LETTRE D€€CXXX1V

Bentinck à Newcastle. Importance du renouvellement des traités, sans entrer dans des négociations sur des changements de leurs textes.

Hague, march ') 1762.

Mylord.

I hâve received the letter your Grâce honoured me with of the 9^^ instant. When I wrote my letter the 23 of last month, I knew that by that same post Mr Boreel would receive a letter, upon which he would make the application which your Grâce mentions his having done. Aa this step was entirely conform to my way of thinking and had been prompted by me, I could not refuse my self the satisfaction of letting your Grâce (know) my private opinion and at the same time the principle on which I intend to proceed upon in the délibérations on this important point, which I was sure would meet with your approbation. I agrée with your Grâce that, notwithstanding the preponderancy of the reasons for the renewal of the treatys at présent, there is great weight on the other side; but that is the case in most political affairs, which otherwise would require no délibération at ail, and upon the whole I firmly remain of opinion the sooner the treatys subsisting between Engeland

') La date manque. Le document est une minute.

1762. Mars.] — 454 —

and the Republick, and lately avowed in the most authentick manner, are renewed according to an ancient uninterrupted custom, established between the Republick and great Britain alone among ail the Powers in Europe, the greater and the better the effect of this renewal will be towards your great end and mine, viz. the joining of old interests and coming together of old friends. I consider this renewal as a mattcr merely of form, and this time the most proper of any I mean to renew the treatys as they are without any négociation in any shape on the contents of them. Give me leave to forewarn your Grâce, that a négociation on thèse treatys with a design or under pretence of amélioration would infaillibly fall out contrary to your design or expectation and undo what you wish to see made up. I am so sure and so fully convinced of this, that I am deterrained never to consent to a négociation but rather putt off the renewal of the treatys or, going a step farther, dropp it quite and for ever, leaving things with Engeland as they are with ail the other powers of Europe. This is, I own, subject to many inconveniencys : it would affect the gênerai System and weaken the union between England and the Republick, which always has been and must for ever be the foundation of the civil and religions libertys of Europe. But as thèse grounds are strong enough and this basis solid enough to stand by it self, it is more safe and more prudent to trust for that to Providence, to events, to the évidence of truth and to the good sensé and prudence of our t'ollowers and successors, than to risk to overturn the whole by undoing what is HO well done, breaking an union which notwithstanding foreign and domestick factions and cabals, both hère and in Engeland, has been much shaken

— 455 — U762. Mars.

but not overset. If once you putt this machine in pièces to clean the wheels, you will never iive to see the pièces putt together again. What a handle would that give to the ennemys of the continental measures in England and of those in other countrys, who would be glad to see ridd of the Continent to gett ridd of you. In short, Mylord, M"^ Boreel has received a confirmation of the same orders to the same intent and propose, viz. to demand the renewal of the treatys as they are but not to negociate on their contents; and as to the time, a fortnight sooner or later may perhaps be of little or no importance; my private opinion, founded on the knowledge I hâve of our inward constitution, is that no time ought to be lost, and that in the présent situation of Europe, every day is precious; and in conséquence I will do my utmost efforts, and not without hopes and great appearance of success, to hâve M*^ Boreel instructed as he is already, as well as sufficiently authorised to go on upon the foot above meutioned.

LETTRE DCO€XXX¥.

W. Bentinck à Newcastle. Compliments. Réflexions sur le sens et l'application de l'adage „free ship, free gooda".

Hague, March ^ 1762.

Most private.

Mylord !

The letter your Grâce honoured me with of the 9th gave me certainly no less satisfaction than that which you are pleased to say that mine did to you. I must take this oportunity of letting your Grâce

^) La date manque; le document est une minute.

1762. Mars.] — 456 —

know, that per varies casus per tôt discrimina rerum I hâve always raaintained hère among my friends that you must, at length, at last gain the better by dint of truth, honour, constancy to your principles, above those who hâve continually fluctuated in their principles and conduct. I hâve been hooted and laughed at, but hâve as little minded it as you hâve done. For which, alone, I esteem you vastly. Event, by which alone half-witted people judge, has justifyed my opinion and has raised my crédit hère, as well as yours. I am realiy glad to see them rise together. I hâve ever since the death of your worthy brother M*^ Pelham (said), that whatever might be tryed or attempted against you, would at last be fruitless and defeated. My chief argument, on which I layed the greatest stress (one which was above the compréhension of vulgar capacitys), was your never having varyed in your principles from the year 1713, when you took your seat in the House of Peers, to this very day, by which steddyness you hâve forced your way thro' difficultys which otherwise would hâve been insuperable, and made your self master of the publick and private trust and confidence both at home and abroad. This is a triumph for my pénétration as well as for my friendship for you. In which latter I particularly indulge myself, because, at the same tirae that I folio w my principles of gratefulness and my inclination, I satisfy myself in what I owe to humanity, to Europe and to my country. If I was speaking to you as I am writing, I would say more than I dare committ to paper. But I will venture one question as a friend to a friend. What signifys: free ship, free goods? I mean as to the conséquences. Do not your own people furnish the French in America with what ever they want as much, if not more,

457 — U762. Mars.

fchan ours? What are ail your flags of truce but as many smugglers carrying provisions to the ennemy? In the year 1760 there were above 120 of them from your différent colonys in the French ports at S*^ Domingo alone. This I know with certainty. I remember that in the year 1756 among other reasons alledged by me and given in writing ') to the late Princess Royal in a conférence for taking our measures with England preferably to France, one principal one was that the article of free ship free goods would not ouly take place in effect, notwithstanding ail that might be ministerially said to the contrary to satisfy a parcel of avid, greedy, envious merchants, but it would even hâve had the protection of the British flag unobserved, and that the only différence would be that our smuggling and irregular traders would share with yours what otherwise yours would hâve alone. To the French it would be no différence. For, do what you will and alter your old treatys or make 500 new ones, you never can nor will keep the seas in the West-Indies clear of the counterbandtrade, which is practised by ail nations in spite of treatys and without which Jamaica nor Curaçao are not worth keeping. Upon this principle I would divide between Great Brittain and the Republick the trade of the whole uterraqueous globe, and remain maritime Powers *). But I would never risk such a great object for four words, as free ship, free goods, which look like very important, but signify nothing in comparison of that rauch greater object.

') Cf. t. II p. 643.

*) Ainsi dans le texte. Il faut insérer quelques mots; apparemment Bentinck veut dire, que l'Angleterre et la République seules seront des Puissances maritimes.

1762. Mars.] 458 —

They signify nothing neither in comparison of the treaty of 1678. For if once you begin to explain away 1674, there wili be people enough hère ready to explain away 1678, and there will in efîect remain nothing. If what I venture to say now, as from a friend to a friend, was uttered ministerially in a conférence, it might be misinterpreted as a threat or menace or looked upon a wild extravagant project and much too great and too extensive for the figure the Republick makes at présent, and therefore impossible. The first, I assure, is not my intention, and as to the second I deny it. And if it does not take place, *t is because France alone will prevent. And give me leave to offer your Grâce an opinion, perhaps not enough digested but which has at least some appearance of truth. I look upon England and (the Republick as) the two only trading Powers, where true commerce can be solidly established, and France as their only rival, too strong for each of them alone, but not jointly. This rivality is not relative to trade alone but extends upon the whole political System of Europe, where France can never gain or at least maintain the superiority she always aimed and still aims at, without the ressources of that trade, which I would hâve dépendant of ours jointly. So that our commercial as well as our political interest is in my opinion absolutely the same. I wish that either this principle was refuted, if I am mistaken, or followed, if I am in the right.

— 459 — [1762. Mars.

BCCCXXXTI.

Traduction d^un P. S. à la lettre du Comte de Gaunitz au Baron de Heischach daté Vienne le 3 Mars 1762 et dicté comme il suit par Mr de Heischach au Duc Louis de Brunsvic le 16 Mars 1762^). Réponse de la Cour de Vienne aux tentatives de rapprochement du gouvernement anglais

Si on veut considérer attentivement le contenu (les mémoires qui ont été remis de part et d'autre à la Cour d'Angleterre dans l'année 1755 et surtout si on veut relire avec attention le plan que M"^ le Comte Charles de Colleredo a communiqué au Ministère *), il en résultera qu'on conviendra que nous avons déjà commencé dans ce tems-là à prévoir et à connoitre notre propre danger. Mais la conduite de l'Angleterre nous a dans la suite entièrement ouvert les yeux et il n'y a rien de plus naturel, que chaque Puissance prenne d'avance ses mesures pour sa propre conservation. Dans ces circonstances je dois vous avouer que S. M. I. et son ministère ne peuvent point comprendre ce que l'ouverture confidentielle, que S. A. S. le Duc L. de Brunsvic vous a fait *) au sujet des désirs des Anglois, signifie proprement, et par conséquent il est aisé à comprendre qu'on ne se trouve pas ici en état de pouvoir y faire une réponse. Vous communiquerez ceci aussi en confidence à Sadite Altesse.

') Ce document fut envoyé à Yorke par le prince Louis le 15 Mars 1762. Il a été publié imparfaitement dans The Ristory of England from the accession of King George the third to the conclusion of peace in 1783, de John Adolphus (4e éditon, 1817), t. I p. 477 Le texte original, en allemand, chez Arneth, Maria Theresia, t. VI p. 475.

») Cf. t. II p. 526.

=•) Cf. p. 420.

1762. Avril.] — 460 —

DCCCXXXVII.

Notes de W. Bentinck. Informations du, prince Louis sur ce gui s'était passé entre Bute et l'envoyé prussien à Londres par rapport aux offres faites par l'intermédiaire du prince Louis. On ne peut pas se fier à Bute; liaisons entre celui-ci et Boreel. Ignorance incroyable du conseiller-pensionnaire.

Jeudi, 1 Avril 1762.

Le Prince Louis dit au Greffier, à Bleiswyk et à moi, que Yorke lui avoit dit que par la dernière poste du 26 mars il avoit reçu une lettre d'office, dans laquelle Mylord Bute lui envoyoit pour son information une réponse donnée en forme à un discours tenu par le Ministre du Roi de Prusse à Londres ^). Autant que j'ai pu retenir et comprendre, le Ministre de Prusse auroit dit que le Roi son maître avoit été informé directement de Vienne et aussi par une Puissance neutre, de la démarche faite par le Prince Louis à Vienne pour ramener cette Cour et lui faire voir son avantage à se détacher de la Maison de Bourbon par des offres d'acquisitions, comme aussi de la réponse que la Cour de Vienne avoit fait parvenir par M'" de Reischach au Prince Louis; surquoi Mylord Bute auroit donné au Ministre de Prusse des éclaircissements ou informations tant sur la première démarche que sur la réponse et une relation de ce qui avoit été écrit par Yorke sur ce sujet, dont le total et chacune des parties étoit absolument altéré et faux; que Yorke étoit outré de ceci, surtout par rapport à ce qu'il avoit écrit, ses dépêches pouvant justifier le contraire; laissant du reste au Ministre en Angleterre

•) Cf. MU. Corr. tViedr. d. Or. t. XXI p. 858.

— 461 ~ [1762. Avril.

ses propres paroles à sa façon. Le Prince Louis ajouta qu'il plaignoit le Duc de Newcastle, qui alloit un train et suivoit des principes fixes, d'avoir à faire à un ministre pareil et tel que Bute. Il appréhendoit les liaisons de Bute et de Boreel et leurs conséquences et penchoit à faire revenir Boreel le plutôt possible. Surquoi ayant été question si ces liaisons de Boreel et de Bute, et le profit que le Conseiller Pensionaire et le reste du parti françois en tireroient, ne contrebalanceroient pas chez M'^ Steyn les idées d'oeconomie et ne l'engageroient pas à préférer un plus long séjour de Boreel à son retour, qui épargneroit de l'argent, il fut conclu qu'il étoit plus probable que l'oeconomie l'emporteroit et feroit fermer les yeux à des objets plus étendus, surtout M"^ Steyn étant si peu informé même de ce qui est à la Haye et si ignorant, qu'il avoit du tems de l'expédition contre Belle Isle demandé au Greffier et à moi ensemble si Belle-Isle étoit en Amérique, et avant-hier au Greffier et à moi, aussi ensemble, si le Comte de la Marmora') n'étoit pas Ministre de Portugal. Quelque peu vraisemblables que ces faits paroissent, ils sont vrais.

LETTRE DCCCXXXTIII.

Louis de Brunsvic à W. Bmtinck. Envoi d'une relation de Newcastle sur sa démission.

Ce 4 Juin 1762.

Monsieur !

Voici la copie du papier du Duc de Newcastle envoyé à Yorke. J'ai eu toutes les peines du monde

1) Le comte F de la Marmora, envoyé du roi de Sardaigne à la Haye; il fut rappelé en 1763. Cf. Resol. Stat. Qen. 1763 le 3 Oct. (p. 614).

1762. Juin.] 462 —

à l'obtenir et encore sous promesse de ne dire à personne que je l'ai reçu de lui. J'ose donc prier, Monsieur, de n'en faire aucune mention à Yorke et de me renvoyer la pièce quand vous n'en aurez plus besoin.