ALL the enemies of England received this de claration with enthufiaftic applause. The neutral powers extolled its wisdom, justice, and magnanimity. Sweden alone, under the influence of France, requested from the court of Petersburgh some explanations of its tendency, which were calculated to render the terms additionally hoftile. Spain was the first of the belligerent powers which rotified acceffion to the principles of this unprecedented state paper. France warmly commended the new fyftem, declaring its principles to be fubftantially thofe which Louis XVI. had made war for the purpose of maintaining. Great Britain alone returned a civil but fomewhat fullen anfwer, vindicating her own conduct during the war, and declaring the readiness of her courts of admiralty to render perfect juftice in every cafe of complaint. SUCH a war as that wherein Great Britain was engaged must be carried on with manifeft difadvantage, if fhe was prevented from depriving the enemy of thofe fuccours on which the fuccefs of their naval operations fo materially depended. Sir James Harris ufed every exertion in remonftrating with the emprefs against the new rules of maritime law; but though he fucceeded in convincing her that she had been duped by France and Pruffia into the adoption of a measure, which, under the pretence of neutrality, was hostile to England, he could not induce her to recede. She alleged her promifes publicly given for its fupport, and was befide flattered with the expectation of permanent glory, as the author of a new claufe in the code of univerfal jurifprudence. DENMARK and Sweden having acceded to the new fyftem, which accorded with their scheme of commerce, the king of Pruffia ufed every artifice to inflame the emprefs, and excite her to more refolute efforts. He caufed inceffant representations to be made against the violation of the laws of neutrality in the capture of count Byland's fleet, and vainly endeavoured to engage Catherine to guarantee by treaty the poffeffions of Holland, in every part of the globe, as a mean of protecting the Dutch against the confequences to be apprehended from the growing differences with England. Although foiled in this attempt, he commenced an infidious negotiation to be included in the armed neutrality, hoping eventually to find fome pretence for a complaint against England, and involve all Europe in a general flame. This propofition was for fome time eluded, but Frederick ultimately found means to be included in the league. His influence at the court of Petersburgh had, however, in the mean time greatly declined. The emprefs was dazzled by his exalted reputation, cajoled by his flatteries, and had been in fome meafure benefited by his intrigues; but his perfonal influence was now dangerously rivalled by the emperor of Germany, for whom Catherine daily profeffed an increasing esteem. These two great potentates, early in the year, had an interview at Mohilow, on the frontiers of Poland; a difcuffion of their mutual interefts produced mutual confidence and efteem; and an important fecret treaty was concluded between them. As the views of Pruffia manifeftly tended to the advantage of France, and prejudice of Auftria, every circumstance favourable to the emperor, was proportionately injurious to the Pruffian monarch. His intrigues were now difregarded; and his agent Panin ineffectually endea voured to inftil into the mind of Catherine projects favourable to his views. The prince royal of Pruffia, foon after the meeting at Mohilow, was fent to Peterf burgh for the purpose of effacing the impreffion made by the emperor of Germany. France contributed to the magnificence of his establishment by a loan of four hundred thousand crowns; but his reception was fo cold, that he returned to Berlin difappointed, diffatisfied, and difgufted; public civilities, and oftentatious entertainments, made no compenfation for his failure • Afterward Frederick William II. CHA P. XL. 1780. CHAP. in the principal objects of his journey, the establishment of a high political character, and revival of an advantageous afcendancy h. XL. 1780. Capture of 3d Sept. Difcovery between Holland and America. 6th Oct. MEANWHILE the ftate of fullen diffatisfaction which occafioned the abolition of the ancient connexion between Great Britain and Holland, refolved itself into active hoftility: the mystery which had covered the views and conduct of the Dutch was difpelled by accident; and the court of Great Britain was impelled to a firm and decifive mode of conduct, as well in refentment of past treachery, as with a view to counteract the effects of the neutral league. The Vestal frigate, commanded by captain Keppel, took near the banks of Newfoundland a congrefs packet. The papers were thrown over-board; but, by the intrepidity of an English failor, recovered with little damage. They fully proved the perfidy of the Dutch, who before the existence of any dispute with Great Britain had entered into a formal treaty of amity and commerce with the revolted Colonies, fully recognizing their independence, and containing many ftipulations highly injurious to England, and beneficial to her enemies both in Europe and America. Difagreements on some of the arrangements had occafioned delays in its completion, but Henry Laurens, late prefident of the congrefs, who was one of the paffengers in the captured veffel, was authorized to negotiate definitively, and entertained no doubt of fuccefs. On his arrival in London, Mr. Laurens was exainined before the privy council, and on his refufal to answer interrogatories, committed to the Tower. On this fubject I have confulted the ftate papers, printed in the periodical works of the time, and collected in an 8vo vol. publifhed by Hatchard, 1801. The Life of Catherine II. Eton's Survey of the Turkish Empire, chap. x. Lord Liverpool's difcourfe on the Cond, of the Government of Great Britain in refpect to Neutral Nations, ed. 1801, with a new preface; the Letters of Sulpieius on the Northern Confederacy; and an ampie official Correfpondence on all the political tranfactions. I have alfo been favoured with much private information. i It was dated 4th September 1778, foon after the commencement of hoftilities between England and France; and several days before the first complaints prefented by the Dutch merchants, THE XL. 1780. THE first discovery of this transaction occafioned a CHA P. great fenfation in Holland, where the people perceived, with furprise and indignation, that they were delivered, by factious agents, into the hands of France, and involved in a secret treaty for efpoufing an uncertain cause, at the expense of inevitable hoftility with an old ally. These fentiments would have been highly favourable to the ftadtholder, had he not negligently fuffered the opportunity to pafs; but the oppofing faction boldly avowing their agency, and making their utmost exertions to gain partifans, reaped the advantages of a decifive conduct, and fecured a protection against the confequences of investigation. on the fub SIR JOSEPH YORKE prefented a memorial, com- 10th Nov. plaining of the hoftile treaty, demanding from the Memorials ftates prompt fatisfaction, a difavowal of conduct fo jact. irregular and repugnant to the most facred engagements, and the conftitution of Batavia; and the exemplary punishment of Van Berkel and his accomplices, as disturbers of the public peace, and violators of the law of nations. This memorial producing no 12th Dec. effect, the British embassador presented another in terms ftill more cogent and definitive, announcing that a denial of justice, or evasion of the demand by filence, would be followed by hoftile extremities. This remonstrance alfo failing, a royal manifefto was 20th. iffued, declaring hoftilities against Holland, and ex- War deplaining, in clear and fatisfactory terms, the king's motives; count Welderen was ordered to withdraw 29th. from the English court, and fome papers which, just before his departure, he attempted to deliver, were refufed by the secretary of ftate, because the accuftomed relation between the two countries had ceased, and with it the official and the accredited character of the embaffador'. * The penfionary Van Berkel, and De Neufville of Amfterdam, who framed and executed the treaty, were principal fupporters of the French party in Holland. Taken from the papers published by authority and official correfpondence. clared. VOL. III. X THE CHAP. XL. 1780. Meffage to Parlia ment. THE rupture with Holland was announced to parliament by a royal meffage, immediately after the recefs. The public indignation was fufficiently excited, by the 25th Jan. malignity and ingratitude of Holland, to render the war popular, and the vigour and promptitude of the preparations afforded general fatisfaction. The meffage was, nevertheless, debated with great warmth in both houses, and amendments moved to the addresses. The members of oppofition infifted that the infolence of the memorial prefented by Sir Jofeph Yorke in 1777, had been more efficacious in alienating the Dutch from Great Britain, than all the gold and intrigues of France. They maintained, that the paper found in the pofeffion of Mr. Laurens, was only a project or draft of an incomplete treaty, referring for its future accomplishment to events yet undecided. Ministers were blamed with asperity for the length of the recefs, during which they had added another to the formidable lift of opponents, while their fupinenefs, ignorance, and want of judgment, left the country without an ally. THE miniftry anfwered, that the memorial delivered in 1777, was comprised in terms fufficiently temperate for the occafion; and his majefty would have been culpably negligent of the national honour had he omitted a forcible remonftrance. The offenfive treaty was not a draft, but formally executed by the penfionary Van Berkel, and John de Neufville, citizen of Amfterdam, on the part of Holland, and by Lee, on the behalf of America. The United States had refused to difavow the tranfaction, and therefore fanctioned the conftruction that they fully approved it. The recefs of parliament was not contrived for the purpose of fecret proceeding; nor could the houfes, if fitting, have received a communication on the subject till the negotiation was terminated. Mr. Wraxall made a long and able speech on the fubject of alliances, unfolding with precision the views and refources of the principal European ftates, and recommending to government a clofe |