at New Lillo, and not to lower
its flag or submit to the search of the guard-ship stationed there,
except by compulsion. This vessel was allowed to pass, but a similar
experiment was afterwards made, and the Dutch this time fired a gun
over her, and sent officers on board to make the search. The emperor now
insisted upon his right to the sovereignty of the whole of the Scheldt,
from Antwerp to the sea, and he further claimed a free navigation and
uninterrupted commerce to and in both the East and West Indies. At the
same time, Joseph prepared two armed vessels to assert the right claimed
in the Scheldt, and to provoke an open act of hostility. These vessels
were to proceed, one from Antwerp to the sea, and the other from the sea
to Antwerp, and the vessel that descended was attacked by a Dutch armed
cutter, and fell into the hands of the Dutch. War now seemed inevitable.
On hearing of this event, the emperor recalled his ambassador from the
Hague, broke up the negociations at Brussels, and marched an army of
60,000 men from the Austrian dominions to the Netherlands This army did
not arrive at its place of destination however, till it was winter, and
as the Dutch had broken down a dyke, in order to prevent its advance,
instead of beginning hostilities on their arrival, the Austrians went
into winter-quarters. During the winter, little or nothing was done,
either in war or negociation, and when the spring arrived, it became
known that the emperor was negociating for the exchange of the
sovereignty of the Low Countries for the electorate of Bavaria. In this
scheme he was favoured by his great ally, the Czarina Catherine, but
Frederic the Great of Prussia immediately formed a confederation among
the princes of Germany, including the King of England, as elector of
Hanover, to oppose, and defeat it. For some time the emperor seemed
resolved to persevere in his designs, and to brave this hostile league;
but he soon formed other projects, and finding that he could not rely
on the assistance of the Czarina of Russia, and that the Bavarians were
hostile to his rule, he forewent his intention. In the meantime, the
Dutch had concluded a commercial league and close alliance with France,
and, soon after, the French ministers went actively to work as mediators
between them and the emperor. Negociations were carried on during the
summer, and in September, after the deputies of the States-General
had apologised for the insult offered to