is effectually put an end to by this nation, no Spanish minister can possibly advise his master to keep his guarda costas and cruisers from molesting the English navigation, which he alleges to be the case at present. How far this is from truth the several complaints I have already sent you do but too clearly evince. But I can with truth say that neither I nor any of his Majesty's servants here are conscious of any illicit trade being carried on from hence, which is in our power to prevent; and all his Majesty's governors abroad have the strongest orders to comply strictly with the forms prescribed in the several treaties now subsisting between the two crowns. I cannot therefore help thinking that this pretext of Ensenada of the contraband trade now carried on by the English is only to stop our mouths, in the complaints we are almost daily obliged to make against the guarda costas. I have troubled you with this long letter, with my thoughts upon this subject, and with the intelligence above recited, which I thought absolutely necessary for you to be apprised of; and I think I need not reiterate to you that this letter must never be communicated to any one whatsoever. I must add in this place, that the complaints I have already sent you against the Spanish guarda costas begin to give uneasiness in this country, which faction is daily endeavouring to increase; you must therefore seriously remonstrate to the Spanish ministers, that if they intend the long continuance of a firm union and harmony between the two nations, they do immediately put a stop to the illegal proceedings of their governors and cruisers in the seas of America, as far as is at present in their power to do, as we on our part have always done, and will still continue to do, in everything that relates to the most punctual execution of the treaties now subsisting between the two crowns. I am, &c. 1751. THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE. (Most secret and particular.) My Lord, Whitehall, March 4. 1751. I have received his Majesty's immediate orders to write to your Excellency by this safe conveyance to inform you that it is his pleasure you should use your utmost endeavours to find out the real cause of M. Ammon's present mission to France, and, if possible, with what instructions he is charged, and whether there is an appearance of his succeeding therein. The endeavours of the King of Prussia for the infusing into the French court groundless jealousies and suspicions against his Majesty and his allies have been so frequently repeated, and with so much rancour and malice, that the King thinks no pains should be spared towards penetrating into the mystery of this 1751. affected mission of M. Ammon at a time when I am, &c. BEDFORD. Translation of a Letter in Cypher from Mr. Wall to Whitehall, March 11. 1751. The King's health here is a mystery, for not having appeared in public since he fell ill, and getting up each day for only two or three hours, there are some disaffected persons who say he cannot recover, and that he has three or four mortal disorders; however, people belonging to court assure that he is better, and this seems to me to be the most likely, since it has been confirmed to me by Princess Amelia and particularly the Countess of Yarmouth, with whom I have talked and who are in good humour, which I think would not be the case if the danger was really so great as is pretended: be it as it will, I will neglect nothing in order to get information from within doors concerning the condition which the Prince is in, as it would be no wonder, at his age, if what the other says and wishes should happen. The expedition of business is deferred on this account, and the Duke of Bedford has told me that he cannot yet give me an answer in form concerning what has happened in America to our shipwrecked fleet; however, that he believes the 2 per cent. for freight taken by the Governor of Virginia is not too much, considering the risk of transporting the money, nor the 4 per cent. for the right which the French call salvage. That having consulted the lawyers on this head, they have told him, it was the common practice, and even conformable to the codex by the Rhodian law; that nevertheless, if they had taken too much, it should be remedied; that as to the embargo, which was laid on part of the capital to compensate for the prizes pretended to be unlawful, they had as yet received no account of the matter; that in the mean time they disapprove the conduct of the 1751. 1751. Governor of Carolina, and will reprimand him severely for having sent such orders to the Governor of Virginia, and that we may at all events depend on his (the Duke of Bedford's) doing every thing in order to oblige us, and to correspond with our good faith and sincere way of thinking. The French ambassador here demands assurances upon assurances for the tranquillity of the North, in case his court concurs in the election of a king of the Romans, and his Grace has told me that it is his opinion, which he believes will be followed, that if it can't be done without the interposition of France, it is better not to make a king of the Romans at all, because they should at last be forced to have some condescendance for her, such as would doubtless alienate the court of Russia from this court and that of Vienna. It is certain that new difficulties occur daily, and they don't know whether they are sure of a majority, for though they reckon upon the Elector of Saxony, they may be mistaken, for the said Duke says that they will not give him a farthing, and your Excellency knows that the German Princes won't stir an inch without money, as I have likewise mentioned before now. As to the limits of Nova Scotia the English ambassador in France expects a categorical answer, and if it is not satisfactory, they will order their com. missaries to come away, and things will remain as they are; which is, very much embroiled, and the |