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State of the receipts and iffues of the revenues of France in 1740, 1741, 1742, and 1743; and of the national debt of France in 1743, as taken from fome papers lately published from a MS. that was in the poffeffion of of the late Mr. Furnese.

The king's revenue in 1740
Disbursements

Debts contracted

1741. Receipts

Disbursements

Debt contracted

1. fterl. 8. d. 9008682 18 7

9017237 1 44

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10858317 17 11

11104152

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6 81

But this debt was paid in 1742, and carried to the disbursements in 1743. Among the disbursements are 896871. 10s. to French minifters at foreign courts for fecret fervices, negotiations, and foreign penfions; 1452081. 6s. 8d. remitted to M. Belleifle at Frankfort, on account of the election of an emperor; 290411. 138. 4d. for fecret affairs within the kingdom ; 9481251. for foreign fubfidies on account of the affairs of Europe.

1742. Receipts
Disbursements

Savings this year

4

13702868 8 63 13063138 16 21 3

039729 12 4

4

Among these disbursements are 30322l. 18s. 4d. for fecret affairs within the kingdom; 1161661. 135. 4d. for fecret fervices abroad, negotiations, and foreign penfions; 1262960l. 16s. 8d. for foreign fubfidies; and 854161. 135. 4. remitted to M. Belleifle at Berlin.

1743. Receipts
Difbursements

Debt contracted

11767942
4 7
12485312
7112
717370 13 4

Among the disbursements this year are the following articles: to ambaffadors, as well for their falaries, as for fecret fervices and foreign penfions, 1708971. 75. 11d.-Foreign fubfidies, 7602331. 1s. 8d.-Secret affairs within the kingdom, 313731.

Before the re-union of the dukedoms of Lorraine and Bar to the crown, the ordinary revenues of the king amounted from 200 to 205 millions of livres; fince that re-union they have amounted, one year with another, to about 210 millions of livres. King Stanislaus receives a yearly penfion from the French court of 854161. 13. 4d. fterling.

Debts of the French crown, Jan. 1, 1744.

Perpetual rents

Charges and hereditary offices

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£56367551

Augmentation of finances.

£ 91976030

Intereft of the above fum.

Hereditary interest

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More annuities and tranfitory rents

1099529

10 10/1/1

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The aforesaid fums are reduced to fterling money, reckoning the livre

at icd. 4

STATE

STATE PAPERS.

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That being fincerely defirous of contributing to the re-establlifhment of the public tranquillity, they were ready to fend plenipotentaries to the place, that fhall be judged the most convenient, in order to treat there, of the important object, with those, which the beiligerent parties fhall think proper to authorise on their fide, for attaining fo falutary an end.

Her majesty the empress queen of Hungary and Bohemia; her majesty the empress of all the Ruffias ; and his majesty the moft Chriftian king, equally animated by the defire of contributing to the re-eftablishment of the public tranquil

lity, on a folid and equitable footing, declare in return;

which has

That his majesty the Catholic king having been pleafed to offer his mediation in the war, fubfifted for fome years between France and England; and this war. having befides, nothing in common with that which the two empreffes with their allies have likewife carried on for fome years against the king of Pruffia;

His most Christian majefty is ready to treat of his particular peace with England, through the good offices of his Catholic majefty, whofe mediation he has a pleasure in accepting.

As to the war, which regards directly his Pruffian majefty; their majefties, the empress queen of Hungary and Bohemia, the emprefs of all the Ruffias, and the moft Chriftian king, are difpofed to agree to the appointing the congrefs propofed. But as, by virtue of their treaties, they cannot enter into any engagement relating to peace, but in conjunction with their allies, it will be neceffary, in order that they may be enabled to explain themselves definitively upon that fubject, that their Britannic and Pruffian majefties fhould previously be pleased to caufe their invitation to a congrefs, to be made to all the powers, that are directly engaged in war against the king of Pruffia; and namely, to his majefty the king of Poland, elector of Saxony, as likewife to his ma

jefly

jefty the king of Sweden, who ought fpecifically to be invited to the future congrefs.'

Offers made by feveral neutral powers to the powers at war of places in their countries to hold a congrefs

in.

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HE State General offered the town of Breda. To this offer general York returned an anfwer, importing, That the king his mafter thanked their high mightineffes for the fincere defire they exprefs to put an end to the ravages of war, which carry defolation all over Europe: that he readily accepted of their gracious offer, and would be extremely pleafed from his high regard and invariable friendship for their high mightineffes, that all the other powers at war would likewife accept it.'-To the fame offer, the French declaration was in fubftance as follows: That his moft Chriftian majefty was highly fenfible of the offer their high mightineffes had made of the town of Breda for holding the congrefs: that his majefty, to give a fresh proof of his fincere defire to increafe the good harmony that fubfifted between him and their high mightineffes, accepted their gracious offer with pleasure; but as he could do nothing without the confent of his high allies, it behoved him to wait for their anfwer, which could not fail to be favourable, if nothing but the place for holding the congrefs remained to be fettled.'

King Stanislaus having alfo written a letter to the king of Great Britain, making him an offer of

the city of Nancy to hold the congrefs in, his Britannic majefty returned him an answer to the following effect: 'I have a due fenfe of your majesty's obliging offer of your city of Nancy, for holding a congrefs, in cafe the powers at war fhould be inclined to put a ftop to the effufion of human blood. I should be extremely glad that the negotiations fo much to be defired were carried on under your majefty's eye: but as the city of Nancy is not conveniently fituated for all the powers who are interefted in the great work of peace, I can only thank your majefty for the obliging offer of your good offices, and of the city of Nancy for the feat of the negotiation.'

To the like offer made to the king of Pruffia, his majesty wrote the following:

Monfieur mon Frere,

"With real pleasure I have received your majefty's letter. Certainly I fhould not refufe the offer you make me of the city of Nancy, if that depended on me. All the negotiations that fhould be carried on there under your aufpices, could not but take a favourable and happy turn; but your majefty, perhaps, knows by this time, that every body's fentiments are not fo pacific as yours.

The courts of Vienna and Ruffia have refufed, in an unprecedented manner, to come into the measures which the king of England and myself propofed to them; and it is likely that they will draw the king of France into the continuance of the war, the advantages of which they alone expect to reap; but, certainly they alone will be the caufe of the effufion of human blood confequent on their refufal.

How

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E it known to all whom it concerns, or may concern, that the burthenfome war wherein his Pruffian majefty is engaged, putting him under the neceffity of making new efforts for his defence, against the great number of enemies by which his dominions are attacked, and being therefore obliged to enter into a new concert with his Britannic majesty, in order to provide reciprocally and jointly with him for their common defence and fafety; and his majefty the king of Great Britain having made known, at the fame time, the defire he had to ftrengthen the bonds of friendship, which fubfift between the two courts, and to come to a new agreement on this occafion, and for this end, by an exprefs convention relating to the fuccours by which he may give to his Prufian majefty most expeditious and most efficacious affiftance, their faid majesties have therefore, for this purpofe, named and

authorifed their respective ministers, to wit, in the name, and on the part of his Britannic majefty, his privy counfellors, Sir Robert Henley, knight, his keeper of the great feal of Great Britain; John, earl Granville, prefident of his council; Thomas Holles, duke of Newcastle, first lord commiffioner of his treafury; Robert, carl of Holdernesse, one of his principal fecretaries of ftate; Philip, earl of Hardwicke ; and William Pitt, another of his principal fecretaries of state; and in the name, and on the part of his Pruffian majefty, the fieurs Dodo Henry, baron of Knyphaufen, his privy counfellor of embaffy, and minifter plenipotentiary at the court of his Britannic majefty, and Lewis Michell, his chargé d'affaires, at the faid court, who, after the exchange of their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following articles.

1. It is agreed that all the preceding treaties which fubfift between the two courts, of whatever date or nature they may be, and particularly that of Westminster, of the 16th of January, in the year 1756, as well as the convention of the 11th of April of the last year, and that of the 7th of December of the fame year, fhall be deemed to be renewed and confirmed by the prefent convention in all their points, articles, and clauses, and fhall be of the fame force as if they were inferted herein word for word.

2. His majefty, the king of Great Britain, engages to caufe to be paid in the city of London, into the hands of the perfon or perfons who fhall be authorised for that purpose by his majesty the king of Pruffia, the fum of four millions

of

of German crowns, amounting to 670,000l. fterling, which entire fum fhall be paid at once, immediately after the exchange of the ratifications, upon the requifition of his Pruffian majefty.

3. His majesty, the king of Pruffia, engages, on his part, to employ the faid fum in keeping up, and augmenting his forces, which fhall act in the moft advantageous manner for the common caufe, and for the end proposed by their aforefaid majefties, of reciprocal defence, and mutual fecurity.

4. The high contracting parties moreover engage, viz. on the one part his Britannic majefty, both as king, and as elector, and on the other part his Pruffian majefty, not to conclude any treaty of peace, truce, or neutrality, or any other convention whatsoever, with the powers who have taken part in the préfent war, but in concert, and by mutual confent, and exprefsly comprehending each other therein.

5. This convention fhall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof fhall be exchanged on both fides, within the terms of fix weeks, to be reckoned from the date of figning the prefent convention, or fooner, if poffible.

In witness whereof we the underwritten minifters of his majefly the king of Great Britain, and of his majefty the king of Pruffia, by virtue of our full powers, have figned the prefent convention, and have fet the feals of our arms thereto.

Done at London, the 9th of November, in the year of our Lord 1759. (L. S.)

The miniftry in France, and the captains of the navy there, are mutually

difpleafed with one another. The letter which M. Berryer, Secretary for the affairs of the navy, wrote to the officers in the river Vilaine, was preceded by feveral others. The firft from that minifter to M. de la Broffe, was dated December 12, 1759, and was as follows:

"I

Received, Sir, yours of the 4th inftant, acquainting me with the fituation of the fhips that took fhelter in the Vilaine, and of the difficulty of getting them down the river. I laid your letter before the king at Marly. His majesty could not help faying to me, that he could not conceive why you put into fuch a place which, all circumftances confidered, he thought a very improper one. He charges you to examine carefully what methods can be employed, to get the fhips out, and carry them to Breft, if not all together, which without doubt would be difficult, at least one at a time, which may be done. His majesty added, that the state of his finances would not fupport the expence of keeping fhips in commiffion in the Vilaine. He would chufe rather to order them to be laid up, and the officers and feamen to be discharged, than to continue fuch a heavy and fruitless expence; referving to himself to take fuch meafures, and employ fuch officers, as he might think proper, to bring them out of that place. But he deferred given me his final order on this head, till you fhould have anfwered this letter.

I therefore earnestly defire that you will answer it minutely and with precifion. You must be fenfible how nearly it concerns you to get the king's fhips, as foon as poffible, out of this place with fafety;

and

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