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with refpect to his Majesty's intention to fulfil his engagements with regard to the allies of France.: but as the peace between the Emprefs-Queen and the King of Pruffia was to be negociated at the congrefs at Augfbourg, which was fixed for the pacification of Germany, the D. de Choifeul obferved that the differences between her Imperial Majefty and the King of Pruffia were by no means the fubject on which the French and English Ministers were reciprocally dispatched.

The fubfequent conferences paffed in difcuffing the periods fixed in the memorial of the 26th of March; but the English Minifter, both at London and Paris, eluded giving any pofitive answer on that fubject.

It is neceffary to obferve, that the British court had refolved on the enterprize against Belleifle, fince the memorial of the month of March. The expectation of fuccefs from that expedition, no doubt, retarded on their part, a categorical anfwer in relation to the epochs.

Mr. Pitt, being preffed on that fubject by M. Buffy, had fhewn himself averfe from declaring any thing decifive; on which his Majefty wrote to his Minifter at London to elucidate and fix precisely the bafis of the negociation relative to the Uti poffidetis and the epochs, and by that means to accelerate the negociation of peace. The ifland of Belleifle was taken: Mr. Pitt then gave M, Buffy the memorial here annexed.

The Memorial of the British Minifter, of the 17th of
June, 1761.

M

R. Stanley having reprefented by his letter of the 8th of June, that the D. de Choifeul, in the course of their conferences, had agreed, "That the epochs must still remain a matter of negociation, but that his Excellency nevertheless was of opinion, that in the prefent state of that affair, according to the natural and usual courfe of things, his Moft Christian Majesty having already named the ift of September, July and May, his Britannick Majefty fhould proceed, either by accepting of thofe days, or by naming others more agreeable to his intentions, which were probably regulated by preparations and defigns, of

which the court of France was ignorant; that this method appeared to him more likely to expedite the bufinefs than the making of reiterated propofitions on their part, which could only be grounded on mere conjecture." It is upon this footing that, in order to make a return to the above invitation on the part of France, as well as in confequence of his Majefty's having accepted the propofition of the faid court of the 26th of March laft, his Majesty offers to agree with the Most Christian King, that the first day of July, September, and November following, fhall refpectively be the different periods or epochs, to fix the Uti Poffidetis which France has propofed to make the bafis of the treaty which may be negociated between the two powers. All other conquefts made beyond thofe periods fhall be mutually restored. But as his Majefty is of opinion, that epochs which have no reference to the actual fignature of fomething obligatory between the two crowns muft neceffarily be only a vain illufion, void of use or reality; or that it might even happen, that in the end they may prove the fource of intricate difputes and dangerous and captious altercations; and the King having no other view but to concur with the upright intentions of his Moft Chriftian Majefty in accelerating and confirming the bleffing of peace to both nations, his Majefty only offers to agree to the aforefaid epoch, on the two following condi

tions:

1. That every thing which fhall be happily adjusted between the two crowns, in relation to their particular war, fhall be made obligatory, final, and conclufive, independent of the fate of the negociation at Augsburg, which is to compofe and terminate the difputes of Ger-many, and to re-establish a general peace,

2. That the faid definitive treaty of peace between Great Britain and France fhall be concluded, figned, and ratified, or preliminary articles to that end, between this and the first of Auguft next,

The reftitution of the prizes taken at fea fhall be regulated according to the respective terms which are ufual for different parts of the globe; which terms are to be computed from the day of the fignature of the faid defi

nitive

nitive treaty, or of preliminary articles of peace, in cafe a ratification enfues.

The King, defiring farther to facilitate the falutary work of peace, as far as reafon and jaftice will permit, declares, moreover, that with regard to Belleifle, his Majefty will agree, in the faid future treaty, to enter into compenfation for that important conquest.

With regard to farther compenfations for any part of the other conquefts made by the crown of Great Britain, his Majefty referves himself, till he shall learn what are the Moft Chriftian King's defires in that respect, which when he fhall know, his Majefty will open himfelf with perfect fincerity and good faith,

We fee by this memorial, the epochs which England required to determine the Uti poffidetis, were farther dif tant by two months than thofe offered by France; and it was evident, that, as the enterprize against Belleisle had determined England to defer her anfwer with regard to the epochs, fo the fuccefs of that expedition had made them refolve to fix the term of July for Europe, fpecified in the English memorial, instead of May, which was propofed by the French memorial.

England made the epochs the affigned depend on two conditions. The first of thofe conditions departed both from the letter and the spirit of the memorial of the 26th of March for although France had propofed to treat of a peace feparately with England; nevertheless, his Majefty's intention was not regulated by this principle of the negociation, that peace could be concluded with England, without providing for the peace of Germany. In fact, the memorial of the 26th of March, from which the court of England drew fuch advantageous arguments, opened with this expreffion, "The moft Chriftian King is defirous that the particular peace of France with England fhould be united with the general peace of Eu

rope.

The fecond condition, with refpect to difcuffing and fettling the articles, fo that they might be figned and ra tified by the first of Auguft, was very difficult to be fulfilled in regard to a war, which extended over the four

quarters

quarters of the globe, this condition propofed by England not being known to France till the end of June,

France returned no fpecific anfwer to the memorial of the court of London; but verbally acquiefced, as far as poffible, to the fecond condition and with regard to the first, the King required the confent of the court of Vienna to conclude a feparate peace with England. This confent was neceffary, fince, from the beginning, as is before mentioned, it was agreed between his Majesty and his allies, that they fhould not treat of peace feparately; but that all the belligerant parties should come to a conclufion together.

Though the Emprefs. Queen was perfectly fenfible of the prejudice which the alliance might sustain by a negociation in Germany, at a time that France was at peace with England: yet her Imperial Majefty, to oblige the King, agreed, on this occafion, to facrifice her own intereft to the defire which his Majefty expreffed for the eftablishment of peace. This princess confented to the separate accommodation of France with England, upon this exprefs and equitable condition, that nothing fhould be therein ftipulated, which might be contrary to the in tereft of the Houfe of Auftria.

The conclufion of the British memorial contained a propofition for France to make some overtures with regard to the compenfations. The King availed himfelf of this intimation, and ordered a memorial to be prepared, including specific propofitions, which put the negociation in a proper train, and fixed its bafis on exprefs and determinate points.

France was perfectly fenfible how difadvantageous it was to her to make her enemies acquainted with the favourable conditions which it was agreed to allow them, in order to fucceed in the re-eftablishment of peace: fhe was confcious, that it was juft and reasonable for France, who made the first propofition of Uti poffidetis, to wait till England explained herself concerning the compenfations but the flattered herself that England was fincerely defi rous of re-establishing the union between the two crowns; and the advantages which would redound to England from the offers of France, were fo vifible and extenfive,

that

that there was no fufpicion that the court of London would increase the difficulties of a negociation which France was zealous to determine without delay, and to the fatisfaction of the two powers.

Before a memorial of propofitions was fent in form to the court of London, his Majefty's Minifter, entrusted to confer with Mr. Stanley, gave him previous affurances of the facrifices which his Majefty had refolved to make. He authorized him to write word, that France would guaranty the poffeffion of Canada to England, provided that England would restore to the King the island of Cape Breton, and confirm the right of the French to fish and dry their fifth in the gulph of St. Lawrence, upon the coaft, and in the island of Newfoundland. As the island of Cape Breton, if fortified, might afford England matter of jealoufy, the French Minifter told Mr. Stanley, that the King engaged to deftroy all the fortifications which might remain in that island, and not to erect any new ones upon any pretence whatever. The port of Louisbourg being to be confidered only as a fhelter for the fishermen in the gulph of St. Lawrence, and on the coast of Newfoundland, France offered to reftore the island of Minorca to England, provided they would give up the iflands of Guadaloupe and Marigalante in return.

With regard to the Eaft Indies, they proposed that the treaty of the Sieurs Godeheu and Saunders, made in the year 1755, fhould be confirmed. That treaty, although advantageous to the English company, was judged to be most effectual for maintaining peace between the two companies, and to recal them to views of commerce; much more analogous to their reciprocal interefts than profpects of conquefts, which had hitherto kept them

at variance.

With refpect to Africa, France required that England fhould restore either Senegal or Goree, and on thofe conditions the King declared that he would evacuate Gottingen, Heffe, and the county of Hanau, would withdraw his forces upon the Rhine and the Maine, and would leave no French troops in Germany, but in proportion to what troops of the enemy remained affembled in the Bri-tish army in Weftphalia.

Mr.

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