J. YORKE
93 [nb9. Jnin.
Uoldernease à Yorke. Négociations vaines avec les députés néerlandais.
Whitehall 19 June 1759.
Sir.
Yesterday morning I was again in conférence with their High Mightin. deputies, and in conformity to what I wrote to you by the last post, I communicated to them the substance of your letters of the 12*^^ instant. Nothing can equal the surprise they shewed at the language the Pensionary had held to you; they still persist that they hâve been guided by the instructions, which they received from the States, their masters; that they could hâve no other rule for their conduct; that they did not apprehend, that any letter from a minister of the Republick, contradictory to the orders of their sovereign (tho* they did not admit that they had received any such) could warrant them to deviate from the commands they had received from the States. They seemed particularly surprised, that the Pensionary should hâve laid so much stress upon this letter of the 6*'^ instant, which they owned they had received; but did not conceive how that letter could be supposed to operate upon their intention of presenting the Mémorial they delivered to me the 6*^ instant ; and they assured me they had received no letters of the 12*^^ from the Pensionary, notwithstanding his positive promise to you. Upon the whole, tho' they seemed greatly incensed against the Pensionary, they did not let drop any strong or harsh expression; they seemed very ready to hâve an explanation with him and rest satisfied, that according to their instructions, they could hâve acted no otherwise than they hâve done; and that, till they had other orders from the States, they could not desist from the prin-
1759. Jnin.] — 94 —
ciples laid down in their last Mémorial, uoi* from the points contained in their new Counter-Project. They admitted, however, that, imder the présent circumstances, when the Dutch ministers in Holland understood their instructions differently from what they themselves did, it was impossible to proceed in the négociation. And they tell me, they intend writing by this post to justify their own proceedings and to ask for such instructions as may bring this entangled pièce of business to some précision. I am ....
HOLDERNESSE
liETTRE DCCXXXIX.
Extrait d'une lettre de Holdernesse à Yorke, Mesures à prendre au sujet du transport de canons au profit de la France.
Whitehall June 26^^ 1759.
His Majesty having received ad vice from several quarters that his enemies had given large commissions in Holland for cannon and other warlike stores, to be transported thro' the territories of the Republicq to Dunkirk and other ports in France, where préparations are actually making for invading thèse kingdoras, the King has thought proper to direct the commanders of his ships of war, that are cruizing in the Channel, to be particularly strict in the examination of ail vessels that may be suspected to be carrying succour of that kind to the enemy. And it is His Majesty's pleasure that you should acquaint the Dutch ministers with thèse circumstances, desiring them to take the necessary measures to prevent their Bubjects from carrying on this counterband-trade ; and as it ÏH Hurmized that th(;ro is an intention of con-
95 — fl759. Juin.
veying cannon through the inland-parts of the country, you are to represent how inconsistent such a proceeding would be with the Neutrality, the Republick professes to maintain, the more so as the French ambassador at the Hague has avowed the intention of his Court to make a descent on thèse kingdoms.
Holdernesae à Yorke. Avis des conseillers intimes du Roi par rapport au contre-projet des commissaires néerlandais,
Whitehall June 26'^ 1759.
Sir
The King having been pleased to refer the Mémorial and Counter-project presented to me on the &-^ instant by the Dutch deputies, as also your subséquent correspondence to the considération of those Lords who are consulted on His Majesty's most secret affairs, I send you inclosed a copy of a minute, which was token at a meeting held at my house last night. I am . . . .
HOLDERNESSE
Voici la pièce envoyée à Yorke.
Arlington Street June 25**^ 1759.
Présent: Lord Président, Duke of Newcastle, Earl of Hardwick, Lord Viscount Ligonier, Lord Anson, Lord Mansfield, M*^ Secretary Pitt, Earl of Holdernesse.
Their Lordships took into considération the Mémorial and Counter-project presented by the Dutch deputies on the 6*^^^ instant to the Earl of Holdernesse, as also the subséquent correspondence with
General Yorke, and are humbly of opinion, that the Dutch deputies should be acquainted, „that His Majesty does not think fit to direct any answer to be given at présent to the Mémorial of the 6'^ of June, in expectation that the Dutch deputies will receive farther orders from the States upon this subject".
LETTRE DCCXLI.
Newcastle à W. Bentinck. Réponse à la lettre du 12(13) Juin, Conduite incompréhensible du conseiller-pensionnaire. Il faut envoyer d'autres instructions aux députés néerlandais. La réponse du conseiller-pensionnaire à d'Affry par rapport aux armements des Français pour attaquer les îles britanniques: Le devoir et l'intérêt de la République ne permettent pas d'abandonner l'Angleterre,
Newcastle House, June 29*^^ 1759.
Dear Sir.
I desired Major General Yorke to make my excuse to you for not having sooner answered the honor of your letter of the 12*^^, which I did not receive till Thursday the 21'** instant. I immediately communicated the whole to the King, and His Majesty was extremely pleased with it and very ready, at our friends désire, to suspend giving an answer to the very extraordinary and unexpected Mémorial and Contre-Projet delivered by the Dutch Deputies; and my Lord Holdernesse bas declared in form to those gentlemen, that His Majesty has suspended the giving any answer, at the désire of the Dutch Ministers at the Hague.
I conclude, Yorke will hâve read to you part of my letter to him by tho last post, by wliich you
— 97 — (1769. Juin.
will see that I own my self at a loss what to do or what to advise. The language of our friends in Holland and even of the Grand Pensionary is, and indeed has been, so contrary to every step, which the Dutch Deputies hâve taken hère, and to their manner of talking upon the subject (even such of them as seem the raost reasonable and the best intentioned), that I do not know what to make of it.
The Pensionary must either want courage or good intentions, or he would explain himself clearly to those gentlemen, blâme their past conduct and especially in this last instance, and give them such clear directions for the future, as might leave them without excuse, if they did not follow them. And I do verily believe, that hitherto that has not been the case; they are left to act according to their own judgements, without particular instructions. And in that case they think it the safest way to follow the formai instructions, which they had from the States General at their departure from Holland, and if they are not equally well inclined (which I will not prétend to say), this method of proceeding would give a great advantage to those, who may be the least wellinclined, to induce the rest not to vary from their formai instructions; and they hâve hinted, that even any private letter or order from the Ministers is not a sufficient authority for them to départ from the orders they are under, in form, from the States General; and therefore, if the Pensionary is sincère in the professions he makes to you and the rest of our friends, he must shew it by sending the Deputies such instructions as shall authorise and oblige them to alter the method of proceeding, in which they now are.
You know very well that it is not my province
4e Série IV. 7
1759. Juin.] — 98 —
to enter into thèse matters — the Secretary of State is the only person who does or can send the King's orders to His Majesty*s Minister at the Hague — but I Write to you as a private friend, I tell you my private thoughts as a well-wisher to the true and invariable interests of both countries. If they can be of any use to you I am glad of it; but I désire, nobody but my good friend the Greffier (to whom I beg my best compliments) may know that I even venture to write my thoughts to you, with whom I correspond sometimes as an old friend and by no means as a Minister.
M"" Boreel presses mightily that we would prépare a new Counter Project ; that is impossible, and if they wait for that, the negotiation will stand still. They hâve taken a very ill-advised and indeed very provoking step; they are blamed, I may say disavowed by the Ministers of the Republick, who, from their good intentions, desired that His Majesty would defer returning an answer, knowing well that any answer must be such as would not tend to accommodating our disputes, and promising also that they would, in case no answer was returned, endeavour to set every thing right. The King has done his part and has deferred returning any answer. It is therefore iucumbent upon the Ministers of the States to do their part also, and to send new instructions to their Deputies to proceed upon a quite différent loot, and if not to withdraw their Mémorial and Contre-Projet, at least to mention nothing more of them, but to proceed as if they had been never delivered. Thèse are my own thoughts; without this I see no good can arise from this negotiation. Thero is one lucky circuinstance: the déterminations in the Council of AppeaiN hâve disposed both parties to inake up their
— 99 — f"69. Juin.
disputes, and ships are released, by coDsent, every day. The Deputies ought to be instructed to promote it as much as possible, and indeed, to do them justice, I believe they do. On our part it must be owned that nothing that is proper to be done by us is omitted; and the very raethods we hâve taken for that purpose, are cited against us in the Mémorial of the Deputies, I may say with as little decency as gratitude. But this is only to yourself. I live very araicably with those gentlemen, I désire to do so; they are very civil and poiite, and if they were better instructed, I am persuaded they would act better.
I hâve often said to you, that I can never write to you without telling you my whole heart. You and I hâve never, till now, seen the time when France has dared to make a friendly communication to the Ministers of the States of Holland of their design to invade thèse kingdoms and endeavour to impose upon them, by gilding the pill, that it was not in support of the Pretender but a measure of war. Little did I think ever to hâve seen the Court of France dare to act sueh a part; but much less did I ever think to see a Grand Pensionary expressing, upon such an occasion, his satisfaction that the Pretender was not in the question, and by so doing acquiescing in the other part, viz. the invasion of His Majesty's dominions and swallowing the flimsey distinction of the Pretender's not being in question ^).
1) Probablement Newcastle avait puisé cette accusation contre le Conseiller -Pensionnaire dans une lettre de Yorke; cependant je n'ai trouvé ce témoignage de contentement ni dans les annotations du Conseiller-Pensionnaire sur ses conversations avec d'Affry (cf. p. 75) ni dans sa communication aux Etats de Hollande; le 19 Juin il avait dit aux Etats que d'Affry lui avait fait savoir que le roi de France
1769. Jain.] — IQO —
My dear friend, what is become of treaty, of regard to mutual interests and of those principles, which hâve ever united the two countries and which made the treaty of 1678; which is more valid than that of 1674 as being the last made and the antidote against the effects of the former, and which must be insisted upon, if the other is in the extensive sensé. Had any Freuch ambassador dared to hâve acquainted any minister of the Kiug with the design of France to invade the Republick of Holland, I know what would hâve been the fate of that minister, if he had net received such an insuit in the manner it deserved* You see, I write to a friend, but I cannot forbear stating the case to you, and I wish you would reflect, yourself with those upon whom you may absolutely dépend, and see what it may be right for the Republick to do in this situation, and whether she will calmly see the arms of France and ail her numerous allies employed to attack and to distress the King in ail parts of his dominions, both by sea and land; and then consider, if Providence does not support His Majesty against such a combined force, such numerous fleets and armies, which perhaps may be daily increased; consider then, I say, if His Majesty should be got the better of, what security will the Republick hâve for her religion and her liberties? Or how will any other Power in Europe be able to resist the influence and dictâtes of France? This is a serions considération — I am sure it has not escaped you. I know you will forgive me, my heart dictâtes what I Write, and I know I write to one, who is incapable of making an ill-use of it — ; is ail this to be risked
ferait faire une descento danH la Grande-Bretagne mais qu'on n'entreprendrait rien en faveur du Prétendant ou de la MaiHon de Stiiart (Secr. liewl. Holland, t. XII p 548).
— 101 — (1769. Juin.
to gratifie the mercantile views of some merchants, who either hâve or may wish to cover the effects of our ennemies, when we ought, by a most solemu treaty, to hâve always the same ennemies, and when it is évident that their own fair trade is and will be secured to them? And this sufficiently appears by the several déterminations of the Council of Appeals.
Tho' we know the extensive préparations, which are making against us, I hope, by the blessing of God, that His Majesty will be able to prevent any ill-effects from them; but however our friends ought not to leave us alone in such danger and in such a cause. If once France carries her point against the King, what becomes of the King of Prussia, what becomes of the Protestant interest and of the liberties of ail Europe? His Majesty, in conjunction with the King of Prussia, is the only bulwark and supporter of them ; and if the King should (which I trust in God will not be the case) be overpowered, the conséquences (universal chains, as I observed) are inévitable.
I should be glad to know your thoughts in this critical situation. We shall not want spirit hère; I wish you could infuse a little into our friends in HoUand. I am ....
HOLLES NEWCÀSTLE.
P. S. Pray say nothing of the contents of this letter but, in the greatest confidence, to the Greffier, and, if you think proper, to Prince Louis.
1759. Juillet.] 102 —
