1749. ing an armed neutrality, as it must appear to you, by what I have already informed you of, that his Majesty is so far from giving any countenance to those who may possibly have a desire to project new troubles in the north, or even to an armed neutrality in that case, that he has directed the most pressing instances to be made for the preventing them in those courts, from which the court of France could apprehend any danger of this sort might arise.

I believe it is needless to mention to you, that all that I have above wrote, is upon a supposition that his Majesty's allies are not attacked by any power whatsoever, nor any attempt made to subvert the form of government in Sweden, for in either of those cases, the King would think himself obliged to fulfil all the defensive engagements he is under to them.

The notion of his Majesty's intention to send a squadron, this summer, into the Baltic, has so generally prevailed, that it is difficult to account for it any other way, than that the French themselves are conscious that the extraordinary armament of the King of Prussia, who (it is said here) has increased his troops by the addition of several thousand men, must have given some alarm to his Majesty and his allies, and consequently have put them on their guard against all events; and this suspicion has been strengthened by the vote of 3000 scamen in addition to those voted at the beginning of the session; but in this way they have

judged too hastily, as these seamen are voted upon wages only: viz., at about 107. for the year, and not as the other 17,000 are, at 47. a man per month, which includes not only the wages, but victuals, wear and tear, &c. and is only intended to enable his Majesty to have a sufficient number of seamen upon any emergency, without being obliged to take those violent measures of pressing them into the service, which is so detrimental to trade and to the liberty of the subject, and which his Majesty can never prevail on himself to break through, but on the most urgent occasions. This, the French ministry must be sensible, is doing no more on our part than what they do by land, where the reduced men out of the several national regiments are still kept up upon the foot of militia, and are liable to be called back again into the service whenever their master shall require it.

I have dwelt longer upon these several subjects than is, perhaps, necessary to one who is so well informed as yourself; but as I know it is the King's firm intention to prevent any fresh troubles from arising which might kindle up a new war in Europe, I thought it my duty to be as particular as I could in informing you of the King's sentiments in regard to your very important despatch of the 1st March

18th Feb.

As M. de Puisieux did not make you any formal propositions about the reciprocal sending of ministers between this court and Sweden, his Majesty has not yet thought proper to give me any directions thereupon; and as, in all probability, the

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1749. King will be desirous of seeing what turn affairs will take in the north, before he determines any thing absolutely on this subject, I believe it will be proper for you, in case any fresh overture should be made you by M. de Puisieux, to appear still uninstructed, and to desire time to write to your court for orders thereupon.

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I had barely time to acknowledge last post the receipt of your several despatches of the th instant, but not having been able before to receive his Majesty's orders thereupon, I have been obliged to postpone till now informing you what answers it is the King's pleasure you should make to the several points of business M. Puisieux talked to you upon in the last conversation you had with him, and of which you give me an account in your letter in cypher of the 5th instant.

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As the declaration M. Durand made on Wednesday last by order of his court to the Duke of Newcastle and myself will in some measure explain to you the principle upon which his Majesty has determined to send you the orders which you will receive in this despatch, I think it necessary before I enter farther into this affair to inform you of it,

though in all probability before this M. Puisieulx 1749. must have acquainted you with it.

M. Durand began by acquainting me that he had received instructions from his court to make the following declaration to me: in the first place, with regard to the Pretender's son, that there was certain information that he had quitted Avignon, but that it was not known whither he was gone, but that orders had been given to all the most Christian King's officers de l'arrêter in case he should attempt to return to Avignon through the French territories, and conduct him by sea to Civita Vecchia. In the second place, that he had orders to declare that the King his master is so far from desiring any change in the form of government in Sweden, that he is ready on his part to take joint measures with the King in opposition to any such attempt. This declaration of the French court, as likewise the proposal made by M. Puisieux which you in18th Feb. formed me of in your despatch of the 1st March' Viz. that the two courts of London and Versailles, without entering into any farther or more intimate concert together, should respectively make such instances to their allies as might induce them to forbear taking any measures that might in any degree endanger the peace of the north, and consequently the tranquillity of all Europe, have in a great degree convinced his Majesty that the court of Versailles is not at all desirous of fomenting the troubles which have been apprehended ready to break out in the north, but on the contrary is de

1749. sirous of taking such joint measures with us as seem most likely to prevent any mischief of this 'sort from arising.

As I informed you in my despatch of the 27th of last month that his Majesty had given directions that his ministers at the courts of Vienna and Moscow should be ordered to make the strongest instances at those courts against any steps being taken by either of them that might tend to raise any commotions in those parts, as likewise that his Majesty had no thoughts of entering into any hostile measures unless his allies should be first attacked, or that an attempt should be made to subvert the form of government in Sweden, I have nothing farther to add to this but to inform you, that the orders are actually sent to Vienna and Moscow with strong but friendly instances to those courts, and that the King doth still adhere to those sentiments of moderation, in case France, in pursuance of the declarations she has now lately made, shall continue to act in that manner which in some degree has been chalked out by herself, and which his Majesty doth entirely approve of.

As M. Puisieux seems to found the greatest jealousy of this court upon these two points, viz. the coolness showed to M. Durand when he first touched upon his Majesty's admitting a minister from Sweden; and, 2dly, the reports almost universally spread about of his Majesty's intention to send a squadron of men-of-war this next summer into the Baltic, I have now the King's orders to in