very agreeable to us to understand that our common endeavours had not failed of the defired effect; for a more pacific difpofition afterwards prevailing in the minds of the Princes engaged in the war, and the business being already fo far happily advanced, that previous conditions of peace, or preliminary articles, were agreed upon between them, on which the general work of pacification might be founded, the aforefaid most Serene and moft Potent Princes defired, in a friendly manner, that, in concert with her Imperial Majesty of all the Ruffias, we would apply our joint attention to this falutary bufinefs, and interpofe our friendly offices for eftablishing the peace, of which the foundations were happily laid by the above-mentioned previous conditions, in order that by the united efforts of the mediators, the great work of peace might on every fide be the more certainly accomplished. We, ever intent upon that object, perceived with the greater fatisfaction the fentiments of the above-mentioned Princes, and, having previously concerted measures with her Majesty the Emprefs of all the Ruffias, did not hesitate to confirm the expectations they had conceived on our part, by accepting, with a willing and chearful mind, the truit committed to us. For which end we have made choice of the illuftrious and noble, our faithful and beloved Florimond Count de MercyArgenteau, Knight of the Golden Fleece, our actual Privy Counsellor, and our Ambaffador refiding at the court of the moft Serene and moft Potent King of France and Navarre, a perfon of fingular fidelity, integrity, and experience in the proper conduct of affairs, and have appointed, and hereby given him full power to take upon him, in our name, the office of mediator, conjointly with fuch perfon or perfons who fhall be appointed and furnished with equal full power, as well on the part of her Majefty the Emprefs of all the Ruffias, as co-mediatrix, as on the part of the other Princes who may be interested therein, and to contribute his counfel and affiftance for concluding, by the

interpofition of friendly offices and united efforts, fuch treaties, conventions, or regulations whatfoever, as may appear to be neceffary for completing the work of peace; all which he fhall fubfcribe and fign, and fhall alfo deliver fuch inftrument or inftruments, on his part, as may be proper and required of him for perfecting the bufinefs: promifing, on our Imperial, Royal, and Archducal word, that we will ratify, accept, and faithfully fulfil all fuch things as our faid Ambaffador fhall have concluded, promifed, and figned, by virtue of these prefents, and that we will order letters of ratification to be expedited at the time agreed upon: In witnefs, and for the greater validity whereof, we have figned this inftrument of full power with our hand, and have ordered it to be confirmed with our Imperial, Royal, and Archducal feal affixed thereto. Given in our city of Vienna, the fixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-three, in the twentieth of our Roman-Germanic reign, and the third of our hereditary reign.

JOSEPHUS.

W. Kaunitz Rietberg.

By his Sacred Imperial and Royal Apoftolic Majefty's fpecial command.

Ant. Spielmann.

The Empress of Ruffia's Full Power.

BY the grace of God, we Catherine the Second, Emprefs and fole Monarch of all the Ruffias, of Mufcovy, Kiovia, Vlodomiria, Novogorod, Czarina of Cafan, Czarina of Aftracan, Czarina of Siberia, Lady of Plefcau, and Great Dutchefs of Smolensko; Dutchefs of Eftonia, of Livonia, Carelia, Twer, Ingoria, Germia, Viatkia, Bulgaria, and other countries; Lady and Great Dutchefs of Lower Novogorod, of Czernigovia, Refan, Roftow, Jaroflow, Belo-Oforia, Udoria, Obdoria, Condinia; Ruler of all the fide of the North; Lady L12

of

of Iveria; and Hereditary Princess and Sovereign of the Czars of Cartalinia and Georgia, as alfo of Cabardinia, of the Princes of Circaffia, of Gorfki, &c. Being intent, during all the course of the late war, which had extended over every part of the earth, to teftify how much we had it at heart to fee the calamities thereof terminated, we were inclined, in conjunction with his Majesty the Emperor of the Romans, King of Hungary and Bohemia, to employ our good offices, in order to find means of conciliation proper for reestablishing peace and good understanding between the belligerent Powers. We have had the fatisfaction to obferve that our common endeavours were not fruitlefs; and the pacific fentiments with which the said Powers were happily animated, having ripened and ftrengthened fo far that they proceeded to conclude preliminary articles, ferving as a bafis to the definitive treaties, they invited us, conjointly with his Majesty the Emperor of the Romans, King of Hungary and Bohemia, to carry our united mediation into full execution, and to interpose our good offices in this falutary work, by concurring to confolidate and fully establish the peace, the foundations of which were laid by the aforefaid preliminary articles, and thus to accomplish the business of pacification fo happily begun. We, equally induced by the fentiments above expreffed, as by a juft acknowledgment of thofe which were manifefted to us on the part of the faid Powers, did not hesitate, in concert with his Majefty the Emperor of the Romans, to confirm their expectation, and to charge ourfelf with the important employment which was tendered to us. For this end, we have made choice of, named, and deputed, and by these presents do make choice of, name, and depute, our Minifters Plenipotentiary to his moft Chriftian Majefty, our beloved and trufty Prince, Iwan Bariatinfkoy, Lieutenant General of our forces, Knight of the Order cf St. Anne, and the Sieur Arcadius de Marcoff, our Counsellor of Chancery, giving them full power, in cur name, and on our

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behalf,

behalf, in quality of mediators, jointly with him or them who fhall be named for this purpofe, and likewife furnished with full powers, on the part of his Majesty the Emperor of the Romans, King of Hungary and Bohemia, co-mediator, as well as on the part of the other Powers interested therein, to act or interpofe, and affift with our mediation and good offices in the arrangement and completion of all fuch treaties, conventions, or other inftruments, as fhall be judged neceffary for the confolidation and entire confirmation of the work begun; and alfo to fign and deliver, on their part, fuch act or acts as may be required and deemed conducive to the attainment of that end: promifing, on our faith and Imperial word, to approve and faithfully perform every thing which fhall have been done, concluded, promifed, and figned, in virtue of the present full power, by the faid Prince Bariatinskoy and Sieur Marcoff, as alfo to caufe our ratifications thereof to be expedited in the time agreed upon. In witness whereof, we have figned these prefents with our own hand, and have caufed the great feal of the empire to be fixed thereto. Given at our refidence of St. Petersburgh, the twelfth of March, in the year of grace one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-three, and in the twenty-first year of our reign. CATHERINE.

Count John d'Oftermann.

[The COMMERCIAL TREATY, 1786, is printed from the copy, which was published by authority, in 1786.] The Treaty of Navigation and Commerce between his Britannic Majefty and the most Christian King; Signed at Versailles, the 26th of September, 1786. HIS Britannic Majefty, and his moft Chriftian Majefty, being equally animated with the defire

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not

not only of confolidating the good harmony which actually fubfifts between them, but also of extending the happy effects thereof to their respective fubjects, have thought that the most efficacious means for attaining thofe objects, conformably to the eighteenth article of the treaty of peace figned the 6th of September, 1783, would be to adopt a fyftem of commerce on the bafis of reciprocity and mutual convenience, which, by difcontinuing the prohibitions and prohibitory duties which have exifted for almoft a century between the two nations, might procure the most folid advantages on both fides to the national productions and industry, and put an end to contraband trade, no lefs injurious to the public revenue than to that lawful commerce which is alone entitled to protection. For this end, their faid Majefties have named for their Commiffaries and Plenipotentiaries, to wit, the King of Great Britain, William Eden, Efq; Privy Counsellor in Great Britain and Ireland, Member of the British Parliament, and his Envoy Extraordinary and Minifter Plenipotentiary to his moft Chriftian Majefty; and the most Chriftian King, the Sieur Jofeph Mathias Gerard de Rayneval, Knight, Counfellor of State, Knight of the Royal Order of Charles III; who, after having exchanged their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following articles,

I. It is agreed and concluded between the most Serene and most Potent King of Great Britain, and the moft Serene and most Potent the most Christian King, that there fhall be a reciprocal and entirely perfect liberty of navigation and commerce between the fubjects of each party, in all and every the kingdoms, ftates, provinces, and territories, fubject to their Majefties, in Europe, for all and fingular kinds of goods, in those places, upon the conditions, and in fuch man¬ ner and form as is fettled and adjusted in the following articles,

II. For