t be filled up, in the actual situation of things.
The Austrians have been successful in an attack upon Schabatz, intended
as a preliminary to that of Belgrade. In that on Dubitza, another town
in the neighborhood of Belgrade, they have been repulsed, and as is
suspected, with considerable loss. It is still supposed the Russian
fleet will go into the Mediterranean, though it will be much retarded by
the refusal of the English government to permit its sailors to engage in
the voyage. Sweden and Denmark are arming from eight to twelve ships of
the line each. The English and Dutch treaty you will find in the Leyden
gazettes of May the 9th and 13th. That between England and Prussia is
supposed to be stationary. Monsieur de St. Priest, the ambassador from
this court to the Hague, has either gone, or is on the point of going.
The Emperor of Morocco has declared war against England. I enclose you
his orders in our favor, on that occasion. England sends a squadron
to the Mediterranean for the protection of her commerce, and she is
reinforcing her possessions in the two Indies. France is expecting the
arrival of an embassy from Tippoo Saib, is sending some regiments to the
East Indies, and a fleet of evolution into the Atlantic. Seven ships of
the line and several frigates, sailed from Cadiz on the 22nd of April,
destined to perform evolutions off the Western Islands, as the Spaniards
say, but really to their American possessions, as is suspected. Thus
the several powers are by little and little, taking the position of war,
without an immediate intention of waging it. But that the present ill
humor will finally end in war, is doubted by nobody.
In my letter of February the 5th, I had the honor of informing you of
the discontent produced by our _Arret_ of December the 29th, among the
merchants of this country, and of the deputations from the chambers of
commerce to the minister, on that subject. The articles attacked, were
the privileges on the sale of our ships, and the _entrepot_ for codfish.
The former I knew to be valuable: the latter I supposed not so; because
during the whole of the time we have had four free ports in this
kingdom, we have never used them for the smuggling of fish. I concluded,
therefore, the ports of _entrepot_ would not be used for that purpose. I
saw that the ministers would sacrifice something to quiet the merchants,
and was glad to save the valuable article relative to our ships, by
abandoning the us
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