mentioned in my last. The Dutch Minister and his Secretary have each told me that it would be considered as words, and answered as such. The Empress Queen is dead, which leaves the Emperor to act at full liberty. He is said to be ambitious and revengeful, and well disposed to Great Britain. I know that his Envoy at this Court is strongly attached to the interests of that country; but his father, the Prince de Kaunitz, was too long the favorite of the mother to expect to hold the same influence with the son. It is to be hoped that the ensuing campaign will pass before the Emperor can be in a situation to embroil the affairs of Europe. The Count d'Estaing, who sailed from Cadiz the 7th ultimo, was not arrived in France at the departure of the last courier. This is an unlucky circumstance, as it will retard the operations of the ensuing year. Mr. Cumberland is still here, and entertains hopes of success, or affects to do so. The Count de Montmorin seems to have no apprehensions, and while that is the case I flatter myself that we need not be uneasy at a circumstance which in itself is very extraordinary. I do not think, however, that M. Gardoqui will leave Spain until all hopes of negociation cease. We have no advices, or indeed arrivals, since the departure of the frigate which brought the son of M. Rochambeau to France. Many of the letters taken with Mr. Laurens have been published in England. I take the liberty of reminding the Committee that I have never had the honor as yet to receive their orders. I have the honor to be, &c., WILLIAM CARMICHAEL. TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Madrid, January 4th, 1781. Gentlemen, I wrote you the 24th ultimo,* since which I am advised that the Abbé Hussey is on his way from Lisbon to this capital, as is supposed with further propositions on the part of England. I think they will be as fruitless as the former. I have the pleasure of * Missing. informing you that on the 19th ultimo Great Britain declared war in form against Holland. A courier brought the news this morning, which has given great pleasure to the Court, if one may be allowed to judge from appearances. Expresses were immediately despatched by the Ministry to the sea-ports, to advise the Dutch consuls of this event, and to offer the protection of convoys, &c., &c. It is supposed that the Empress of Russia will resent this declaration of England, as it is posterior to the notification of the accession of the Republic to the armed neutrality, which is the real, though not the alleged cause of the war; for I make no doubt events will discover that this measure was resolved the instant the English Ministry knew that the accession of the States to that treaty was inevitable. I shall take care to give you minute and regular advice of the consequences likely to result from this event; mean time, permit me to felicitate you on the acquisition of new friends. The English fleet returned to Portsmouth in a bad condition without having made any attempt against that of Count d'Estaing, of which they were thrice in view. The French fleet was not arrived when the courier who brought the agreeable intelligence beforementioned left France. This Court expects to obtain the sums necessary for the expenses of the year. I hope to transmit the plan of the proposed loan in my next letters. I have the honor to be, &c., WILLIAM CARMICHAEL. P. S. Lest my letter of the 24th ultimo should miscarry, I repeat that the Court has engaged to supply Mr. Jay with three millions of reals, in addition to eighteen thousand dollars already furnished, which with the twenty-five thousand promised by France, will nearly pay the bills already presented, and I hope ways and means will be found to provide for the payment of the residue drawn and sold before reception of Mr. Jay's letters of advice. W. C. TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Gentlemen, Madrid, January 29th, 1781. My last advised the Committee of the declaration of Great Britain against Holland; the capture of a great number of prizes in consequence of this unexpected attack encourages the former, and has greatly irritated the latter. The States, Zealand excepted, seem disposed to act with vigor against the common enemy. If they persevere, they may finally disappoint their rapacious projects. They depend on the interference of Russia, and I believe with reason, although a day or two ago the Count de Kaunitz, the Imperial Ambassador here, offered his master's mediation, in conjunction with the Empress of Russia, to terminate the differences subsisting between the belligerent Powers. No answer to this offer has yet been given. The Minister from Russia has not yet received the orders of his Court thereon. The offer is rather ill timed, and I have reason to think it not very agreeable to the Courts of Versailles and Madrid, which will act with entire union on this occasion, and as long as the present King of Spain lives, it is probable that this good understanding will continue on the whole Continent, although there are some here, I believe, who would wish to see it interrupted. While it subsists Spain will not abandon our interests, though it may not support them with such good will as they would have been induced to do by the obligations of previous engagements with the United States. It is not likely that these will soon take place, notwithstanding the appearance of good will and repeated assurances which Mr. Jay has received of his Majesty's favorable disposition. Nor will the late change of measures adopted by Congress effect this, if I am not misinformed. I have not seen these resolutions in full, nor do I know that Mr. Jay has received them, but I have reason to believe that the Court has a knowledge of them, either by intercepted letters or by a direct communication from America. In short, I repeat to the Committee what I have taken the liberty of remarking before, that it was probably the policy of this Court to leave the adjustment of their claims to be settled at the general negociation of a treaty of peace, and to reserve to themselves the liberty of acting then according to circumstances, unless they can previously secure in their own manner their favorite objects. This accords with the conduct they have hitherto observed, and with maxims of policy long adopted and persevered in by this Court. In the meantime, they show a decided disposition to continue the war. They expect some treasure from America. They are likely to procure eight millions of dollars on loan, and have propositions from other quarters. The taxes have been augmented this year, the produce of the last having, as I have been told, fallen short of the expectations of the Ministry. They have thirty-six sail-of-the-line under sailing orders at Cadiz, which fleet will probably cruise to meet the treasure ships expected, and to intercept the succors destined to Gibraltar. They have ordered a press throughout the kingdom to fill up their regiments. The ships with the treasure were to sail from Vera Cruz to the Havana the 11th of October. The Court seems apprehensive of the Emperor's intentions, and cultivates the friendship of the King of Prussia, for which purpose it is about to send a Minister to Berlin, where they have had none for many years past. This matter is not yet public, and will undoubtedly chagrin the Court of Vienna. Mr. Jay has been promised a part of the three millions of reals mentioned in my former letters, to enable him to discharge the bills which become due the ensuing month, and I suppose will receive the whole as the bills become payable, until the sum is exhausted, before which time funds must be provided for such as have since been presented, or may hereafter come to hand. It is with pain I have lately entered to the amount of between thirty or forty thousand dollars, at three months' sight, as there is yet no certainty of their being paid, yet I flatter myself that the Court, with the good disposition it appears to have, will not suffer our credit to be ruined, after what it has done and promised to do to preserve it. M. Gardoqui, so often mentioned, will embark in six weeks or two months. Mr. Cumberland is still here, inspiring all the distrust and jealousy in his power to prejudice our affairs. I hope, however, he will soon be dismissed. Vigorous preparations are making in France, and I flatter myself that the Count d'Estaing will once more visit our coasts in force. I believe he desires it, and I am told he is on good terms with the new Minister of Marine. The Count de Vergennes was in a bad state of health by the last advices from Paris, but for information from that quarter, I refer the Committee to letters I suppose Congress will receive from Dr. Franklin. It is with hesitation I venture to give my sentiments, and if I should be deceived, it is not for want of pains, but of opportunity of obtaining more accurate information. I have the honor to be, &c., WILLIAM CARMICHAEL. TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Gentlemen, Madrid, February 22d, 1781. My last was of the 29th ultimo, since which I have deferred writing in hopes of having it in my power to give the Committee more distinct information of the actual situation of affairs in Europe at this important crisis, when its attention is turned to the conduct of the Empress of Russia and the armed neutrality, and to that of the Emperor, who, notwithstanding the offer of mediation, I had the honor to mention in my last is, as I am informed, regarded with a jealous and suspicious eye. But the vessels, which take on board part of the clothing of which I advised you at the time, and since it was promised, being about to sail, I seize the present occasion of writing lest another from the ports of this kingdom should not soon present itself. Our affairs here are in much the same state as when I last wrote the Committee. No further progress has been made in the negociation. Mr. Jay has received various letters and papers from Congress, dated in October. This day he has obtained an order for thirtytwo thousand dollars, to pay for part of the clothing to be shipped at Cadiz, of which he has not yet received the invoices, and to discharge the bills due this month. The Minister promises to furnish the whole of the three millions of reals mentioned in former letters, and to contribute to our further relief as far as the exigencies of the State will permit him. These, I have reason to think, are urgent and great, and that the funds arising from the revenues and loans are, for the most part, appropriated before they are received. I am not informed that any positive answer has been given yet to the Emperor's offer of mediation. It is ill-timed, and I believe, in reality, is not well taken. I know that this Court is about to send a Minister to Berlin, where they have had none for a long time. The circumstances of such an appointment, at this juncture, seem to imply apprehensions of the Emperor's intentions. I enclose two extracts of letters sent to me by M. Dumas, which contain intelligence that indicates the intentions of the Empress of Russia. The first letter I know to be genuine, for I saw the substance of it here in good hands before I received M. Dumas's letter. If the Empress does not openly declare against England, she will, at all events, |