I.ETTRI: DCCCXXXII

W. Bentinck à Newcastle Le renouvellement des traités existant entre l'Angleterre et la République.

Hague february 23 1762.

Mylord.

Give me leave without any further preamble to tell you my mind on a point of the utraost importance. I mean the renewing of the treatys subsisting between Great Britain and this Republick ^). It is uow the time, our Embassador is sufficiently instructed and authorised. It is, I own, a matter of mère form

') Boreel était chargé de faire des propositions à ce sujet, mais jusqu'à ce moment le gouvernement anglais n'avait pas voulu entrer en négociations. Cf. Secr. Res. Rolland, t. XIII p. 85.

4e Série. IV. 29

17«2. Pévrier.l — 450 —

and ceremony, and our treatys are not between the King personally and the Republick, which would make a pactum claudicans, as the lawyers call it, since a King is raortal and a Republick never dyes, but between the Crown and the Republick. It is for very wise and good reasons, that the method has been introduced in former times of renewing at the beginning of each reign the treatys between the Crown of Great Britain and the Republick, and this isnotobserved nor practised with any other power in Europe. It would take up too much of your Grâces time as well as of raine at présent to enter into a détail of the reasons which induce me to write this letter, which your Grâce may perhaps easily guess and which make me heartily wish to hâve this point settled and rivetted before any unforeseen accident causes any delay or encumbrance. I flatter my self that your Grâce will do justice enough to my judgment as well as to my principles to believe, that it is not without good reason that I take this step. I most sincerely congratulate your Grâce on the new turn affairs begin to take in the north ') ; the conséquences of which are much dreaded by the Court of France. And the French Embassador hère cannot conceal his perplexity 80 justly grounded on the influence this must necessarily hâve on the new treaty between the branches of the House of Bourbon and the great projects which might arise out of it. I wish your Grâce health and strength to go on rigorously in your honourable and glorious carreer. I shall always look

') La mort de l'impératrice Elisabeth de Russie, la HUCcesHion au trône de Pierre III le 5 Janvier 1762, et les Hentiments manifestés bientôt par celui ci. Cf. Schdfer, ouvr. cU. t. m p, 4&1 ; Von Ruville, ouvr. cU. t. III p. 48 svv.

— 451 — [ÏÏ62. Février.

upon you and apply to you as the man for restablishiog and maintaining the System and principles fiom which I never will départ. I am . . . .

W. BENTINCK

LETTBi: DCCCX XXIII.

Newcastle à W. Bentinck. Sur le renouvellement des traUés; la difficulté de l'article „free ahip free goods".

Newcastle House March 9'^ 1762.

Dear Sir.

I must return you my sincère thanks for your two very kind letters and particularly for the last of the 23 of last month. Your confidence does me honour and pleasure; and the justice you do me in thinking I am the same faithful friend and servant to you, and retain the same principles as to the respective interest of the two countrys in particular and of Europe in gênerai gives me the greatest satisfaction.

I hâve not failed to make the best use I could of your last letter for the renewal of our treatys, always usual in the beginning of a new reign. Ând tho' I do admitt there is some weight in the reasons which are given for the suspending at présent, in my private opinion those for the renewal preponderate. I find M^ Boreel has made an application in form ') ; he seems not dissatisfyed with the answer, which I am sure is not meant with any disregard or ill will

1) Cf. Secr. Res. Stat. Gen. le 10 Mars 1762. (Archives du royaume).

1762. Mars.] 452 —

towards the Republick; on the contrary, for what I myself hâve heard and seen, I am firmly persuadad tbat the King has a warm affection for the RepubHck and for the interest of his cousin the Stadholder, and that His Majesty means and wishes the strictest union between this country and the Republick, and think I know that thèse are his principles, and, I dare say, wili be the practice of those, who hâve the greatest weight with his Majesty.

But the difficulty at présent arises from the famous article free ship, free goods, and it is thought that, if the treaties were to be renewed in the middle of war, some notice must be taken of that article, and perhaps in the présent situation of Europe, when the House of Bourbon threatens ail the independent Powers in Europe, and amongst the first of them the Republick of Holland, it might be expected that some notice should be taken and some stress laid upon the treaty of 1678, by which each Power is obliged, after a certain time and that ail good offices hâve been employed to no purpose, to déclare war themselves against the Power at war with the other part.

I said before, my partiality to every thing that carrys with it the apparence of union, especially at this time, makes me think that the reasons for the renewal preponderate. But I cannot but admit, that there is great weight on the other side also. The great turn in the North will, I hope, put a happy and speedy end to the war, at least to the German part of it. And if the Pacte de Famille of the House of Bourbon should give the alarm it ought to ail other Powers of Europe, old interest may again join and old friends come together, and Count Eaunitz's great objecta and schemeu be at last at an end.

I beg y ou to make my best compliments to Prince

— 453 — U762. Mars.

Louis and to my old and much esteeraed friend the Greffier. The Dutchess of Newcastle send you her kind compliments. I am ....

HOLLES NEWCASTLE.