A

COLLECTION

OF

STATE PAPERS,

RELATIVE TO THE

WAR against FRANCE

Now carrying on by GREAT BRITAIN and the
feveral other EUROPEAN POWERS

PREFACE.

THE
HE Fifth Volume of this Collection makes its appearance

at the most eventful period of the war-it includes, therefore, matter of the highest importance, and contains all the official documents refpecting the late Negotiation-the war between this country and Spain, the progrefs of the French arms in Italy and Germany-the armiftices and treaties concluded with the German and Italian powers-the correfpondence between the French Republic and the United States of America, upon the fubject of the differences that exift between them; together with many other articles relating to the external and internal operations and state of the different belligerent powers. Several of these articles, particularly the important correfpondence between the governments of America and France, have never before been published in this country.

The Editor has examined the materials of the Fifth Volume with all the care and attention in his power-he has admitted no papers upon loose or doubtful authority; and he feels a hope that the fame accuracy of tranflation and clearness of arrangement will be found in this volume as in the four that have preceded it.

March 30th, 1797.

CON