ter: that always explain their real views. A private communi- cation is frequently much more explicit and whenever we are fo fortunate as to obtain any letters of the confidential agents of a government, which throw light on interefting matters of ftate, we fhall confider them to be, in the beft fenfe of the Having now anfwered the only objections made to the first volume of this work, it is neceffary to ftate, that, in compil- ing the fecond, a confiderable number of French reports and decrees have been inferted, because they beft defcribe the inter- nal fituation of the country, the principles which actuate the people, and the difpofition of the government;-circumstances now declared by the British miniftry, to be the principal if not the only reafon for continuing hoftilities, and therefore it is ex- pedient to give them a place, as the object of this collection is to bring together all papers explanatory of the causes of the prefent war, and the fentiments of the different powers engaged Under the title of "Correfpondence," it has been thought expedient to place fome papers not exactly of that defcription. The Editor trufts, the Public will perceive in this volume the fame unwearied exertion to deferve a cortinuance of that d.inguifhed patronage with which the former was honoured. The English and foreign publications have been carefully col- dated to complete the Collection, feveral of the articles have never before appeared in English, and others are now first pub- hhed from the original MSS.-Regretting the inconvenience arfing to many noblemen and gentlemen from the unavoidable delay of the Publication, the Editor engages, by flightly altering STATE PAPERS. Treaties. Convention for the common Defence of the Liberty and Safety of the Danish and Swedish Commerce and Navigation, between his Majefty the King of Denmark and Norway, &c. and his Majefty, the King of Sweden, &c. concluded at Copenhagen, March 27, 1794. H TIS Majefty the King of Denmark and Norway, and his Majefty the King of Sweden, having confidered how much it imports the subjects of their realms to enjoy, in safety and tranquillity, the advantages attached to a perfect neutrality, and founded on acknowledged treaties, impreffed with a deep fenfe of their duties to their fubjects, and unable to diffemble the inevitable embarrassments of their fituation in a war which rages in the greater part of Europe, have agreed and do agree to unite their measures and their interefts in this refpect, and to give to their nations, after the example of their predeceffors, all the protection which they have a right to expect from their paternal care; defiring, moreover, to draw clofer the bonds of the amity which fo happily fubfifts between them, have nominated to that effect-his Danish Majefty, his minister of state and foreign affairs, the Sieur André Pierre Count de Bernstorf, knight of the order of the Elephant, &c.—and his Majefty the King of Sweden, the Sieur Eric Magnus, Baron Stael de Holstein, chamberlain to her Majesty the Queen Dowager of Sweden, and knight of the order of the Sword, who, after having exchanged their full powers, have agreed on the following articles : I. Their Majefties declare folemnly, that they will maintain the most perfect neutrality in the courfe of the prefent war; avoid as much as on them depends, whatever may embroil them with the powers their friends and allies; and continue to mark, as they have conftantly done, in circumftances fometimes difficult, all the attention, and even all the amicable deference, confiftent with their own dignity. II. They declare moreover, that they claim no advantage which is not clearly and unexceptionably founded on their refpective treaties with the powers at war. III. They III. They engage alfo reciprocally, and before all Europe, that they will not claim, in cafes not fpecified in their treaties, any advantage which is not founded on the universal law of nations, hitherto acknowledged and refpected by all the powers, and by all the fovereigns of Europe, and from which they can as little fuppofe that any of them will depart, as they are incapable of depart ing from it themselves. IV. Founding on a bafis fo juft the claim and the maintenance of their indifputable rights, they will give to the innocent navigation of their fubjects, which is entirely within the rule of, and conformable to the fubfifting treaties, without extending it to fuch as may depart from the rule, all the protection which it deferves against all those who, contrary to their expectation and their hopes, would difturb the legal exercife of fanctioned rights, the enjoyments of which cannot be denied to neutral and independent nations. V. For attaining the propofed object, their Majefties engage reciprocally to equip, as foon as the feafon will permit, each a fquadron of eight fhips of the line, with a proportionate number of frigates, and to provide them with all neceffaries. VI. Thefe fquadrons fhall unite or feparate, as fhall be judged best for the common intereft, which fhall be interpreted on both fides with the amity that fo happily fubfifts between the powers. VIII. No diftinction whatsoever fhall be made between the interefts and the flags of the two nations, except fuch as different fubfifting treaties with other nations may require. Moreover, in all cafes of defence, convoy or others, without any exception, the Danish ships fhall defend the Swedifh fhips and flag, as if they were their own nation, and the fame on the other part. VIII. For the order of command, in all cafes it is agreed to adopt the tenor of the Articles VI. and VII. in the Convention of the 12th of July, 1756. IX. The German States, both of Denmark and Sweden, are reciprocally and entirely excepted from this Convention. X. The Baltic being always to be confidered as a fea fhut and inacceffible to the armed fhips of diftant powers at war, is declared fo a-new by the contracting parties, who are refolved to maintain in it the most perfect tranquillity. XI. Their Majeftics engage to make a joint communication of this Convention to all the powers at war, adding the most folemn affurances of their fincere defire to preferve with them the moft perfect harmony, and to cement, rather than wound it, by this meafure, which tends only to fecure rights maintained and afferted by thofe powers themselves, in all cafes where they were neutral and at peace, without Denmark and Sweden having ever dreamt of interrupting them, XII. But XII. But if the unfortunate cafe fhould occur, that any power, in contempt of treaties and the univerfal law of nations, will not refpect the bafis of fociety and the general happiness, and shall moleft the innocent navigation of the fubjects of their Danish and Swedish Majefties, then will they, after having exhaufted all poffible means of conciliation, and made the most preffing joint remonftrances, to obtain the fatisfaction and indemnity due to them, make ufe of reprisals, at the lateft, four months after the refufal of their claim, wherever that fhall be thought fitting, the Baltic always excepted; and will answer entirely the one for the other, and fupport one another equally, if either nation fhall be attacked or injured on account of this convention. XIII. This convention fhall fubfift in its whole tenor during the present war, unless it should be agreed upon, for the common interest, to make any useful or neceffary change or addition to it. XIV. The ratification fhall take place fifteen days after this convention fhall have been figned and exchanged. In teftimony of which, we, the undersigned, by virtue of our full powers, have figned the prefent convention, and affixed to it the feal of our arms. Done at Copenhagen, this 27th of March, 1794. (Signed) A. P. V. BERNSTORF, ERIC MAGNUS STAEL, DE HOLSTEIN. Treaty between his Britannic Majefty, the King of Pruffia, and the States General of the United Provinces. Signed at the Hague, the 19th of April, 1794. HEIR Majefties the King of Great Britain, and of Prussia, and Provinces, being animated by the fame defire of putting a stop to the progrefs of the fyftem of anarchy and crimes by which civil fociety has been menaced, and being defirous of concerting together to fupport, in the most effectual manner, the common caufe in which they are engaged, in confequence of the unjust and cruel war, which the perfons, who exercife the powers of government in France, have raifed up against feveral of the great powers of Europe, have agreed, in conformity to the bonds of friendship and alliance which fo happily unite them, to conclude the present treaty; and, for this purpose, they have named their refpective plenipotentiaries, to wit, his Britannic Majefty, the Lord Baron of Malmbury, a peer of the kingdom of Great Britain, privy counfellor, knight of the order of the Bath; his Pruffian Majefty, the Sieur Chrêtien Henry Curce, Count de Haugwiz, his minifter of state, of war, and of the cabinet, knight of the order of the Red VOL. II. Eagle; C |