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1749.

been impossible as yet to talk so fully on that subject as is necessary with the directors of the South Sea Company; but I hope to be able to send you in a short time his Majesty's orders on that affair in a separate letter.

The second point, to wit, the increase of the evaluation of British goods imported into the ports of Spain, as it is an affair of the utmost consequence to our commerce, and seems to strike at the very root of it, as an arbitrary evaluation of British goods might, upon any ill humours of the Spanish court, be extended almost to a prohibition of them; his Majesty is pleased to direct you to use your utmost endeavours to obtain an order from his Christian Majesty for putting the trade of England on the same footing it was before the war, in conformity to the treaty of 1667, and the usage established in the time of Charles the Second of Spain and the treaties of Utrecht. You are so well acquainted with the arguments that may be most likely to prevail at the court you are now employed in, that it would be in vain for me to attempt to suggest them to you; and I shall mention nothing but the great lines it is necessary you should follow; and I think these are, the shewing the Spanish ministers that in case they really mean what they profess to do, that is, the uniting the two courts in the same degree of harmony and friendship as formerly subsisted betwixt them, and which is so necessary for them both, they should follow the same maxims, with regard to commerce, as their pre

decessors did at a time when the two nations were most firmly united: this, on his part, the King is determined to do; and there are at present under the consideration of his servants, some advantages suggested by Major General Wall for the easier introduction of some Spanish commodities into the British dominions, as well in Europe as in America.

This attention of his Majesty towards a bare suggestion of the Spanish minister for the benefit of his nation, seems most justly to entitle the King to a like return from the court of Madrid, especially as all that is desired by us is to see commerce put on the same foot it was before the war, and as we are justly entitled by treaty to demand it.

I have wrote to you so much already on (3.) the omission of the specific renewal of the treaty of 1715 in the last definitive treaty, that I shall not repeat what I have already wrote. But as you

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mention, in your despatch to me of the 14 of April, a conversation between you and M. Ensenada on that subject, and a hint thrown out by him of their having omitted things of great consequence to them in the guaranty of the Infant's possessions in Italy, and likewise your desire of knowing his Majesty's sentiments, whether these matters may be balanced one against the other, I must now acquaint you with the difficulties that occur to the King in the carrying this thought of M. Ensenada

into execution.

These difficulties must arise from the necessity there will be, in case any alteration in the guaranty

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should be attempted, to take all the contracting parties to the last definitive treaty along with us; and I must leave you to judge what good fruit could be expected from such a negotiation, when France, our great rival in trade, shall see it in the light of obtaining the renewal of an advantageous commercial treaty to us, from that power over whom they have so long had an ascendant, and which they are at present so jealous of losing. There might many more arguments be made use of towards showing the impracticability of that scheme, such as disgusting the Empress Queen, the King of Sardinia, &c.; but I shall dwell no more on this subject, as it was only an idea of M. Ensenada loosely thrown out in conversation.

I must now give you his Majesty's orders, what he would have you do in this affair, which he considers to be of so serious a nature with regard to the commerce of his subjects, that he would have you leave no stone unturned in order to obtain from the Spanish court either an avowal of the actual and virtual existence of this treaty of 1715, though it is not actually enumerated by name among the treaties renewed; or, if that cannot be obtained, that you should immediately set to work with the Spanish ministers, in order to frame a new treaty of friendship and commerce upon the footing and plan of that of 1667, the usage in Charles the Second of Spain's time, and the treaties of Utrecht and 1715.

If either of these can be obtained, I think the last point I am to mention to you, and which was

likewise thrown out by M. Ensenada,-I mean (4.) the settling the points depending between the two nations, and the freedom of navigation,-will meet with little difficulty, as I know of no points depending except commercial ones; and I think the freedom of navigation is clearly on our side, by the treaties now indisputably existing. Besides, it is to be hoped, that in case the trade with Old Spain could be put on this footing, the contraband trade with the Spanish West Indies, the great bone of contention between the two nations, and the cause of most of the wars that have happened betwixt them, might be kept under without the Spaniards taking such violent measures, by means of their guarda costas, in searching our ships and committing such depredations on our merchants as were the causes of the last war.

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I am, &c. &c.

BEDFORD.

HENRY FIELDING TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

My Lord,

Bow Street, July 3. 1749.

The protection which I have been honoured with receiving at the hands of your Grace, and the goodness which you was pleased to express some time since towards me, embolden me to mention to your Grace the place of solicitor to the excise is

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now vacant by the death of Mr. Selwyn. I hope no person is better qualified for it, and I assure you, my Lord, none shall execute it with more fidelity. I am at this moment busied in endeavouring to suppress a dangerous riot*, or I would have personally waited on your Grace, to solicit a favour which will make me and my family completely happy.

I am, &c.

H. FIELDING.

Sir,

THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO MR. KEENE.

Whitehall, July 13. 1749.

Having in my despatch to you of the 6th instant acknowledged the receipt of your letters by Jackson the messenger, and having then informed you that I would write in answer thereto fully this post, I am now to acquaint you that I have laid your several dispatches before his Majesty, who has been pleased to approve of your answers to M. Carvajal, and M. Ensenada, on the subject of the renewal of the treaty of 1715. It is his Majesty's pleasure you should still insist in the strongest

* Occasioned by the robbery of three sailors in a house of illfame they returned with a body of comrades, and nearly destroyed

the house, turning its inmates out naked. A guard of soldiers was sent from the Tilt Yard, but arrived too late.

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