ck's army is collected,
and was to act in about a day or two from this date, if satisfaction was
not previously given, which seemed not impossible." On the 11th, he
says: "If nothing has since occurred to alter the plan--which, however,
is by no means improbable--the Prussian troops were to begin their march
on this day."

It soon became obvious that the expectations founded on the likelihood
of the submission of Holland were not to be realised. In a letter of the
13th, Mr. Grenville states that "the business is drawing fast to its
crisis, whatever that may be." The Prussian Ambassador had given in
demands requiring satisfaction, including the punishment of the
offenders, within four days; in failure of which, the troops were to
act. "I doubt," he adds, "whether the State of Holland can give this,
even if they were so disposed, which is not clear. In the meantime, not
a man has moved in France, and the confusion seems by every account to
be increasing."

On the very day on which this letter was written, the Duke of Brunswick,
at the head of twenty thousand men, had entered Holland.

How nearly these events had involved Europe in a war, may be gleaned
from the next letter, which is marked "private."

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

(Private.) Whitehall, Tuesday, Sept. 18th, 1787.

My dear Brother,

The storm is at last burst upon us. Montmorin has communicated
to Eden an application from Holland to the French Court for
assistance against the Prussian army, and the determination of
France to comply with this request. The answer will be, that we
cannot in any case be quiet spectators of the operations of a
French force in the Republic, and that we have consequently
given orders for arming our fleet. The press warrants will be
out on Thursday, and every other step of the same sort is taking
with the utmost expedition.

The Prussian army had got to Arnheim on Friday, and I trust will
have been able to act with effect before France can give them
any interruption. If this should be the case, I think there is
still a possibility of settling the business without coming to
blows, but the chances are infinitely against it.

The circumstance is certainly an unpleasant one, and the crisis
in some respects hazardous; but I trust that we meet it with as
much advantage, all things considered, as ever this country had
whe