twelve fhips of the line were fit for immediate fervice.

The treaty with Ruffia, by which Denmark has obtained the exclufive fovereignty of the dutchies of Slefwic and Holftein, and thereby becomes miftrefs of the whole Cimbric Cherfonese, may be confidered as the most fortunate and advantageous that the ever concluded. Befides the getting rid of a dangerous neighbour, where the joint and mixed fovereignty would afford eternal matter for debate and contention, and in a great measure prevent all improvement on either fide, fhe has now, by the poffeffion of the whole peninfula, rounded and compleated her territories, while its fituation gives it nearly the ftrength, and all the commercial advantages of an island, and its excellent foil furnishes all the means for becoming a rich, populous, and powerful country. If thefe advantages were profecuted with a reasonable fhare of good conduct, and had time to arrive at maturity under the beneficence of a mild and equitable government, they would cause a confiderable revolution in the commercial fyftem of that part of Germany, and Kiel might become a more than formidable rival, to its great trading neigh bours of Hamburgh and Lubeck.

As the fashionable cuftom of maintaining greater armies than they can afford, and the attempts befides at establishing a marine, keep most of the European princes in á conftant state of poverty, they are frequently obliged, upon any emergency productive of an additional expence, to recur to every expedient for the raifing of money. The King of Denmark accordingly this year, fent three commiffioners

as a deputation to the city of Lua beck, to negociate a loan of 150,000l. fterling, for twenty years, with the merchants of that place; for which he was willing to pay intereft at the rate of fix per cent. with the farther ftipulation on his fide, of defending the rights of the city from all encroachments and foreign pretenfions. This application was not attended with fuccefs; the magiftracy, after a long confultation, returned for anfwer; that it was impoffible for them at the prefent time, to comply with the King's requifition of the loan; that they thanked him for his protection; but apprehended they were not at prefent in any particular need of it.

We have already obferved, that the motions and preparations which were made in Sweden, had confiderably alarmed more than one of its neighbours. And though the ftale pretences, of good-will, pacific intentions, and attending only to fecurity, were frequently repeated, it is evident they did not remove thofe apprehenfions. Whatever the King's defigns were, it is probable that the new treaty between Ruffia and Denmark, did not a little contribute to prevent them from ripening into action; and it is poffible that the fame caufe, co-operating with the inaptitude of fome of his allies, may occafion their being entirely laid afide.

In other matters, the wisdom and moderation of the prefent King, prevent the people from finding any prefent inconveniences through the late change of government. The first steps of a new and abitrary government, are generally popular. Its true character rarely appears,

ation; while at the fame time, the motions on the fide of Ruffia, were equally ambiguous and alarming. All the ancient treaties between Sweden and the Porte, were allo renewed and confirmed, and particularly the mutual guarantee treaty of the year 1739, with the addition of fome new articles.

The pealants of Finland, having vainly flattered themfelves that the late revolution had emancipated them from the ancient fubjection and fervices which they owed to their lords, loft no time in enjoying their fuppofed independence; which occafioned fome trouble, and their fending a deputation to court, in fupport of this new claimed liberty. They however found, to their great regret, that their condition was not at all altered, and that the King was much difpleafed at their conduct, in confèquence of which an ordinance was immediately pubfifhed to prevent all fuch miflakes for the future.

The most judicious measures were taken by the King and his council, and by the directors of the bank under his immediate influence, to prevent the fatal confequences of thofe commercial failures, which had extended their influence throughout Europe. The King applied perfonally to the merchants and directors, exhorting them to lend all their aid to the fupport of public credit in this prefling exigency; and declared publicly, that if any one fhould take advantage of the times, to raise the exchange, or the intereft of money, fuch per fon fhould, in the highest degree, incur the royal difpleafúré. The wifdom of this particular meafure may be doubted: but, on the whole, fuch order was taken that credit

was fully fupported, and the bank not only lent money to those merchants who were known to be folvent, but to all who could give fecurity in any fort, whether in lands, hoafes, fhips, goods, or merchandize. And the effects of this conduct were so happy, that it is faid, there was not, during that period, a fingle Swedish bill protefted.

The King is not lefs attentive to every other matter relative to commerce, and has declared, that he will fpare no pains to make it flourifh in the highest degree that the country is capable of admitting. He accordingly allots a certain portion of every week, to grant audience to all perfons without exception, who chufe to apply, or have any thing to communicate to him upon mercantile affairs; whom he hears with the greatest attention and patience, and thoroughly examines their business or propofals. As an effay towards remedying in fome degree the late fatal depopulation, this prince iffued an ordinance, by which all peasants who have four children, or more, are excufed from the payment of the poll-tax, and all other perfonal contributions.

The Count de Hopken, a nobleman of great worth and honour, who had fome years refigned his office and dignity of fenator, to retire from all public bufinefs, was lately recalled by the King to prefide at the head of the fenate. In a letter which the King wrote to him upon this occafion, and which did as much honour to the writer as to the perfon to whom it was written, he fays, that he calls upon him to ferve him as a counselior and conductor; and that if he

knew

T

HE age and pacific difpofition of the French king, has for fome time contributed greatly to the prefervation of the public tranquillity in Europe. It was however apprehended, foon after the commencement of the prefent year, that the conduct of the Ruffians in the Mediterranean, co-operating with the affairs of Poland, the inefficacy of the negociations at Buchareft, and the clofe connexion between France and Sweden, would have occafioned a change in thofe fentiments. This opinion was foon confirmed, by the extraordinary na. val preparations which were made in the French and Spanish ports, both in the ocean and the Mediterranean; and which were car ried on with a vigour and industry, that afforded fome room for fufpecting hoftile intentions. The object of thofe in the Mediterranean was well understood, and probably made

no fecret; but as the French and Spanish fquadrons in that fea, were already far fuperior in force to the Ruffians, and required no affiftance from Breft for that purpofe, the deftination of the fleet in that harbour was more ambiguous; it was, however, generally fuppofed that it was intended to act in the Baltic, if certain circumftances fhould render its appearance there neceffary in favour of Sweden.

Thefe preparations having ex cited the jealoufy of our court; which, from its clofe alliance with Ruffia, as well as its wishes to pre ferve the general tranquillity, could pot behoid with indifference that power totally oppreffed in the Mediterranean, and a new war kin dled, both in the fouth and the north of Europe, ftrong remonfrances were made upon the fubject at Paris and Madrid, accom. panied with a declaration, that if [D] 2

Luch

as

fuch measures were pursued, GreatBritain would be under a neceflity of fending fuch a fleet of obfervation into the Mediterranean, fhould effectually fruftrate any attempts that were made upon the Rufans. In the mean time a powerful fleet was equipped, and ordered to rendezvous at Spithead, and those warlike preparations were for fome time continued on all údes. At length this vigorous conduct, with the pacific temper of the French king and his minifters, were able to reftrain the hoftile difpofition which feemed to prevail at Madrid, and happily prevented the profecution of meafures, which muft have involved all Europe in their confequences.

The French miniftry, being thus freed from the apprehenfions or defigns of war, have directed their attention to happier purfuits, in the extension of the national commerce and the improvement of agriculture. Indeed the fpirit of enquiry and experiment with refpect to the latter, which is now becoming fo general in Europe, and had in former times been fo unaccountably languid and deficient, it may be reafonably hoped, will in due time be productive of the happiest effects to mankind; and prevent the return of those frequent famines, which are o fatal a reproach to their want of industry. Too much praife cannot be beftowed upon the laudable endeavours of thofe focieties, which have been established in the feveral provinces of France, as well as in Switzerland, and other countries, for the improving and extending of this most useful knowledge; and though a fucceffion of inclement and irregular feafons, have hitherto in a great degree re

Nov. 16th.

The marriage which has taken place between the Count de Artois, the French king's third grandfon, and the Princefs Maria Theresa, of Savoy, fecond daughter to the King of Sardinia, is of no farther confequence to the public, than as it may be fuppofed that fuch mar riages afford an additional fecurity to the tranquillity of Italy. Several difturbances which happened in Guienne, and fome other of the fouthern provinces, were only the natural confequences of the extreme fcarcity and dearness of provifions, and as the harvest has happily, in a confiderable degree, removed the caufe, the effects have alfo ceafed without farther trouble.

Some bickerings between Spain and the Barbary states were of little other confequence, than that they ferved as a pretence to the former, for the extraordinary military preparations which were made throughout the kingdom both by fea and land. The prefent King of Spain, without being endowed with any extraordinary military talents, or the having met with thofe great fucceffes which might appear fufficient to create fuch a difpofition, is faid to have an in

clination