that Russia has desired this, and that the Emperor, after
some hesitation, has acceded. It rests on this country to close. Her
indignation against the King of Prussia will be some spur. She will
thereby save her party in Holland, and only abandon the Turks to that
fate she cannot ward off, and which their precipitation has brought on
themselves, by the instigations of the English ambassador at the Porte,
and against the remonstrances of the French ambassador. Perhaps this
formidable combination, should it take place, may prevent the war of
the western powers, as it would seem that neither England nor Prussia
would carry their false calculations so far, as, with the aid of the
Turks only, to oppose themselves to such a force. In that case, the
Patriots of Holland would be peaceably established in the powers of
their government, and the war go on against the Turks only, who would
probably be driven from Europe. This new arrangement would be a total
change of the European system, and a favorable one for our friends. The
probability of a general war, in which this country will be engaged on
one side, and England on the other, has appeared to me sufficient to
justify my writing to our agents in the different ports of France, to
put our merchants on their guard, against risking their property in
French or English bottoms. The Emperor, instead of tracing back his
steps in Brabant, as was expected, has pursued the less honorable plan
of decoying his subjects thence by false pretences, to let themselves
be invested by his troops, and this done, he dictates to them his own
terms. Yet it is not certain the matter will end with that.

The Count de Moustier is nominated Minister Plenipotentiary to America;
and a frigate is ordered to Cherbourg, to carry him over. He will
endeavor to sail by the middle of the next month, but if any delay
should make him pass over the whole of October, he will defer his
voyage to the spring, being unwilling to take a winter passage.
Monsieur de St. Priest is sent Ambassador to Holland, in the room of
Monsieur de Verac, appointed to Switzerland. The Chevalier de Luzerne
might, I believe, have gone to Holland, but he preferred a general
promise of promotion, and the possibility that it might be to the court
of London. His prospects are very fair. His brother, the Count de la
Luzerne, (now Governor in the West Indies,) is appointed minister of
the marine, in the place of Monsieur de Castries, who has resi