L. DE BRUNSVIC

1756. Août.] 232 —

liETTRi: DlilX.

Le conseiller-pensionnaire à la Gouvernante. Entretien très vif avec Torke.

Hage, 27 Augustus 1756.

Doorlugtigste Koninglijke Princesse.

.... Ik heb ook brj mij gehad de H^ Yorcke, dewelke al vrij wat viff was en ik in den beginne niet minder, hem seggende dat ik klaer sag uyt d'argumenten van inconveniencie in Engeland, dat hetzij men de 6000 man gegeeven had, hetselfde soude sijn geweest; en seyde mij off wij de convoyen verdubbelde , tripliceerde of quadi upliceerde, sij het souden maintineren, en soo men sig daeraen niet konde submisseren, men sig maer in staet moest stellen; dat hij konde gaen na sijn vaderland om te dienen, enfin daer quam haest niets anders uyt als in effecte om ons te onderwerpen aen Engeland of te moeten oorlogen. Om de saeken niet meer en meer te verergeren, heb ik het aen mijn zijde wat laeten sakken en wij sijn tamelike goede vriende gescheiden, denkende hier oock van geen het rainste gebruik verder te maken, waerom ik oock geen protocol voor de conferentien van heb gemaakt, als wanneer er nog al meer soude moeten inkomen, hetwelk ik passeer om U. K. H. niet te verveelen ....

p. STEYN.

liETTRE DliX.

Holdernesse à Yorke. Mémoire présenté par Hop. Celui-ci a rapporté très défectueusement ses conversations avec Holdernesse.

Whitehall, le 27 Août 1756.

Sir!

I received on monday last the favour of your letters^) of the 17 and 20 instant and hâve laid them before the King.

In consequense of the resolution of their High Mightinesses *) of which you sent me a copy in your letter of the 20*^, M^ Hop has presented a mémorial addressed to his Majesty, almost in the terms of that resolution , to which I hâve his Majestys commands to prépare an answer as soon as possible, and though I am not at présent prepared to enter into a minute discussion upon the contents of that extraordinary pièce, I cannot help observiug to you, that your States seem to hâve eluded the true state of the question and only reason upon the ténor of the marine-treaty of 1674, without taking any notice of the réquisition His Majesty has made for the exécution of that of 1678; and I see very plainly, that a great part of that mémorial is founded upon M"^. Hop's letters, in which it appears that he has grossly misapprehended what has passed in conversation between him and me and he has only sent an account of part of what I said to him, without entering into the argument itself or applying my words to the sensé which I intented them. My way of reasoning with

1) Manquent.

*) La résolution du 19 Août 1756. Cf. Resol. Stat. Gen., 1756, p. 444.

him was that treaties must be mutually observed between contracting powers, that, consequently, if the Dutch either could not, or would not comply with the engagements of the treaty of 1678, it would be unjust and unreasonable to expect the King should comply with that of 1674; that, consequently, as neither of thèse treaties could, in the présent situation of affairs, be executed, His Majesty, inorder to préserve the friendship of the States General, would agrée to a reasonable modification or a suspension of both; that in the mean time His Majesty would, in compliance with the letter of his engagements, deliver up the Dutch ships that had been taken, and strictly forbid the seizure of any more during the space of 2 months, given bij the treaty of 1678 to the States General for mediating an accomodation; that term expired, if no reasonable proposai was made from HoUand, His Majesty would hâve a right to break thro' the treaty of 1674 in case that of 1678 was not complied with; as to ships laden with naval stores, it was impossible His Majesty could, consistently with His own safety, suffer his ennemies to be supplied with those comodities; which, tho' not enumerated among contraband goods, were evidently intented to be hostilely employed againt His Majesty, particularly as the King saw so little appearauce that the défensive treaties would be executed on the part of Holland. And hère I must take notice, that the States in their resolution are quite silent upon the manner in which those ships are treated; for not only the freight of the goods is paid to the navigator, but the full prices of the goods themselves are to be reirabursed to the neutral proprietor, a point which M^ Hop seems ne ver to hâve touched upoD in any of his letters, and thus you see that

235 [llbQ. Août.

Minister, by only inserting in his letters part of what I said to him, bas totally perverted tbe sensé and meaning of my words; and indeed, in tbe manner be bas extracted tbem, be seems to bave left neitber sensé nor meaning in tbem. But I sball say notbing more upon this point at présent, as I sball bave occasion upon it in a formai manner in a post or two ....

HOLDERNESSE

liETTRE DI.XI.

Newcastle à Yorke. Le commerce des Hollandais.

Newcastle bouse Aug. 27 1756,

Dear Sirl

I bave tbis morning received from Mylord Cbancellor your paper relating to tbe treaty of 1674 and tbe reasons for entering into a négociation witb tbe Dutcb upon it. Allow me, witb tbe sincerity tbat I always write to you witb, to observe tbat tbe arguments, used in tbat paper to sbew bow mucb more adviseable it would be to come to an amicable agreement tban to risk a rupture and fling tbe Republick into tbe scale against us, are unanswerable and must occurr to every body. But we are not at ail advanced by tbat. I was in bopes you would bave proposed some metbod of doing it. Allow me also witb tbe same freedom to observe, tbat you eitber do not quite understand tbe point or are unwilling to enter intoit in tbe same ligbt, because you saw beforeband tbat it was impossible to find an expédient for it. You amuse yourselves about counterband and coas-

1756. Août] 236 —

ting-trade, or your new word caboutage. Those are but small objects, and might easily be accommodated. The great and single point is, that the Dutch ships shall not cover and protect the French trade; that is, in other words, that France shall not carry on their trade in time of war more advantageously for them, than they can do in time of peace; by which means they need not be at any expence for insurance. They would hâve ail their seamen to man their navy; we should by that means se on see them superior to us at sea and we should not hâve perhaps the only means of getting out of this cursed war by distressing their trade and ruining their merchants. If you can find any expédients for this, I shall most readily come in and support it. This is, and ever has been, almost the whole question ; this I told you some months ago, tho' you would not give any attention to it. If the Dutch would be contented to trade as freely for themselves, as they did, in time of war, we would readily and chearfuUy agrée to it. But if they would set up a new trade for the service of France and the desstruction of England, we can not give into it. If no expédient can be found, is any thing more reasonable than tacitly to agrée that the conditions of the treaty of 1674 being partial to Holland and those of 1678 partial to England the exécution of both treaties in those partial points shall reciprocally be suspended during this war with France and the same friendship subsist notwithstanding between two nations, whose interest is and ought to be inséparable? I hâve now given you my thoughts; makc what use of them you think proper ....

UOLLES NEWCASTLE.

— 237 — [1756. Août.