obtained the acceffion of his Britannick We have been told, that the reafon Majefty to the defenfive treaty concluded abolishing this privilege was, that M. fome time before with the Emprefs-Queen; lion, the French minifter, had scandal which made the Czarina with greater fa- ly abufed it, by carrying on an illicit tisfaction ftill keep an army of obfervati- to a very confiderable extent. on in Livonia, to be ready for affifting the court of Vienna, in cafe it fhould be found neceffary. In the month of June a treaty was likewife concluded between the Czarina and his Britannick Majefty, by which the engaged to keep in readiness for his fervice a body of troops and 40 or 50 gallies, in confideration of a fubfidy of 100,000l. According to feveral concurring accounts, thefe troops, amounting to 37,500 men, were to begin their march on the 25th of December N. S. and to traverse Poland, Moravia, and Bohemia, on their way to the Rhine. Another corps of 30,000 men is to be still cantoned in Livonia, which fome fay are to be in the pay of the maritime powers; but it would feem as probable, that they are to be upon the footing of the defenfive treaty which formerly fubfifted between the two Imperial courts. If what we have been told be true, that the Emprefs of Ruflia has 400,000 men on foot, one would think they might be fufficient to anfwer both these purposes, and alfo to fecure her own dominions against danger. -A revival of those prejudices which had kept the Ruffians in ignorance and obfcurity till the reign of Peter the Great, has occafioned the difcharge of fuch foreigners as enjoyed offices of great truft or profit. Even the Prince Succeffor, who is a German, has been obliged to part with the fervants he had of his own country, and many of them have returned home. Since that time, Gen. Keith, brother to the late Scots Earl Marifchal, who had long ferved under the prefent and prece ding Empreffes, has refigned his command; and, after being talked of for the fervice of Britain and France, has entered into that of his Pruffian Majefty.-The privilege formerly enjoyed by foreign minifters at the Czarina's court, of importing all neceffaries for themfelves and their houfholds, without duties, is to cease the it of January 1748; except to the Amballadors from Vienna and London, who are to enjoy the exemption as formerly. SWEDEN has been strongly agitate two parties ftruggling for the fuperio They are diftinguished by the diffe names of Hats and Caps. The for act pretty apparently under French fluence; while the latter study to m tain a good understanding with Ru and the other powers with whom think their country more naturally nected. Encouraged by the councils fubfidies of France, the Hats had fo time before procured war to be declai against the court of Petersburg; but fin ing it prove very unfuccefsful, they we obliged to accept of peace upon the b terms that could be obtained. This tu of affairs gave the Caps the afcendan the Czarina prevailed upon them to g the Duke of Holftein-Eutin elected Prin Succeffor; and it was expected he wou preferve fome regard to that intereft whic had fo greatly contributed to his advanc ment. To recover their influence, th friends of France fet a marriage on foo between the Prince and a fifter of h Pruffian Majefty; which the Emprefs Ruffia, being in good terms with that m narch, did not much oppofe; fo th match took effect. As the confort is re koned to be no lefs able a Politician tha her brother, and the husband to be of n extraordinary genius, fhe is thought have gradually infpired him with fent ments different from what the Czarin hoped for. However that might be, b foon delivered himself up to be much gu ded by the Hats, the French intereft rev ved, the Ruffian declined, difficulties wer raifed with regard to the limits fettled i Finland by the late peace, and they bega to talk in Sweden about renewing th war, in order to recover what they ha loft. In this fituation were matters whe a diet of the ftates met at Stockholm i the middle of September 1746. Upo fuppofition of being quite difengaged of therwife, Ruffia had nothing to fear from Sweden alone. But as the Czarina could not chufe to fe the French King parce Ou ort the dominions of his neighbours at pleafure, and extend his own conquefts without any bounds, an army had been mbled in Livonia at the inftance of the Emprefs-Queen, to watch over the motions of his Pruffian Majefty, who on feveral occafions had notably played the game of France, as well as his own. That her Imperial Majefty of Ruffia might be at full liberty to affilt her allies, it was natural for her to defire abfolute quiet and fecurity at home; while at the fame time it was as natural for the French and Pruffian monarchs to endeavour the imbarraffing her affairs, and at laat keep up the appearance of a war king ready to break out in the North, that they might be more at liberty to act they fhould think proper. In confegence of this, both fides laboured with their might to gain the afcendant to at party in the diet and miniftry of Sweden which was most inclined to their feveral interests. An occafion foon happened for trying their skill; and the event plainly difcovered what influence had prevailed. Old Count Gillenburg, Prefident of the Chancery, and Prime Minifter, who ras confidered as the head of the French fiction, had fallen into a valetudinary ate of health. As it was fuppofed Count Tellin, Vice-President of the Chancery, and reckoned to be in the fame intereft, d the greatest probability of fucceeding; prevent this, the court of Petersburg Fought a charge of mifconduct againft , and demanded that he should be difTed from the offices he already enjoy". Mean while, the old prime minifter d; this Count was actually propofed his fucceffor; the Ruffian minifter obted against it, and infifted on his forer charge. Notwithstanding this, C. Teffin entered upon performing the fun*ions of President of the Chancery, tho' e declined taking the title. The Ruffian inifter now discontinued his appearanat court for fome time, and, an imadiate rupture being apprehended, the ops in Finland of both fides were reforced. A laft effort however was made bring Sweden into more favourable Entiments. Accordingly the minifters am their Imperial Majelties of the Ro mans and of Ruffia jointly presented a memorial to the King; in which they expreffed their friendly difpofitions, and invited him to accede to the defenfive alliance concluded the year before between their courts. This propofal was laid before the diet for advice, and by them referred to the fecret committee, under pretence of examining if fuch acceffion was confiftent with former engagements. While matters were thus kept in fufpence, C. Teffin not only feemed to give up his new pretenfions, but alfo retired from the employments he formerly held. At this the Czarina fhewed great fatisfaction, fuppofing fhe had at length carried her point; and her minifter at Stockholm declared, that tho' fhe kept her troops ready against all events, they fhould attempt nothing but in her own defence, or in execution of her engagements to her allies: upon which orders were fent to the Swedish commandants in Finland, not to affemble the troops there in a body, unless the Ruffians fhould fhew the example. Soon af ter, it plainly appeared, that all this had been done only by way of amusement, till the prevailing party in Sweden might have time quietly to finish fome refolutions then on the carpet, which her Imperial Majefty of Ruffia had been labouring to prevent. A new defenfive alliance was entered into with the King of Pruflia, and the fubfidy-treaty concluded with France in 1738 was renewed for ten years longer. C. Tellin's retiring from bufinefs only furnifhed the ftates of the kingdom an occafion of inquiring into his conduct; upon which he firft returned in triumph again to discharge the functions of Prefident of the Chancery, and was afterwards formally inftalled in the office. To avoid all occafions of a rupture, the Czarina notified her refolution to maintain a good correfpondence with Sweden, notwithstanding the renewal of the fubfidy-treaty with France, provided it were not followed by any measures prejudicial to her intereft. Upon the charge being brought against C. Teflin by the court of Ruffa, feveral perfons were taken into cultody, on pretence of a plot; among whom were Dr Blackwell, a Scots phylician, and Mr Springer, a merchant. The Doctor WAS A 2 tion-bill has paffed in Sweden, by which ftrangers of all countries are admitted to the advantages of native fubjects for a very trifle; upon condition that they be capable of getting a maintenance by their induftry; that they be of the religion e ftablished by law in that kingdom, and take an oath to adhere to its civil conftitution.-The diet ended their feffion on the 23d of December N. S. and the states are now feparated. In DENMARK, the example fet by the late monarch, of observing a strict neutrality, has hitherto been exactly followed. Though an augmentation of about 9000 men to the army was ordered in fummer laft, yet none of the connexions which fubfift between any of the allies and his Danish Majefty, have induced him to countenance their caufe fo far as hire them any of his troops. It would seem, that the fubfidy offered by France, to keep him quite inactive, has prevailed. As they are labouring hard in that kingdom to improve their commerce, it is more than probable, that the profpect of fucceeding the Dutch in a large fhare of the trade they carried on to the French dominions, may have confiderable influence at prefent, to prevent their doing any thing which might interfere with that view. was first brought to his trial; and after undergoing the feveral kinds of torture inflicted in that country to extort a confeffion, he was, by the fecret committee, found guilty of having projected to overturn the conftitution of the kingdom, and reverse the fucceffion to the throne; in confequence of which he was condemned and executed as a traitor. Of this he declared his innocence to the laft; and was believed by a great many people; who fuppofed, that the fartheft he had gone was, to enter into fome scheme for bringing down the party called the Hats, and difconcerting the measures of France. Some time after this came on the trial of Mr Springer; who, the night before he was to receive fentence, made his escape out of prifon, and took refuge in the houfe of Mr Guy Dickens, the British minifter. The place of his retreat being discovered, the ministry of Stockholm demanded that he should be delivered up; and this not being immediately complied with, armed men were pofted in all the avenues leading to Mr Dickens's houfe. After protefting against this piece of violence, as contrary to the law of nations, and the rights of Ambassadors, the British minifter gave up the refugee; who was condemned to death; but this punishment was afterwards commuted into fome affrontive ufage, and imprisonment for life. The former of these confpirators was faid to have acted under British, the latter under Ruffian influence; and we have been told of a third, named Hedeman, for Denmark, Tho' the Caps have not had fufficient power to procure any profecutions being carried on against the oppofite party, they have not ceafed to accufe them of finiftrous defigns. To create jealoufies in the King's mind, they have ftrongly alledged, that, because he could not be a fincere friend to France, the Hats had formed a fcheme, either of depofing him, or of joining the Prince Succeffor with him as his colleague in the government; and in order to make his Majefty quite eafy on that fubject, the Prince was obliged to declare, that he would proclaim as a traitor the firft and every other perfon who fhould only mention the making him Co-Regent.-A general naturaliza His PRUSSIAN Majefty, having the fecure poffeffion of Silefia ftill much at heart, has made feveral preffing inftances at the court of Vienna, for obtaining the guaranty of it by the diet of the empire. Sometimes we were told that the affair was in great forwardness; but foon after were informed of fome new difficulty being ftarted, which rendered the conclufion of it as uncertain as ever. "His Britannick Majefty, agreeably to his promife in the end of 1746, warmly folicited the States-General of the United Provinces, to grant their guaranty of that duchy; but their High Mightineffes fearing they might be drawn into fome imbarraffment, aufwered, that it was a matter of fuch importance as to require mature deliberation, and fo fhifted it off. When the neceffity of their affairs made them apply to the Pruffian monarch for the fuccours ftipulated by treaties, he is faid to have told them, that it was now time for him to deliberate in his turn. The allies have endeavoured to improve every circumstance which they imagined might have influence on his Majefty, for gaining his friendship, and engaging him to declare on their fide; but all to no purpok. In effect, with a numerous army ready to take the field, he has continued through the year to obferve the confufions of Europe; the best that could be obtained of him was repeated declarations, that he would not again intermeddle in the war, unless the fafety of the empire, and the neutrality of the Germanick body, fhould oblige him to it; and always after any appearances from that quarter favourable to the allies, our next news from Paris contained accounts of his Pruffian Majefty having given the court there new affurances of his friendly difpofitions towards them. This very fcheme for preferving the neutrality of the Germanick body, of which he made open profeffion, tended confiderably to promote the interefts of France; as it was directly calculated to overawe the states of the empire, and prevent their taking any vigorous meafures, in concert with the houfe of Auftria. When the miniftry of Versailles faw that the march of the Ruffian auxiliaries feemed to be a thing fully refolved upon, they began to think of foliciting an affociation among Some princes of the empire againit fozign troops passing through the empire, any pretence whatsoever; and the Kg of Pruffia was mentioned as the first who would be applied to for this purpofe. Whether that monarch will conftrue their ach as dangerous to the Germanick body, and venture to provoke the refentset of fo powerful a neighbour as the Czarina, by endeavouring to obftruct the puflage of her forces, in a peaceable man, thro' territories which do not partilarly belong to him; or whether the es may at length be able to offer fome fideration of fufficient value to make not only remain quiet, but also fao their caufe, muft be left to be difcoed by time. During the year his Mahas been taking meafures for rening his fubjects extensive traders, and a maritime power. For carrying on the purposes of manufacture and navigation, he has, by proper encouragements, induced great numbers of firangers to come and fettle in his dominions, and has taken a good many foreign seamen into his fervice. It is probably with defign to increase the number of hands, that he has allowed the Roman Catholicks to build a cathedral church in his capital; and in order to the protection of trade, he has fignified at the feveral courts what deference he expects fhould be paid to the Pruffian flag. This hu→ mour muft in fome degree contribute to caufe his bias ftill lean towards the fide of France, as the prefent ftate of her commerce with the United Provinces affords her an opportunity of making advantageous offers, in favour of his fubjects, as well as thofe of Denmark and Sweden. Within the year, the King of Poland, Elector of SAXONY, has had one of his daughters married to the Dauphin of France, and another to the Elector of Bavaria. The former of these marriages has greatly ftrengthened his former connexion with the houfe of Bour bon, by a third daughter being confort to his Sicilian Majefty. Tho' this has not yet made him declare openly for France, it has at least rendered all applications from the allies, to procure the continuance of his affiftance, fruitless. The miniftry of Verfailles have of late begun to give out, that they expect a corps of his troops as auxiliaries; but a reduction made of the Saxon army just about the fame time, contrary, as we have been told, to French folicitations, is interpreted as a fign that his Polish Majefty has no intention of imbroiling himfelf afresh, as either a principal or affiftant in the prefent quarrel. Perhaps the impreffion is not quite worn off lis mind, of the treatment he received not long ago from different powers, when the influence of Ruffia effectually raifed him to the throne of Poland, and that of France was vigorously exerted to push him down. At VIENNA they have been bufy reifing recruits for reinforcing the armies in the Netherlands and Italy, and promife to have their quotas more early in the field next campaign than in any of the preceeding. They alfo talk of forming an army on the Moselle, to be commanded by Prince Charles of Lorrain.-The anterior circles have of late fhewn more fpirit in their refolutions to act in concert with the Imperial court than for fome time before; but whether they will be able to ftand proof against French promifes and threats, fo as to do any thing effectually, cannot be yet certainly known. -Most of the German princes fhew at leaft a favourable inclination to the allies; tho' fome few of them go fo far towards the oppofite fide as to allow the French full liberty of recruiting in their dominions, and a few others feem willing even to hire them troops. Towards the latter end of 1746, Don Philip's profpect of a fettlement in ITALY feemed to be removed at as great a distance as ever. The Bourbonites, af ter running thro' a tract of fucceffive ill fortune, and lofing a great number of men, had been driven quite out of that country. His Sicilian Majefty fearing an invafion of his own dominions, had got all his troops and part of the Spaniards tranfported by fea to Naples, in order to provide for the fecurity of that kingdom. The republick of Genoa, de-. ferted by her protectors, had been obliged to admit the Auftrians into her capital, and had made feveral payments to-. wards fatisfying the demands the had agreed to by way of contributions. Some jealoufies having arifen between the courts of Verfailles and Madrid, fuch of the Spaniards as had not gone for Naples, were feparated from the French, and had retired to Avignon, with defign, as was then generally given out, of continuing their march to Savoy. While matters were in this fituation, Gen. Brown paffed the Var on the laft of November, and entered Provence with a confiderable army of Auftrians and Piedmontcfe. This event had been fufpected by the French, and they found themfelves under the neceffity of not only endeavouring to recover their credit with his Catholick Majefty; by doing fomewhat to fupport their fchemes in Italy, but also of cafting about for fome proper measure to get a diverfion made in favour of their own territories. It could not be fuppofed that the Genoese were well fatisfied with their condition, being already deprived of Final, the defire of preferving which had drawn them into the war, and allo in danger of lofing Savona, befides being at the Emprefs-Queen's mercy, and ha ving the remains of a heavy contribution ftill to pay. Private emiffaries were therefore fent to fpirit them up to a revolt; and the proper method of begin ning it being concerted, upon the first certain notice that Gen. Brown had paffed the Var, those that were in the secret put the populace in motion, who broke open the arfenals, feized the artillery and fmall arms, and unexpectedly fell upon the Auftrians, who had been left, under M. de Botta, to keep the republick in awe; while the Senate and the Nobility judged it prudent to remain quiet till the fuccefs of this bold attempt fhould appear. From the 5th to the 11th of December, there were continual fkirmishes, till at length the Auftrian General, overpowered by numbers, was obliged to make a precipitate retreat, first to Gavi, and then to Novi, after having fome hundreds killed, and about 4000 made prifoners. While he waited there for reinforcements from the Austrian eftates, the infurgents threatened to march, and raise the fiege of Savona, then carrying on by his Sardinian Majefty's troops; but it had been fo far advanced before this, that, on the 18th, the garrifon, confifting of 1400 men, were obliged to furrender themfelves prifoners of war, In Provence, Gen. Brown invested Antibes on the land-fide; but his heavy ar tillery not being arrived, the fiege of i could not be begun in form for fome time The British fleet, however, did it vaft da mage by a bombardment; and alfo en abled the Auftrians to make themfelve mafters of the islands of St Marguerite and d'Honorat, at a small distance from it Mean while C. Brown marched his main army on as far as Cannes. From thenc he fent out parties on all fides, to rail contributions, and bring in provifions to the magazines. As they advanced, th French every where retreated, till the |