ot.] The King's Minister, who conferred with Mr. Stanley, answered him by a declaration equally precife, with respect to his Majefty'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 negotiated at the congrefs at Augibourg, which was fixed for the pacification of Germany, the D. de Choiseul 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 Minifters 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 neceflary 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 answer in relation to the epochs. Mr. Pitt, being prefied on that fubject by M. Bufly, had fhewn himself averfe from declaring any thing decifive; on which his Majefty wrote to his Minister at London, to elucidate and fix precifely the bafis of the negotiation, relative to the Uti Poffidetis and the epochs, and by that means to accelerate the negotiation 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 M1 R. Stanley having reprefented by his letter of the 8th of June, that the D. de Choifeul, in the courie of their conferences, had agreed, "That the epochs muft ftill remain a matter of negotiation, but that his Excellen cy nevertheless was of opinion, that in the present state of that affair, according to the natural and ufual courfe of things, his moft Chriftian Majefty having already named the 1ft of September, July and May, his Britannic Majefty fhould proceed, either by accepting of thofe days, or by 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 Majefty offers to agree with the moft Chriftian 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 proposed to make the bafis of the treaty which may be negociated between the two powers. All other conquefts made beyond those periods fhall be mutually reftored. 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 ufe 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 most Christian Majefty, in accelerating and confirming the blef fing 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 negotiation at Augfbourg, which is to compofe and terminate the difputes of Germany, 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 firft of Auguft next. The reftitution of the prizes taken at fea fhall be regu lated according to the refpective terms which are ufual for different parts of the globe; which terms are to be com puted 1. puted from the day of the fignature of the faid definitive 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 juftice will permit, declares, moreover, that with regard to Belleifle, his Majesty will agree, in the faid future treaty, to enter into compensation for that important conqueft. 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 fhall learn what are the moft Chriftian King's defires in that refpect, which when he fhall know, his Majefty will open himself 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 Belleifle 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, inftead of May, which was propofed by the French memorial. England made the epochs fhe affigned depend on twó conditions. The firft of thofe conditions departed both from the letter and the fpirit of the memorial of the 26th of March for although France had propofed to treat of a peace separately with England; nevertheless his Majefty's intention was not regulated by this principle of the negotiation, 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 Europe." The fecond condition, with refpect to difcuffing and fettling the articles, fo that they might be figned and ratified by the 1ft of Auguft, was very difficult to be fulfilled in regard to a war, which extended over the four quarters of of the globe, this condition propofed by England not being known to France till the end of June. France returned no specific answer to the memorial of the court of London; but verbally acquiefced, as far as poffible, to the fecond condition: and with regard to the firft, the King required the confent of the court of Vienna, to conclude a separate peace with England. This confent was neceffary, fince, from the beginning, as is beforementioned, it was agreed between her Majefty and his allies, that they should treat of peace feparately; but that all the belligerent parties fhould come to a conclufion together. Though the Emprefs Queen was perfectly fenfible of the prejudice which the alliance might fuftain by a negotiation 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 exprefied for the eftablishment of peace. This princefs confented to the feparate accommodation of France with England, upon this exprefs and equitable condition, that nothing fhould be therein ftipulated, which might be contrary to the interest of the Houfe of Auftria. The conclufion of the British memorial contained a propofition for France to make fome overtures with regard to the compenfations. The King availed himfelf of this intimation, and ordered a memorial to be prepared, including fpecific propofitions, which put the negotiation in a proper train, and fixed its bafis on exprefs and determinate points. France was perfectly fenfible how disadvantageous 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-establishment of peace: fhe was confcious, that it was juft and reafonable 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 defirous 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 there was no fufpicion that the court of London would increase increase the difficulties of a negotiation, which France was -zealous to terminate 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 Majesty's Minifter, entrusted to confer with M. 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 Eng land would restore to the King the island of Cape Breton, and confirm the right of the French to fish, and dry their fifh, in the gulf of St. Lawrence, upon the coaft, and in the inland of Newfoundland, As the ifland of Cape Bre ton, if fortified, might afford England matter of jealousy, the French Minifter told Mr. Stanley, that the King en gaged to deftroy all the fortifications which might remain in that iiland, 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 gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the coaft of Newfoundland, France offered to restore the ifland of Minorca to England, provided they would give up the islands of Guadaloupe and Marigalante in return. With regard to the Eaft-Indies, they propofed 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 interests, than profpects of conquefts, which had hitherto kept them at variance. With refpect to Africa, France required that England should 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 British army at Weftphalia. Mr. Stanley took notes of thefe overtures, which were nade by the D. de Choiseul, who told him moreover, that VOL. II. Р the |