manner, that the Powers combined against France might obtain their
views, without infringing any exiting treaty, or any attempt being
made against the rights of any peaceable subject.

"This conduct, which his Royal Highnefs always fo punctually pur-
fued, must have placed in a clear and open point of view the honourable
principles by which he has always been guided, namely, principles of
juftice and of humanity towards the nation whofe happinefs and profpe-
rity he had been intruffed with, and which he could not but expect would
meet with the approbation of fo generous and wife a Princess as her Ma-
jefty the Emprefs, who is fo near a relation to his Royal Highness, and
to the young King, his ward.

"Befides, this magnanimous Sovereign has it in her power to purfue her great views, in iffuing out orders to the Commanders of her men of war, and to the Captains of other armed vessels, like those iffued out by his Britannick Majesty to the Captains and Commanders of British armed veffels, which had been communicated in a note from the Chargé de Affaires of his Majefty, the King of Great Britain, delivered on the 26th of July, to the Grand Chancellor Sparre.

"The two Courts of Petersburgh and London being allied, and combined in the prefent war, for the fame views, and undoubtedly with the fame intereft, it is but natural to expect that equal measures would be adopted by both Courts.

"What particularly induces his Royal Highness to propose measures
equally answering the views of the Belligerent Powers, and acceptable to
the Government of Sweden, is the near relation which exifts between
Sweden and Ruffia; a relation which is founded on the indiffoluble ties
of confanguinity, as well as upon powerful treaties of alliance, which
are of a nature not to fuffer any alteration at any time whatever.

"His Royal Highnefs the Duke Regent therefore firmly relies, and
with the utmost confidence, upon the unalterable friendship of the Em-
prefs, his ally, that his Royal Highnefs could never imagine that that
Princefs fhould ever require of him any thing diametrically opposite,
nor in the least prejudicial, to the rights and interests of Sweden.
(Signed) “VON STEDINCK."

Stockholm, August 27.

M.
DE Coral, hitherto Ambaffador from the Court of Spain to our
Court, had yesterday an audience of leave of his Majefty; and
the Abbe Echiberria was prefented to his Majefty as Charge des Affaires
from the Spanish Court.

The following note was delivered by Mr. Keene, Chargé des Affaires
from his Britannick Majefty, to the Members of the Cabinet of his Ma-
jefty the King of Sweden:

"The underfigned Chargé des Affaires of his Britannick Majefty, has orders to communicate to the Minifters of his Majefty the King of Sweden, a copy of the orders iffued out by his Britannick Majefty, in his Privy Council, concerning feveral measures relative to the trade and navigation of neutral nations during the prefent war.

"The Miniftry of Sweden will no doubt obferve, that the rules prefcribed in thefe orders are much more favourable to Sweden, than those ftipulated in the treaty exifting between the two Courts, as in the treaty, all tranfports of provifions to an enemy are declared contraband, and fubject to confifcation.

The exception in favour of Sweden in the article of thefe regulations concerning blocked-up ports, is founded upon the fame treaty; the principles of which are perfectly confiftent with the prefcriptions

given to the Commanders of his Majesty's armed veffels. It can certainly not be imagined that the object of this treaty has been to permit to the veffels belonging to Neutral Powers to renew their attempts of entering into blocked-up ports as many times, till they fucceed in throwing provifions into them; they have only been exempted from the pu nishment of confifcation upon the first attempt.

"His Majefty does not doubt but that the Court of Sweden will confider the particular attention which his Britannick Majefty, on this occafion, paid to the interefts of Sweden, and of which this prefent communication is not lefs a proof.

"His Majefty therefore expects, on the part of Sweden, the ftrictest obfervance of the faid treaty, and that according to the conditions expreffed in the 13th article, orders will be given, that no veh ́ls or goods, taken by the enemy from British fubjects, fhould be permitted to enter into the Swedish ports, and to prevent, in cafe an enemy's vetfel fhould carry any veffels or goods belonging to British fubjects, that captured goods or veffels fhould be fold in the ftates of Sweden, and that all the British failors, prifoners, &c. carried into the ports of Sweden, as well as the enemy's vellels themselves, thall not be permitted to make any ftay in thefe ports; and all the British failors, mafters of veffels, and all prifoners, at their arrival in any Swedish port, fhall immediately be fet at liberty.

The following is the Anfwer of M. Bergftedt, the Chargé des Affaires from the Court of Stockholm to that of London, delivered to the Minifter of his Britannick Majesty.

HIS Royal Highness the Duke Regent of Sweden, having been inftructed of the contents of the note which the Chargé des Affaires of his Britannick Majesty at Stockholm transmitted, by order of his Britannick Majefty, on the 26th of last month, to his Excellency the Great Chancellor of the Swedish Empire, Baron Von Sparre, has given orders to the under-figned Charge des Affaires of his Swedish Majefty at the Court of London, by means of this prefert official note to the Minifter of his Britannick Majefty to declare, that his Royal Highnefs the Duke Regent of Sweden obferved, with inexprelible pleasure, that he had not been mistaken in the favourable opinion which he ever entertained of the principles of juftice by which the fteps of the Court of Great Britain are guided, and of its religious obfervance of treaties, his Royal Highness affuring at the fame time, that all the points of thefe treaties fhall be obferved on his fide with not lefs ftrictnefs.

"The under-figned, moreover, has fpecial orders from his Royal Highnefs the Duke Regent, to give the ftrongeft affurances on his part, that not only the ftricteft orders will be given in the name of his Majefty of Sweden, refpecting the punctual execution of the articles of the treaties of neutrality; but likewife, that his Royal Highnefs fhall always think it his duty to feize every opportunity to convince his Britannick Majefty of the friendship of the Court of Sweden, and of his conftant defire to preferve and firengthen the harmony and the mutual good understanding which is reigning between the two empires.

(Signed) "J. VON BERGSTEDT."

No.

No. V.
DENMARK.

Note delivered by the British Ambaffador at the Court of Copenhagen, to the Minifters of the Danish Cabinet.

IT T can by no means be mistaken how much the circumftances of the prefent war are different from thofe wars in which the Powers of Europe can depend on the established laws and rights of nations; no more can it be denied, that this palpable difference ought to have a material and powerful influence on the enjoyments of the privileges allowed to neutral nations, by the fame general laws and rights of nations, or by particular treaties.

"At this moment there is no Government in France, which is either acknowledged by the neutral or by the belligerent powers. The Court of Denmark has neither a Minifter at Paris, nor has it accepted of any from that country fince the unfortunate death of his late Mott Chriftian Majefty the King of France. That Court has justly taken particular care not to acknowledge the existence of any legal authority in France, as in fact there is none at prefent; and although many particular confiderations prevented that Court from entering openly into the hostile measures of the Coalefced Powers, it could never look on the Government of France as a party with whom they could enter into any amicable relation, and must even find a great difficulty in preserving a strict neutrality with refpect to them.

"In general cafes, where a neutral power keeps up a commercial relation with two Belligerent Powers, that neutral power in the first inftance has means either by negotiations with the two Belligerent, or other Powers, or by the established laws of Europe, to enforce the ftrict obfervation of neutrality towards itfelf, equally from both the Powers which are at war with each other. The two Powers on the other hand have affurances, that the neutrality of that power will never be exerted in favour of one of the parties, and to the difadvantage of the other. And in cafe any of the commercial tranfactions of the neutral powers fhould prove disadvantageous to one of the belligerent parties, means of amicable reprefentations are always left open for them, in which fuch differences are easily fettled, to the equal fatisfaction of every party.

"The circumftances, in this present case, are quite otherwife. Denmark, in retaining, with refpect to England, all the commercial privileges of a neutral power, which are guaranteed to them by the general right of nations, as well as by standing treaties, can by no means be affured of the obfervance of the fame regulations and laws of the rights of nations on the part of France. In that country, this neutrality has not only already been violated, but continues to experience daily infringements. There the court of Denmark has no Minifter, who could keep facred its rights, as well as the rights of its fubjects. In that country there is no authority from whom juftice might be expected, where in fact there are no other laws, nor courts of juftice, but the will of a licentious mob, &c.

"His Danish Majefty will alfo find it impoffible to treat with France in an amicable manner, and as a Neutral Power, refpecting the means of introducing thofe meafures of precaution, upon the obfervance of which the other Belligerent Powers have fo great a right to infift, in order that the prerogative Neutral Commerce, efpecially the Corn and Grain Trade, be not abufed at a time when fo many circumftances perfectly new have acceded. It is a fact of univerfal notoriety, that the Corn Trade of France with foreign countries is no longer a mere private trade, but that, contrary to all cuftom, it remains almost entirely in the

hands

hands of the pretended Executive Council, and of the different Muni-. cipalities. It can therefore no longer be confidered as a mere combination of private fpeculations, of which the individuals of other nations partake, but as a bufinefs immediately carried on by the above-mentioned pretended Government, which has declared War against us.

"It is equally notorious, that at the prefent moment, one of the most effential expedients to compel thofe who have declared war against us tó equitable terms of peace, confifts in their being prevented by importation to remove that want, which is a neceffary confequence of what they have done, in order to arm the whole laborious clafs of the people of France against the other Governments and the general tranquillity of Europe. It is a principle allowed by all the writers upon the public right, that importation may be prevented, if there are any hopes that by fo doing one can conquer an enemy, and efpecially fo, if the want of that enemy has been occasioned by those measures which they took to injure us: And it is incontrovertible, that this cafe, quite new in its kind, cannot be judged by the principles and rules which were only made for wars carried on according to the custom introduced among the Sovereigns of Europe.

"It is further to be obferved, that his Danish Majefty, if he gives reception in his ports to French privateers with their prizes, cannot provide for himself that fecurity which is requifite, according to the laws of nations, for the validity of their letters of marque, and for the regularity of their conduct. The courts of juftice cannot, without involving themfelves in the manifeft contradiction, acknowledge the legality of any patent or letter of marque that is derived from a Government which his Majefty does not acknowledge to be fovereign. On account of this non-acknowledgment, prizes can neither be condemned, nor British fubjects and British property be retained, in the ports belonging to a friendly power, whofe protection they are entitled to claim, without a direct violation of the treaties; and it is, above all, impoffible to apply, in this cafe, the ufual laws of an impartial neutrality, fince there is no acknowledged authority in France which can give to privateers the proper inftructions refpecting their conduct, and to which a neutral power might apply to bring them to punishment, whenever they might deviate from thofe inftructions, on the non-obfervance of which they are not to be confidered as legal privateers, but only as pirates. (Signed) "HAILES."

Answer from the Royal Court of Denmark to the preceding official Note.

"HIS Majefty cannot, but with the most lively regret, find himself neceffitated to complain of the conduct, or to combat the principles of the Powers, whom, for fo many years, he has been used to look upon as his friends and allies. His Majefty had always entertained hopes, that his confcientiously observing the strictest neutrality, and his adherence to the literal fenfe of the exiffing treaties, fhould have fecured him from fuch unpleasant tranfactions, as thofe to which he alludes; but the unexpected contents of the note delivered by Mr. Hailes, Ambaffador Extraordinary of his British Majefty, fupported by a memorial delivered by Count Goltz, Ambaffador Extraordinary from his Majefty the King of Pruffia, do not permit him any longer to pafs it over in filence.

"The reafons which his Majefty has to oppofe to those which have been laid before him, are contained in the enclosed memorial. The defire of maintaining an opinion which he once had expreffed, is not what induces him to perfevere in the fame principles. His Majefty is

e 2

entirely

entirely directed by the interior conviction of the most important interefts to preferve a peace, as being an object much defired by his Majefty's fubjects.

"His Majefty being convinced that he addreffes friendly, juft, and upright Sovereigns, will therefore declare his fentiments with candour, and without referve.

"The queftion is not concerning the rights of Denmark. The rights of that kingdom are not problematical; and the King, my mafter, in this refpect, appeals to the feelings of the Sovereigns, his friends, how painful it must be for him to be obliged to enter into a controverfy, where there is nothing neceffary but the fulfilling of the most clear treaties univerfally acknowledged and agreed to.

His Majefty flatters himself, that no argument will prevail, or be looked upon as grounded upon juftice, which would establish a principle, that the particular nature of an accidental war could in any means alter the nature of mutual treaties or contracts, or that a mutual confent would be confidered as a favour of privilege; or that certain Powers had a right to make regulations at the expence of a third; or that Powers, in order to lighten the burden which is infeparable from the war in which they are engaged, had a right to lay the weight of it on the fhoulders of innocent and neutral neighbours.

"Thefe objects may perhaps give occafion to difference; but his Majefty would think it an infult against the refpectable Powers to whom he appeals, if he harboured the leaft fufpicion, that after having been made acquainted with his reprefentations, they should perfevere in their former demands, or a ftill greater, if he manifefted a fear, left they fhould make ufe of a fuperior force, in order to put violence in the place of proofs of a neceffary confent of the interefted parties. His Majefty not having had any communication upon this fubject with the other Neutral Powers, is for this reafon unacquainted with their fentiments thereupon; but is convinced at the fame time, that their opinions, as well as oppofition, must be unanimous; and that they must be certain of the impoffibility there is to make a fyftem of neutrality agree with measures, which are totally detrimental to fuch a fyftem.

"His Majefty is not afraid that this conduct will appear reprehensible. He demanded nothing but what is agreeable to the fenfe of the exifting treaties; he remained faithful to the ftipulations expreffed in those treaties, as well as to neutrality itself. His Majesty thinks himself the fuffering party. He is at a lofs to form an idea how his Britannic Majefty could have given to the Commanders of his Majefty's fhips new inftructions, which are directly oppofite to the former regulations, as well as to the fenfe of the treaties exifting between his Britannic Majesty and the Court of Denmark, without the latter's knowledge or confent.

"His Majefty first expected, that thofe inftructions would only have regarded fuch neutral powers as had not entered into any decifive convention with England; but on the conviction of the contrary, he could not help proteffing against fuch orders and inftructions, confidering them as an open breach of thofe treaties, and an infringement of one of the moft facred and binding laws which were established among mankind. His Majefty, therefore, entreats his Britannic Majefty to revoke fuch inftructions, and to iffue orders, conformable to the ftrict fenfe of the facred engagements and treaties exifting between the two nations.

"His Majefty, at the fame time, is willing to fhew his Britannic Majefty, as well as his Majefty of Pruffia, and the other coalefced powers, that his intentions are, to comply with any of their requefls, which are not contrary to the rules of ftrict neutrality, or to the intereils of the