cafion, at the Princefs Anne's, where it was refolved to arreft the Duke Regent, and diveft him of the government: For this purpose an order was figned, in the name of the young Em peror, and executed accordingly by C. Munich. The Regent, after fome refiftance, was taken prifoner, and conveyed to the fortrefs of Schluffelburg; and the Princess Anne, under a general difcharge of the artillery, declared Regent, with the title of Great Princess of all the Ruffias. Thus fell the unfortunate Duke of Courland at once from all his grandeur; who is faid to have caft his eyes on the imperial diadem, which was the occafion of his fudden downfal. The Duke of Brunswick has fince been declared Generaliffimo, and Lieutenant-Colonel of the horfe-guards. C. Munich is appointed Prime Minister of all the Councils; on which occafion the Princess Regent faid, in prefence of the whole court, There's my defender, and the defender of the empire: 'Tis be who has delivered us from the Birons, and their evil defigns. He is to take precedency next to the Duke of Brunfwick, and before all the Minifters and Generals; and his fon is promoted to be Great Steward of the Houfhold to the Princess Anne. When the Duke of Courland and his Lady were carried to Schluffelburg, nothing was omitted to mortify them. They were left expofed to the rain and fnow, for near half an hour, before the gate of the winter-palace, where they were loaded with the curfes of the populace; and when he was put into the waggon to be conveyed to the fortrefs, he faw near thirty perfons in his paffage that were delivered out of the prifon to which he had committed them, who reproach'd him for what they had fuffer'd during their confinement: Of this number was Andrew Jackowitz, a Counfellor of State, and Secretary of the Cabinet, who was fo feverely chaftifed by the knoute, that he will bear the marks of it as long as he lives. The chief articles laid to the late Regent's charge are, the immenfe treasures he has heaped up, part whereof he is accufed to

have fent abroad; the private negotiations he has enter'd into with feveral princes; his having indecently threatned the Princess Anne, that if she gave him the leaft room to complain of her conduct, he would fend her back into Germany, and call the Duke of Holftein into Ruffia; the difrefpect he fhewed to the Duke of Brunfwick, whom he laid under fuch reftraints as to hinder him frequently from appearing in publick: befides the arrogant behaviour of the Dutchefs of Courland to the Princess Anne, and the Duke her confort, and the rude expreffions the ufed to them upon feveral occafions. In fhort, 'tis agreed, they both deferve death, and that the Princefs Regent has a right to inflict that punishment upon them: but a letter the Duke of Courland has been permitted to write to the Princefs Regent, wherein he expreffes himself in very penitent and fubmiffive terms, has fo affected her as to mitigate the feverity of his treatment; and being determined not to ftain the beginning of her fon's reign with blood, the has refolved to be contented with his banishment.-Gen. Keith received orders, upon the Empress's death, to take the oaths to the young Czar and to the Regent, and to tender them to the officers under his command; but the General, being inform'd of the intrigues ufed by the Duke of Courland during the Czarina's illness, and judging his government would be oppofed, affembled his officers, and spoke to the following purpose: Gentlemen, I have just received the melancholy news of the death of her Imperial Majefly, our most gracious Sovereign, and of the proclaiming the Emperor John III. our prefent lawful Sovereign. Here is the form of the oath fent to be taken, in which obedience and fidelity are not confined to the facred perfon of bis Imperial Majefty, but are to extend likerwife to the Duke of Courland, in quality of Regent. I declare to you, Gentlemen, that I tender with joy the oath of fidelity and obedience to our present most gracious Emperor John III. and I am ready to facrifice my blood for him and for his auguft parents: that, next to his Im

perial

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Perial Majefty, I am ready to obey and fubmit to them; but it does not become me to bind myself by any oath to the Duke of Courland. This opennefs made impreffion upon feveral officers, who follow'd the General's example; but many others, fearing the refentment of the Duke Regent, took the oath according to the form. The Princess Elizabeth Petrowna continues at Petersburg in the fame fituation as before; being refpected and honoured according to her high birth: but does not intermeddle with publick affairs.-Tho' it is believed matters will end amicably between the courts of Ruffia and Sweden, not lefs than 100,000 men remain in Livonia, Ingermanland and Corelia; and there is a talk of augmenting them: befides a ftrong fleet which is now equipping, in order to put to fea next fummer. Notwithstanding the late revolutions in Ruffia, there is a perfect tranquillity throughout the empire, and not the leaft uneafy murmur to be heard: And 'tis affured from Petersburg, that the treaty between that court and Great Britain is at laft figned.

Affairs in SWEDEN are in a very unfettled fituation, that kingdom being divided into feveral parties; one adhering to the dictates of the French court, a fecond is for a peace with Ruffia on the old footing, and a third is of opinion, that some advantages ought to be granted by Ruffia before renewing the treaty of Neuftadt: but it cannot be determined which fide fhall prevail till the feparation of the general diet, which is now affembled.

The late Emperor's death, as it has extinguifhed the male line of the houfe of AUSTRIA, feems on the point of embroiling most of the states of Europe and kindling a general war; not only on account of the various pretenfions that are made to the hereditary dominions of that house, but the choice of a fucceffor to the Imperial crown. The Archdutchefs Maria-Therefa, his eldeft daughter, and confort of the Duke of Tufcany, has been proclaim'd Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Archdutchefs of Auftria, and Sovereign Princess

of all the hereditary states of the late Emperor, according to the fettlement made by the pragmatick fanction. She has been recognized in her rights by France, Sardinia, Venice, the Pope, and feveral of the Electors: But the Elector of Bavaria refused to acknowledge that Princefs as Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and lays claim to the Austrian fucceffion. He founds his pretenfions on the will of the Emperor Ferdinand I. of which he has produced an extract ; but the extract and the original differ widely, the firft making the Elector's right valid on the extinction of male heirs, and the last on that of lawful heirs. However, he does not feem fo fanguine on that fubject as at firft; which gives fome hopes of an accommodation.

The King of Pruffia's march into Silefia gives the court of Vienna fresh alarms; as at the time he was forwarding his military preparations for that expedition, he made the Queen of Hungary the strongest affurances of friendfhip: and thofe troops which she had reafon to think were raifing to fupport her intereft, are made ufe of to disturb the peace of the empire, contrary to treaties of peace, and the exprefs conftitutions of the empire. People could not tell how to account for the tranquillity with which the court of Vienna faw that prince make an irruption into one of the finest and richest provinces belonging to the Auftrian family; and imagined it must have been in confequence of a previous agreement with the Queen of Hungary, for fome politick end: But this mistake was obviated, by the Queen of Hungary's demanding fuccours of his Moft Christian Majefty, in order to guarranty the pragmatick fanction, against the enterprizes of their Pruffian and Catholick Majefties. Whether the Duke of Tuscany gives up that country to the King for his intereft at the enfuing election, whether he fend an army to oppofe him, or engage the fuperior influence of France to put an end to the difpute, the refolute young monarch feems determined to maintain his ground; and will not

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eafily be joftled out of poffeflion either by French politicks or French arms.

The court of Spain is making preparations for an expedition into Italy, to make good its pretenfions to the late Emperor's poffeffions there. In this enterprize they will, probably, meet with fome difficulties, unless they can get the King of G. Britain to liften to terms of accommodation; which, 'tis thought, won't be an eafy matter, as affairs are now circumstanced. If the Spaniards fhould venture to transport forces into Italy, Admiral Haddock might be a powerful bar to that undertaking, and would, perhaps, give opportunity to renew the scene presented on the coast of Sicily in 1718. Mean time the landforces of Spain are in great motion.

His Sicilian Majefty has affembled a large body of troops, to fupport the claims of the Spaniards in Italy; and 'tis faid they only wait for leave from the Pope to march thro' the ecclefiaftical ftate, which Cardinal Aquaviva has defired.

Surrounded with so many enemies, the Queen of Hungary is like to be greatly harraffed; but as it is the intereft of feveral powers to check the arms of the invaders, and affift her in the fupport of her lawful rights, things may turn out better than they now feem to promise.

The important affair of the election of an Emperor will caufe a great ftruggle. The Duke of Tufcany and the Elector of Bavaria are the natural candidates for that dignity. Those who wish well to the Proteftant caufe, and would be glad to fee an independent prince feated on the Imperial throne, are inclined ftrongly to fide with the former; in oppofition to the defigns of France, which, by raifing a dependent prince to be Emperor, would make the Bourbon scale too weighty, and thereby deftroy the balance of power.

On the death of the late King of PRUSSIA, he was fucceeded by his fon Charles-Frederick, who began his reign with acts of munificence and humanity. He has shown himself worthy of the crown by a tender concern for the wel

fare of his people; and an example worthy the imitation of princes, not only by his acts of generofity, but in his great attention to promote trade, manufactures, learning, and every thing that can tend to the happiness of his fubjects. This young monarch is no lefs careful in generoufly rewarding merit, and making the Pruffians happy, than in fupporting his rights whereever he can form any, and taking every opportunity to fnatch out of the hands of his neighbours all those territories which only the indolence or carelesness of his predeceffors hindered them from laying claim to. The difpute concerning the barony of Herftal was concluded to his own fatisfaction; and his troops, with himself at their head, are now in poffeffion of Silefia, which he is like to keep, unlefs drove out by fuperior force: and, by a very military ora tion he made to his foldiers, on entering that dutchy, he seems prepared for all events. And 'tis not doubted but, upon the death of the Elector Palatine, he will profecute his right to the fucceffion of Bergues and Juliers with as much vigour as he has done either that of Herfstal or Silefia. His Majefty has alfo made fome demands of an extraordinary nature at the Hague.

The new POPE's good character, his regulations among the clergy, and erecting feveral new academies, gives hopes of a happy pontificate.

CORSICA remains in the hands of its mediators; but who is destined to poffefs it next, remains a fecret.

The Cardinal of FRANCE, fo famous for his mediations and negotiations, begins to have his conduct more narrowly ey'd by the other European powers, who think it neceffary to guard againit the enterprizes of a court, whofe fmootheft pretences have often concealed the most ambitious defigns, and will take the opportunity to disclose them when people least expect. What part Lewis XV. will take in the prefent troubles in Germany, is uncertain; but whatever fide he takes, it will, no doubt, be for the good of the empire, and for the peace of Europe! The court of France feems

not

not at all satisfied at having fo very much entangled itself in the quarrel between G. Britain and Spain; which laft nation, notwithstanding its chimerical fchemes, is inexpreffibly embarraffed. However, it is not probable we will hearken to the French mediation, while their fleets remain in America, even tho' they are pretended to be fent there only to maintain the treaty of Utrecht. The repairing the harbour of Dunkirk is a recent inftance of the regard paid by the French to that treaty!

At the beginning of last year the advices from MADRID were big with prodigious defigns: Gibralter was to be taken, and Portmahon attacked; the Chevalier de St George's eldest fon was to head fome expedition or other; and what not. But notwithstanding all their bravadoes, nothing has been atchiev'd but by their prodigious number of privateers, who have taken a great many English fhips; but they will probably fmart for this ere the end of a war fo fuccessfully commenced in America; and in which they have also loft fome men of war, privateers, ftore-fhips, &c. in Europe. Afraid of a defcent from the English, they had drawn their troops from the inland parts, to guard their coafts; while their fleets, equipp'd and ready for fervice, were pent up in their harbours by four or five of our fhips At laft they made bold to creep out, in the absence of our men of war, and have now, it seems, reached America; but in too shattered a condition to enter upon immediate action; and by that time they are fit to do mischief, Adm. Vernon will be enabled to give them a warm reception. The Queen of Spain, whofe power will be put an end to on the abdication or death of her infirm confort, takes all the pains fhe can to ward off both till fhe has made ample provifion for her fons. She has now turn'd her eyes towards Italy; but as the neutrality of G. Britain will be neceflary to facilitate her defigns that way, the labours hard, by her minifters at Paris and the Hague, to procure a peace. 'Tis faid terms of accommodation have been propofed, very

advantageous to the British commerce in America, upon condition of G. Britain's ftanding neuter with regard to the views of the Spanish court in Italy. "Tis thought the British court refufes to give attention to thefe propofals, as Mr Robinfon advances greatly in his negotiations at the court of Vienna, which tend to promote a more strict union between that court and the King of G. Britain.

PORTUGAL keeps in a state of neutrality; and indeed a different conduct would not be for its interest, as it would be laid open to many inconveniences, by declaring for either fide.

The STATES GENERAL look with a watchful eye on the defigns of France, and are not at all fatisfied with the failing of its fquadrons for America, knowing they are only fent there to distress the English, if poffible, and traverfe their defigns. As the commotions in Ger many may oblige their High Mightineffes to take fome neceffary steps for their prefervation, they are, by way of precaution, making a confiderable mentation of their forces.

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GREAT BRITAIN has for fome time been employed in making preparations for the fecret expedition into America; and as the fleet for that purpose has failed, and by this time, it is not doubted, reach'd the Weft-Indies, 'tis to be hoped a few fubfequent advices will bring the news of fome bold ftroke being executed on the Spanish settlements there, in spite of the united fquadrons of Ferrol, Breft and Toulon.

The tranquillity which was thought to have been established in BARBARY, is difturbed by Muley Abdallah's cruelty, who has put the whole family of Dekala to death. This has fo exafperated two other families, that they have taken the advantage of his journey to Mequinez, and proclaimed Muley Mustardi, one of his former competitors, King of Fez and Morocco. And the great power and interest of these two families, makes it to be apprehended, those bloody wars will be again revived, which preceeded Muley Abdallah's acceffion to that crown.

JOUR