knives, fciffars, and all the different articles included under the defcription of hardware and cutlery, as alfo all the other works of iron, fteel, copper, and brass, pure or mixed, or worked or mounted with other fubftances, shall pay ten per cent. ad valorem.

If either of the two fovereigns fhould think proper to admit the faid articles, or only fome of them, from any other nation, by reafon of their utility, at a lower duty, the fubjects of the other fovereign fhall be allowed to participate in fuch diminution, in order that no foreign nation may enjoy, in this refpect, any preference to theirdifadvantage. The works of iron, fteel, copper, and brafs above mentioned, are not to be understood to extend to bar iron or pig iron, or in general to any kind of iron, fteel, copper, or brafs, in the state of the raw mate

rial.

ARTICLE II.

"Their majefties having alfo ftipulated, in the 6th article, That for the better fecuring the due collection of the duties payable ad va lorem, which are specified in the tariff, they will concert with each other the form of the declarations to be made, and the proper means of preventing fraud with refpect to the real value of the goods and merchandizes," it is agreed, that each declaration thall be given in writing, figned by the merchant, owner, or factor, who anfwers for the merchandizes at their entry, which declaration fhall contain an exact lift of all the faid merchandizes, and of their packages, of the marks, numbers, and cyphers, and of the contents of each bale or cafe, and fhall certify that they are of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the

kingdom from whence they are im ported, and fhall also exprefs the true and real value of the faid merchandizes, in order that the duties may be paid in confequence thereof. That the officers of the custom-house where the declaration may be made fhall be at liberty to make fuch examination as they fhall think proper of the faid merchandizes, upon their being landed, not only for the purpofe of verifying the facts alledged in the faid declaration that the merchandizes are of the produce of the country therein mentioned, and that the ftatement of their value and quantity is exact, but also, for that of preventing the clandeftine introduction of other merchandizes in the fame bales or cafes; provided nevertheless, that fuch examinations fhall be made with every poffible attention to the convenience of the traders, and to the preferva tion of the faid merchandizes.

In cafe the officers of the customs fhould not be fatisfied with the valuation made of the merchandizes in the faid declaration, they fhall be at liberty, with the confent of the principal officers of the customs at the port, or of fuch other officer as fhall be appointed for that purpose, to take the faid merchandizes according to the valuation made by the declaration, allowing to the merchant or owner an overplus of 10 per cent. and refunding to him the duties he may have paid for the faid merchandizes. In which cafe the whole amount fhall be paid, without delay, by the cuftom-houfe of the port, if the value of the effects in queftion fhall not exceed four hundred and eight livres tournois, or twenty pounds fterling; and within fifteen days at latest, if their value fhall exceed that fum.

And

And if doubts fhould happen to arife refpecting the value of the faid merchandizes, or the country of which they are the produce, the of ficers of the customs at the port fhall come to a determination thereupon with all poffible difpatch, and no greater fpace of time thall be employed for that purpose, in any cafe, than eight days, in the ports where the officers who have the principal direction of the customs refide, and fifteen days in any other port whatsoever. It is fuppofed, and understood, that the merchandizes admitted by the present treaty fhall be refpectively of the growth, produce, or manufactures of the dominions of the two fovereigns in Europe.

Tooblige the traders to be accurate in the declarations required by the prefent article, as alfo to prevent any doubt that might arife on that part of the 10th article of the faid treaty, which provides that if any of the effects are omitted in the declaration delivered by the matter of the ship, they shall not be liable to confifcation, unless there be a manifeft appearance of fraud; it is underftood, that in fuch cafe, the faid effects shall be confifcated, unless fatisfactory proof be given to the officers of the cuftoms that there was not any intention of fraud.

ARTICLE III.

In order to prevent the introduction of callicoes manufactured in the Eaft Indies, or in other countries, as if they had been manufactured in the refpective dominions of the two fovereigns of Europe, it is agreed, that the callicoes manufactured in the faid dominions, for exportation from one country to the other refpectively, thall have at. the two ends of each piece a particular mark, woven VOL. XXIX.

in the piece, to be fettled in concert by the two governments, of which mark the refpective government fhall give nine months previous notice to the manufacturers; and the faid mark fhall be altered from time to time, as the cafe may require. It is further agreed, that until the faid precaution can be put in execution the faid callicoes mutually exported fhall be accompanied by a certificate of the officers of the customs, or of fuch. other officers as fhall be appointed for that purpofe, declaring that they were fabricated in the country from whence they were exported, and alfo that they are furnished with the marks already prescribed in the refpective countries, to diftinguish fuch callicoes from those which come from other countries.

enemies of either of the high contracting parties any prohibited article, denominated contraband; and the faid article is not to hinder the examinations of the officers of cuftoms, for the purpofe of preventing illicit trade in the refpective dominions.

ARTICLE VI. Their majefties having ftipulated, by the forty-third article of the faid treaty, that the nature and extent of the functions of the confuls fhould be determined," and that a convention relative to this point fhould be concluded immediately after the fignature of the prefent treaty, of which it fhould be deemed to confitute a part," it is agreed that the faid ulterior convention fhall be fettled within the space of two months, and that, in the mean time, the confuls general, confuls, and vice'confuls, fhall conform to the ufages which are now obferved, relative to. the confulfhip, in the respective dominions of the two fovereigns; and that they fhall enjoy all the privileges, rights, and immunities belonging to their office, and which are allowed to the confuls general, confuls, and vice-confuls, of the moft favoured nation.

ARTICLE VII. It fhall be lawful for the fubjects of his Britannic majefty to profecute their debtors in France, for the recovery of debts contracted in the dominions of his faid majefty, or elsewhere, in Europe, and there to bring actions against thein, in conformity to the practice of law in ufe in the kingdom: provided that there fhall be the like ufage in favour of French fubjects, in the

ARTICLE VIII.

The articles of the prefent convention fhall be ratified and confirmed by his Britannic majefty, and by his Moft Christian majefty, in one month, or fooner, if it can be done, after the exchange of fignatures between the plenipotentiaries.

In witness whereof, we the minitters plenipotentiary have figned the prefent convention, and have caufed the feals of our arms to be fet thereto.

Done at Verfailles, the Fifteenth of January, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eightyfeven.

WM. EDEN, (L. S.) GRAVIER de VERGENNES, (L.S)

miffion of the Comte de Goertz having, to my great regret, not anfwered the end propofed, I cannot neglect the recall of that minifter any longer. I charged him to affure your high mightineffes again, that I defired nothing more warmly than the repose and profperity of your republic. And I am, with confideration and friendship, the good friend and neighbour of your high mightinelles. (Signed)

FREDERIC WILLIAM. and underneath, FINKENSTEIN HERTSBERG. Berlin, Jan. 27, 1787.

The Speech of his Grace Charles Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to both Honfes of Parliament, Jan. 18, 1787.

My Lords and Gentlemen, HAD hoped, that upon the prefent occafion of meeting you again in parliament, it would have been in my power to have announced to you the entire fuppreffion of thofe commotions which in fome parts of the kingdom have difturbed the general tranquillity, Under the prefent circumftances I am perfuaded, by my confidence in the accuftomed proofs of your wifdom and zeal, that I fhall receive from you whatever affiftance may be neceffary for the more effectual vindication of the laws, and the protection of fociety. Your uniform regard for the rights of all your fellow-fubjects, and your zealous attachment to the religious and civil conftitutions of your country, will ftimulate your attention to their infeparable interefts, and will enfure

your especial support of the eftablifhed church, and the respectable fituation of its minifters.

Gentlemen of the House of Com

mons,

I have directed the proper officers to lay the national accounts before you: and I trust you will make the neceffary provifions for the exigencies of the ftate, and the honourable fupport of his majesty's government.

My Lords, and Gentlemen,

An a&t was passed in the last sesfion of the British parliament for the further increafe of fhipping and navigation. You will, I doubt not, take proper measures to confirm to this country a full participation of its advantages.

I have the fatisfaction to inform you, by the king's command, that his majefty has concluded a treaty of navigation and commerce with the Moft Chriftian king. A copy of this treaty will be laid before you, in which you will not fail to obferve the attention which is paid to the interests of this kingdom; and I trust that your adoption of it here, by fuch laws as may be requifite to give it effect, will be attended with real benefit to the country, by fuccefsfully encouraging the efforts of her induftry and emulation.

The trade and manufactures, and particularly the linen manufacture. of this kingdom; the proteftant charter fchools, and other public inftitutions for charitable purposes, will not fail to engage your constant care and encouragement: and I hope that fome liberal and extenfive plan for the general improvement [S] a

of

of education will be matured for an early execution.

A longer acquaintance with this country ftrengthens my anxious withes for its welfare; and I fhall experience the moft fenfible gratification, if in my administration of the king's government, I can, with a fuccefs in any degree correfpondent to those withes, accomplish his majesty's earnest defire to promote and fecure the happiness and profperity of Ireland.

The Speech of the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland, to his Grace the Lord Lieutenant, on prefenting the Money Bills at the Bar of the House of Lords, March 17, 1787.

May it pleafe your Grace,

TH

HE wifdom of the principle which the commons have eftablished and perfevered in, under your grace's aufpices, of preventing the further accumulation of national debt, is now powerfully felt throughout the kingdom, in its many beneficial confequences-public credit has gradually rifen to a height unknown for many years - agriculture has brought in new fupplies of wealth-and th merchants and manufacturers are each encouraged to extend their efforts, by the security it has given them, that no new taxes will obftruct the progress of their works, or impede the fuccefs of their fpeculations.

Such is the happy fituation of this kingdom from the fupport which your grace's conftant and zealous care has given to the operation of that principle; and this fituation is peculiarly fortunate at the prefent period, when his majefty's gracious

attention to the interefts of his people has opened new objects of manufacture, and new channels of commerce to their industry.

Happy, however, as our fituation is, we know that all its bleffings will be a vain expectation, if a spirit of outrage and oppofition to law fhall prevent internal industry, and depreciate the national character; we have, therefore, applied ourselves to form fuch laws as muft, under the firmnefs and juftice of your grace's government, effectually and fpeedily fupprefs that lawless fpirit.

His majefty's faithful commons do now cheerfully continue all the prefent taxes; and having constantly experienced how well founded their confidence has been in your grace's prudent adminiftration of the public treasure, they do with the greater fatisfaction declare, that they give and grant them in the moft decided expectation, that by your grace's frugal and juft management of the public revenue, they will be rendered fufficient to anfwer the public expence, without the further accumulation of debt or increase of taxes.