it was neceffary to adjust and value their feveral poffeffions, pretenfions, and demands. There were fix principal objects in this negotiation. First, the limits of the two crowns in North America. Secondly, the conquefts of Great Britain in the Weft Indies, together with the Neutral Islands there. Thirdly, our conquefts in Africa and in India. Fourthly, the adjustment of the particular affair between the English and French in Germany. Fifthly, the conduct which the two crowns were to hold with regard to their refpective allies in Germany. And, laftly, the reftitution of the captures made by England, previous to the declaration of war.

On the first of thefe articles, France propofed to cede and guaranty all Canada to England; ftipulating only that the free and publick exercife of the Roman Catholick religion fhould be permitted under the English government, and that thofe of the old French colonifts who chose to retire, might have leave to transport themfelves from thence, and take away or difpofe of their effects. In compenfation for this, they required a confirmation of the privilege of what fifhing they enjoyed on the coaft of Newfoundland, under the treaty of Utrecht; and, that this fifhery might be carried on with advantage, they likewife required the reftitution of the ifle of Cape Breton, excluding them felves in return from erecting on that ifland any kind of fortification whatsoever.

The affairs in the Weft Indies, which makes the fecond capital object, they propofed to fettle in this manner: they offered to exchange Minorca for Guadaloupe and Mari

galante; and as to the four Neutral Iflands, they infifted that two of them, Dominica and St. Vincent, were held by their natural inhabitants the Carribees, under the protection of France, and that they ought ftill to remain in the fame condition. With regard to the two others, they propofed to make a fair divifion; that St. Lucia fhould remain to France, and that England fhould enter into poffeffion of Tobago. On this head it is fufficient to obferve, that in the opinion of fome people, our miniftry did not, in this treaty, fet the juft value on the acquifition they had made; when they looked upon Canada as the great and leading object, and only confidered Guadaloupe and Marigalante in a fecondary and fubordinate light. This is a queftion of much difficulty, and has been much agitated. Thofe who dreaded a fresh American war from the ambition of France, and were struck with the idea of extended empire, preferred the former conqueft; thofe who folely confidered our intereft as a commercial people, were generally in favour of the latter.

On the fide of Africa, France fatisfied herfelf with demanding either the fettlement at Senegal, or the island of Goree: for which (together with the reftoration of Belleifle) they confented to evacuate Gottingen, Heffe and Hanau, and to draw off their army to the Maine and the Rhine. This was certainly a full equivalent. But, with regard to the Eaft Indies, they had no tolerable equivalent to offer. They expatiated much in their memorial upon the difadvantages which muft arife to the companies of the two nations, from their entertaining

make in the hotteft time of hoftility.

The laft article had its difficulties alfo. The French infifted, as a point from which they were refolved never to recede, upon the reftitution of the captures made before the declaration of war. This demand, they were of opinion, was grounded on the cleareft principles of the law of nations, and the moft exprefs ftipulation of treaties. With out entering into thofe various arguments with which this pofition might be maintained and attacked, it appeared to many, that the honour of both nations was almost equally concerned, the one to claim, the other as refolutely to refuse this reftitution.

On the whole, these propofals, which the French fent to London in a memorial of the 15th of July, formed, though in fome refpects undoubtedly exceptionable, a very agrecable plan for a treaty of peace. A better could not have been expected in the first project of an enemy, and it might be hoped that a negotiation thus favourably begun, could not fail of adjufting eafily whatever appeared wrong, or fupplying whatever was defective in this first draught of the propofitions. But fatally for the repofe of mankind, in the very inftant that this fair propofal was made, at the very moment when thefe ftrong demonftrations were given, an act was done which blow up at one explofion, the whole bafis of the treaty that had been long and carefully laying, fcattered the materials which had been fo industriously collected, and fo cautiously arranged, and infread of extinguishing, fpread the flames of war more widely, and made them rage with new fury..

From this time forward all the tranfaction was full of animofity, refentment and miftrutt. The reader has been apprized of the meafures which France had been invariably purfuing at the court of Madrid, and the arguments the employed to infufe a jealoufy into that court. Hitherto, however, there was no appearance that thefe meafures had any effect; but to the infinite furprize and indignation of the British minifter, together with the memorial which contained the above recited propofitions, Mr. Buffy, the French agent, delivered a private memorial, fignifying, that in order to ellablish the peace upon felid foundations, not to be fhaken by the contested interefts of a third power, the king of Spain might be invited to accede to guaranty the treaty, and that to preven: the differences which fubfifted between Great Britain and this monarchy from being a means of producing a fresh war in Europe, with

the confent and communication of

his Catholic Majefty, he propofes, that in this negotiation, the three points wich had been difputed between the crowns of England and Spain, might be finally fettled. First, the reftitution of fome captures made upon the Spanish flag. Secondly, the privilege of the Spanish nation to fish on the banks of Newfoundland. Thirdly, the demolition of the English fettlements made on the Spanish territories in the bay of Honduras.

It may be easily imagined, from the character of the then fecretary of ftate, in what manner he received thefe propofals; he rejected with the utmoft fcorn, the offer of negotiating through an enemy humbled, and almoft at his feet, the difputes

of

of his nation, with a power actually in friendship with us. He called upon the Spanifh minifter to difavow the propofitions, which had been faid to be made with the knowledge of his court. He returned as wholly inadmiffible this offenfive memorial, declaring, that it would be looked upon as an affront to the dignity of his mafter, and incompatible with the fincerity of the negotiation, to make any further mention of fuch a circumftance.

And now he prepared, without delay, an answer to the principal memorial, in a ftile rather diclated by the circumftances which accompanied that paper, and which fufficiently indicated the defigns of France, than what the propofitions themfelves ftrictly deferved. Indeed, as he had by this time conceived an incurable fufpicion of the fincerity of France in the whole proceeding, it would not have been prudent to have made thofe advances, which, on a fuppofition of good faith and pacific intentions, might poffibly have been advifeable; for though both powers had over and over declared, that their refpective propofitions, if the treaty fhould by any accident be broken off, would be confidered as retracted, or never made; yet it is certain, that things once fettled and agreed to, unavoidably ftamp their own impreffion upon any future negotiation, relative to the fame fubjest.

Mr. Pitt's anfwer, which is dated on the 29th of July, agrees to the reflitution of Gaudaloupe, Marigalante, and Belleifle, on the compenfations propofed by France. It agrees alfo to receive Canada, but without any new limits of any

exception whatsoever; and it adds to the French offer of all Canada, "its appurtenances." It admits the propofal of the partition of the Neutral Ilands. It rejects the French demand of Cape Breton, or of any other island in the gulph or river of St. Lawrence; or of any power of fifhing in that river, in that gulph, or on thofe coafts; and it allows the privileges of fifhing on the banks of Newfoundland, only on confideration of the demolition of Dunkirk. But the proposed reftitution either of Senegal or Goree is utterly refufed. The German neutrality is rejected with disdain; and it is declared that Great Britain is unalterably refolved to fupport the king of Pruffia with efficacy and good faith. In addition to the offer made to evacuate Heffe, &c. it is infifted that the French fhall make a general evacuation of all her conquefls in Weftphalia, and all its countries, including its conquefts from the king of Pruffia on the Rhine, though France had before declared that they were conquered for the queen of Hungary, that they were actually governed in her name, and that the could not, confiftently with good faith, agree to deliver them to the king of Pruffia. The treaty between Saunders and Godcheau was not admitted as a proper bafis for a treaty relative to the East Indies. But it was agreed, that the two companies fhould negotiate concerning their refpective interefts, as the king of Great Britain could not difpofe of the rights of the English Eaft India company without their confent. As to the reftitution of the captures before the war, this was moft pofitively refufed.

In this period we leave the ne[C,4 gotiation

gotiation to follow the motions of the armies in Germany. It is certain, that the difpofitions of the two courts grew daily more unfavourable their confidence in each other, and their mutual good-will wore away; and it was to be fear

ed, that this negotiation, if it broke off in an unfatisfactory manner, muft leave impreffions on the minds of the two nations of fuch a nature, as might caufe them to wish they had never engaged in it.

V.

LTHOUGHthe great purpofe

made by the allies was not fully anfwered, it nevertheless produced, as we have before obferved, a very confiderable and ufeful effect. The deftruction of the French magazines retarded their operations in fuch a manner, that the greatest part of the month of June was spent before their armies found themfelves in a condition to act. But as foon as they had taken proper measures for their fubfiftence, the prince, of Soubife caufed his troops to pafs the Rhine, and to advance on the fide of Munfter, not far from which city the hereditary prince of Brunfwick was pofted to oppofe him. Marthal Broglio affembled the forces under his command at Caffel, and moved towards the Dymel, in order to effect a junction with the body under the prince of Soubife. They made no doubt that their conjoined ftrength would foon attain a decided fuperiority over the allies, who had ended their late enterprize with a lofs which was

confiderable, and which in their cir

bear, nor easily supply.

29th June.

Thefe hopes were supported by the fuccefs of their firft encounter. General Sporken, with a strong detachment, had been pofted in_an advantageous fituation on the Dymel, and in the front of the allied army. On the approach of Marshal Broglio, he attempted to retire with all that expedition which his inferiority made neceffary. But the French came upon him with fuch rapidity, that they overtook and attacked his rear, which was inftantly routed; they took eight hundred prifoners, nineteen pieces of cannon, four hundred horfes, and upwards of an hundred and feventy waggons. The fame day they paffed the Dymel; and whilft prince Ferdinand, difcouraged by this check, fell back to the Lippe, they made them2d July. felves masters of Warburg, Dringleburg, and Paderborn.

The allies, however, foon recovered their fpirit; and the main

body