficulty or hazard for the prefervation of the common liberty, and our own independency, and effential interefts. ·Gentlemen of the House of Commons, 517 sturb your majefty's government, the folid foundation of our happiness. The events of war are always uncertain; but at the fame time that we fee, with the greatest concern, the misfortunes which have happened in the Low Countries, we gratefully acknowledge your majefty's goodness and juftice, in vindicating the honour of this nation, from any imputation arifing from thence." With unfeigned joy we congratulate your majefty on the fignal fucceffes, with which it has pleafed God to blefs your arms by fea. No lofs can be more fenfibly felt by your enemies, and no advantage tend more to the glory and real benefit of your kingdoms, whofe commerce and naval strength muft he increased in proportion as that of France is diminished. We cannot approach your royal perfon on this occafion, without expreffing our highest fatisfaction in thofe events, which have happened in Holland, in favour of a prince allied to your majefty by the nearest ties; defcended Cof publick liberty has been hereditary, and from an illuftrious houfe, in which the defence which has produced deliverers of this country, as well as of that proteftant republick. From this happy alteration, we cannot but promife ourfelves the ftricteft union of councils between your majesty and the States General, and an additional frength in pursuing fuch measures, as fhall be moft conducive to the common good of both nations; of which we confider the feasonable declaration lately made by the ftates to the court of France, and the orders given thereupon, as a strong indication. The neceffity of adequate fupplies appears from what has been already mentioned. The proper eftimates for the fervices of the enfuing year.fhall be laid before you; and I defire you to grant me fuch fupplies, as your own fecurity and lafting welfare, and the present critical and important fituation of affairs, require. You may depend on their being applied only to D the purposes for which they fhall be given; and if, by the falling out of events, any faIving can be made, it fhall be duly accounted for. My Lords and Gentlemen, If any farther provifions fhall be found expedient, to render more effectual the good laws fately made for the fecurity of the prefent efta- E blishment, extinguishing the spirit of rebellion, and for the better civilizing, improving, and reducing into order, any part of the united kingdom, I depend on your known affection to me and to your country, feriously and early to fet about fo good a work. I will only add, that there never was a conjuncture, in which unanimity, firmnefs, and difpatch, were more neceffary for the fafety, honour, and true interest of Great Britain. The ADDRESS of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, Nov. 12, 1747. Moft gracious Sovereign, WE ན་ E your majefty's moft dutiful and loy. al fubjects, the Lords fpiritual and temporal in parliament aflembled, beg leave to return your majefty our humble thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne. G The generous and publick-fpirited views, with which your majefty entered into this juft and neceffary war, are evident to the whole world; and your people have been the more H ftrongly animated to fupport it, by the part your enemies have taken, not only to overturn -the liberties of Europe in general, but to di(Gent. Mag. Nov. 1747.) Your majelly's paternal concern for your people appears in nothing more, than in your fincere defire to bring about, in conjunction with your allies, an honourable peace, on just At the fame time that and reafonable terms. we offer our humble thanks to your majefty, for this gracious difpofition to procure eafe and repole to your subjects, by effectuating this great work, petmit us to affure you, that we are convinced by paft experience, as well as by your majesty's prudent declaration, that the only way to procure a good peace, is to be preFor this reafon, we cannot but gratefully acpared to carry on a vigorous and effectual war. knowledge your majefty's vigilance and care to enter into a timely concert with your allies, in order to be in readiness for that event. We beg leave, from the bottom of our hearts, to give your majefty the frongest affurances of our inviolable fidelity and affection to your facred perfon, family, and government; and that we will heartily and chearfully concur to enable your majesty to profecute the war with vigour, in cafe the obtinacy of your ene mies thould render it neceffary; no difficulty or hazard being capable of lefening our zeal and fteadiness for the maintenance of the ho-nour of your crown, the independency and ef fential interests of your kingdoms, and for the defence of your allies. We will not fail to take into our ferious confideration, what further provifions may be expedient for better fecuring the prefent happy effablishment, extinguifhing the spirit of rebel Ttt lion, 1 lion, and for reforming and reducing into order His MAJESTY'S moft gracious Anfwer. MY LORDS, Nothing could give me rear fatisfaction The ADDRESS of the House of Commons. WE, Your maiefly's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majefty our unfeigned thanks for your majefty's most gracious fpeech from the throne. With hearts full of the fincereft joy, we congratulate your majefty on the great and important fucceffes, which it has pleafed Almighty God to beftow on your majefty's arms at fea, and which not only redound highly to the honour of the British nation, but, by reducing the maritime force of France, manifeftly tend to the fecurity of your majefty's government, and the profperity and trade of these kingdoms. A your majefty's part, to bring about a speedy, fafe, and honourable conclufion to this burthenfome and expenfive, though juft and necef fary, war. But if, contrary to our wishes and expecta tions, the enemies of Great Britain, by infift ing on unreafonable and inadmiffible terms, make the continuance of the war unavoidable, we beg leave to give your majefty our most determined affurances that we will fupport your majefty to the utmoft: And, in order to convince our enemies of this our ftedfaft refolution, we will immediately grant fuch fupplies, as may, in conjunction with your majefty's al B lies, enable your majefty to carry on the war with vigour, maintain the honour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain, and fupport the mutual intereft of your majefty and you allies. C D E We beg leave to exprefs to your majefty the F With the deepeft fenfe of gratitude we ac- that purpofe, and endeavouring, on At the fame time, permit us to affure your majefty, that we fhall be ready to contribute our affiftance towards perfecting and rendering more effectual thofe provifions which have bee already made for fecuring the interior peace of thefe kingdoms, and establishing your majelty throne upon the moft firm and lasting fourdations. ९ His majesty's most gracious Anfwer. Gentlemen, THE early marks of trust and confident, which you repofe in me by this addrefs, gi me the greatest fatisfattion. You may be affured, that I have nothing m at beart, than to put, as foon as poffible, fach an end to the prefent troubles, as may be cen fiftent with the good of my people, the fecurity of my allies, and the bonour and true interests of my kingdoms. The Account, published by Authority at WE Aix, on Tuesday Oct. 17, (6th) with an E. N. E. wind, which ceafing we were obliged to anchor in the road of Rochelle, from whence we failed next Morn, with 252 merchant hips. As all the motions of a large fleet are flow, we did not get out till 5 in the Ev. M. de Letenduere directed his courfe off Rochebone, to get into the Lat. of Belleifle. The wind favouring we were on the 21ft W of that ifle 241. That day we faw two fhips, one large, which, after reconnoitring us at 21. Dift. fail'd towards the S. On the 25th (14th) we faw in the and took them for fome of our own horizon 20 fail making fwiftly after us, fleet; it happening daily, that in fpite of all our vigilance, many fhips of our convoy in the night lofe company to fail more |