relating to fhips belonging to the fubjects of his Pruffian Majefty feized by British privateers during the laft war, and fome Pruffian property alledged to have been taken by them on board other neutral veffels; to the confequent payment of the last moiety of the Silefia loan; and to the affair of Eaft Friesland, which was referred by the diet at Ratifbon, in 1753, to the Emperor's aulic council. It was confidently afferted, that their Britannic and Pruffian Majefties had a private interview; and that, in fummer, matters were put into a fair train towards an accommodation. About the end of the year we were told it was very probable, that there would foon be a British minifter at Berlin, and a Pruffian one at London. A hearty reconciliation between the uncle and nephew, might be a means of removing mifunderstandings between the court of Berlin and thofe of Vienna and Petersburg, and also between the court of Stockholm and thofe of Petersburg and London.

While his Britannic Majefty was at Hanover, he concluded a treaty with the Landgrave of Heffe-Caffel, by which the latter engaged to hold in readiness 8000 men, 1400 of which to be horse, and each battalion of foot to be provided with two field-pieces, during four years, for the service of the former; to march immediately after being required, if for the defence of the Low Countries; and within two months, if for the defence of G. Britain or Hanover, On this account his Britannic Majefty engaged to pay the Landgrave an annual fubfidy of 150,000 crowns, the crown reckoned at 4s. 9 d. Sterling, till the troops fhould be required to march; 300,000 crowns from the time of the requifition till they should enter into his Majefty's pay; 150,000 crowns during their continuance in that pay; and from their being fent back to the expiration of the treaty, 300,000 crowns yearly. This body of troops is to be augmented to 12,000, if his Majefty fhall require it, on the fame conditions proportionally; but they muft all be fent back in cafe the Landgrave himself be attacked. We were also told, that his Majefty re.

newed the fubfidy-treaty with the Elector of Bavaria, in confequence of which he is to be furnished with a body of his troops; concluded one with the Duke of Saxe Gotha for 6000 of his, and another with the Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel for 4000 of his. Of these treaties we heard nothing more particular.

-When his Britannic Majefty reviewed the Hanoverian troops in fummer, they were reckoned at 28,100 effective men; and orders were given for raifing 3000 more. Early in the year directions were given for building a citadel at Staden, a town near the mouth of the Elb. In order to haften it, fome regiments were fent thither to work on the fortifications intended. According to late accounts, they were finished; and a refolution had been taken, that the place fhould serve for a repofitory of arms, in cafe the affairs of Europe fhould occafion a demand of the fuccours ftipulated. His Britannic Majesty has laid a duty of twelve per cent. on all foreign hats imported into his German territories, except thofe from G. Britain; a regulation deferving notice chiefly on this account, that it fhews his regard to the intereft of his regal dominions in their prefent fituation with respect to the French, who have been affiduously labouring to cut them entirely out of that branch of manufacture and commerce.

The King of PRUSSIA is ftill very careful to render his fubje&s flourishing and happy, by encouraging their induftry in all ufeful arts and employments, and by every other method becoming a great prince who has their welfare really at heart. He always warmly espouses the interefts of the Proteftants in general. Laft year he wrote feveral times to the Elector Palatine, for engaging him to put an end to the grievances of the Proteftants in the duchies of Juliers and Berg; particularly complaining of violent proceedings against two Lutheran minifters of religion, whom he condefcended on by name. These representations not having produced the defired effect, he wrote a letter, in May, to the regency of Cleves, a duchy subject to himfelf, ordering them to inform the Jefuits

of

of Emmeric, that if within a month thofe two preachers were not entirely at liberty, re-eftablished in their charges, and indemnified for all their loffes, he would impute its not being done to them, and take measures to cause them fuffer in their turn. By fuch threatenings to make reprisals on the Papifts within his dominions, the Pruffian monarch had on former occafions averted perfecutions from, or obtained redress to Proteftants fubject to fome Roman-Catholic princes; and he had no doubt reafon to expect, that a college of Jefuits could have confiderable influence to procure a thing from people of their communion, which might prevent mifchief happening to themfelves. In fact, however, they did not; and therefore his Pruffian Majelly ordered the regency of Cleves immediately to feize the effects, rents, and revenues, belonging to their college; and to intimate to them, that if within a month from the 6th of August they did not comply with his intentions, he would, without delay, deprive them of their fpirituals. Since that account arrived, we have heard nothing further about the affair.Though the coldnefs which began fome years ago between the courts of Peterburg and Berlin is not yet removed, yet we were told, that two barons in the fervice of her Imperial Majefty of Ruffia arrived at the King of Pruffia's court in July laft, and that it was thought they had amicable overtures to make.

It would feem, that in confideration of the fubfidy which his Pruffian Majefly has for fome years received from France, he is obliged to furnish a body of his troops only in the event of her being attacked. A few months ago we were affured, that great offers had been made by the court of Versailles, in order to draw him into a certain fcheme relative to the present state of affairs between the British and French nations; but that he rejected them all. At the end of last year, the Pruffian troops were reckoned at much the fame number they had been iaid to confiit of for feveral years before, namely, about

$45,000 men.

In fummer the Count of WIED RUN

KEL, having been long folicited by his Roman-Catholic fubjects for permission to exercife their religion more commodiously and freely, granted them liberty to build a convent of capuchins at Dierdorff, the place of his refidence. Those friars, according to the grant, have full freedom to exercife their office there, even to perform the midnight-service at Christmas, to fay mass, preach, confess, adminifter the facraments, marry, catechife, vifit the fick, keep a schoolmafter, and admit into their order any tubjects of the country who freely enter with the confent of their parents or guardians, provided the political government or fovereignty receive no damage by fo doing. In the act for this establishment the Count declares, that in making ufe of the right which the laws of the empire give him, to tolerate in his dominions each of the three religions allowed in the empire, namely, the Protefiant, Reformed, and Pupifb, his intention is to maintain inviolably the rights and prerogatives of the Proteftant, which is the established religion in his country, and not to fuffer the leaft incroachment upon it. Notwithstanding these reftrictions, and fome others mentioned in the act, feveral evangelical ftates of the empire, fearing that fuch a conceffion may be productive of dangerous confequences with regard to the Proteftant caufe, laid the affair before the general diet at Ratisbon. Their minifters were instructed to act against the ordinance, and those of the RomanCatholic ftates to maintain it, with all their intereft and influence. The permiflion granted is highly cenfured by the evangelic body of the empire; who affert, that, according to the treaty of Weftphalia, their confent fhould have been previously obtained; and that this fovereign has not only affronted them, and violated the paca religionis between fovereign and fubject founded on that treaty, but in the highest degree abused his Proteftant fubjects, to whom he had folemnly promiled, nay fold, the exclofive privilege of exerciting their religion in his territory. The Count firenuously maintains the juftice of his proceedings,

and

and has applied to the Emperor on that fubject; but his eldeft fon has made a proteft, before the evangelic body, aguint building the convent at Dierdorff, and has declared, that when, if ever, it may please Providence that he fucceed to the fovereignty, no Roman Catholics fhall be tolerated in his dominions, which gives great fatisfaction to the Proteftants.

In the mean time the EVANGELIC BODY at Ratisbon have under their confideration the means of preventing those political converfions, by which young ambitious princes are fometimes carried over to Popery, while, notwithstanding all the arts of the priests, the numbers of Proteftants are continually increafing in the empire; and which therefore ferve no other purpose than to produce jealoufies, heartburnings, and difturbances, that may have fatal confequences.

Though his Pruffian Majefty thought he had occafion for writing to the Elector PALATINE concerning fome of his Proteftant fubjects, as before mentioned; yet we were informed early in the year, that the latter had renewed his intention of tolerating all the three religions in his dominions. It is probable, that partly to this refolution, partly to the disturbances in North America, it was owing, that we heard of no Palatine Proteftants going to the British colonies laft fummer. Very foon in the year we were informed, that fome thousands of people in the bishopric of SALTSBURG had declared themselves to be of the Proteftant religion, and demanded liberty, either to exercife it publicly, or to retire out of the country, by virtue of the right of tranfmigration ftipulated for fubjects properly of the Germanic body. A number of them having actually gone off in 1731, through that privilege, the Bishop, their fovereign, and his chapter, were then reprefented as at a lofs how to behave; nor has the news from thence yet brought us advice of any definitive refolution being taken in the affair.

There had been jealoufies and contefts between the reigning Dukes of MECKLEMBORG and the Nobleffe of the counuy for near forty years, which prevent

ed their entering jointly into any meafures for the common good. Of thefe we have had frequent occafions to take notice in our former recapitulations." The affair being at last referred to the Emperor, it was, through his mediation, brought to an accommodation on the 18th of April laft, by a convention which both parties figned at Rostock.

If new broils happen in Italy, the republic of VENICE appears refolved to follow her natural maxim of observing a neutrality.

Soon in the year his SARDINIAN Majefty judged the affairs of Europe to be in fuch a fituation as required an aug mentation of his forces; which he accordingly effected, by adding twentyfive men to each company of Swits in his fervice, recruiting the feveral corps of his national troops to their full complement, and increafing the number of regiments. In fummer, his minifter at Vienna received, from the hands of the Emperor, the inveftiture of the eftates which he poffeffes in Italy, by the title of fiefs of the empire.During a part of the year, the French laboured to draw the Sardinian monarch over to their intereft, which they hoped they might the more eafily be able to accom plith, that his family was already connected with the houfe of Bourbon, his fon, and heir-apparent, the Duke of Savoy, being married to the King of Spain's half-fifter. They did not, however, fucceed in the attempt: for his Majefty feems ftill determined to remain in perfect friendship with the courts of Vienna and London; and to fulfil the engagements he came under by the treaty of Madrid, concluded in 1751, between their Imperial and Catholic Majefties and himself, as principal contracting parties; in which it was ftipulated, that he fhould not grant a paffage through any part of his dominions to the troops of foreign powers, without the previous confent of the powers any way concerned in that treaty; and that he should furnish a certain number of auxiliaries to the Emprefs-Queen, in cafe Auftrian Lombardy were attacked. It is probable, that the keeping bodies of troops ftill

cantoned

cantoned on the frontiers towards France, is partly with a view that he may be ready to perform fome of thofe engagements, as well as to guard against the depredations of the French fmugglers, the colour that has for fome time been publicly given to the measure. In fummer an affair happened, which for a while interrupted, and once feemed likely to break off all correspondence between the courts of Verfailles and Turin, One Mandrin, the captain of a numerous gang of French fmugglers, had got to fuch a height of audacioufnefs, that he often entered towns and cities in different parts of that kingdom, raifed contributions upon officers of the customs and others by force, and fpread terror where-ever he went. Such violences obliged the government at length to send out after him fuch a force as he could not refift; and the farmers-general offered a reward of 48,000 livres for apprehending him. After many bloody rencounters with parties of the regular troops, Mandrin, with eight of his followers, took refuge in the castle of Rochfort, within the duchy of Savoy, and near the frontiers. He was clofely pursued by feveral detachments, under the command of Col. de Moliere, who rushed into the King of Sardinia's territory, without having firft obtained leave. Whether inftigated by Mandrin, or provoked by this violation of territory, a great number of Savoyard peasants immediately affembled to oppofe De Moliere's progrefs. Having expoftulated with them in vain, and being stimulated by the near profpect of fo confiderable a reward, he forced his paffage, killing twelve of the peasants, and wounding a great many more. Arriving at the castle, where were none but thefe few fmugglers, he attacked it vigorously with 150 men, and, after a moft defperate defence, took Mandrin, and four or five of his partifans, alive, on the 12th of May, the reft being kill ed. Thefe were carried prifoners to Valence in Dauphiny. The Governor of Savoy fent a courier Turin, to acquaint his Sardinian Majefty with all the circumftances of this invafion and

capture; and at the fame time dispatched proper perfons to demand the prifoners back. With this demand the French officer refused to comply, in which he was afterward countenanced by the court of Verfailles. Mandrin, and fome of thofe taken with him, were examined by torture, and foon after condemned to death, and broke on the wheel; fo that there was very little time for difcuffing the cafe of their restitution. The whole of this affair gave great offence at the court of Turin, where the French ambaffador discontinued his appearances, knowing them to be difagreeable. His Sardinian Majesty's ambaffador at Paris was recalled; and inftructions were fent to his minifters at foreign courts, to have no communication with thofe of France. The miniftry of Verfailles having first dispatched fuch of the fmugglers as were most ob-. noxious, began to think of accommodating the matter relating to the of fence given the court of Turin. After fome difcuffions, it was agreed, that, befides making good the damage done by the French detachment in Savoy, and delivering up two of the prisoners taken with Mandrin who were still alive, his Moft Chriftian Majesty should fend an ambaffador extraordinary, to make proper excufes to his Sardinian Majefty on the occafion. This last part was executed at Turin, on the 6th of September, by the Count de Noailles, Lieutenant-General of the French King's armies. In confequence of this reconciliation, the King of Sardinia ordered the proper measures to be taken for feizing the fmugglers who should fly into Savoy; and a detachment of his dragoons foon apprehended Mandrin's fucceffor in the quality of captain, whom they delivered up to the commandant of the French troops on the frontiers of Dauphiny.

The inhabitants of St Remo, a town and diftrict dependent upon GENOA, having refolved, in June 1753, to attempt throwing off the yoke, on account of oppreffive taxes, impofed upon them contrary to the convention made when they became fubject to that republic,

they

they fent deputies to Milan, to crave af fiftance, and put themselves under the protection of the Emprefs-Queen, affert ing their place to be a fief of the empire. Being attacked, however, before they received any fuccours, they were foon obliged to fubmit at difcretion to their old masters; who hanged fome of the ringleaders, imprisoned the magiftrates, impofed upon the inhabitants a fine of 200,000 livres, deprived them of all the privileges afcertained to them by charter, carried off all the papers that could be found containing any account of their ancient rights, and refolved to build a citadel for commanding the whole town. Soon after this, many of the inhabitants retired privately to other places. In 1754, those who remained at St Remo, not able to bear the feverity exercised toward them, were just on the point of making another attempt to recover their ancient liberty; but their fcheme was discovered, and rendered abortive. In the mean time, they who had formerly retreated, made application to the court of Vienna; which gave them a favour able answer. This encouraged the leading men among thofe who had not formerly quitted the place, to retire, with their beft effects, to Oneglia; where the King of Sardinia received them as unfortunate oppreffed people. The government of Genoa at different times fammoned those who had deferted St Remo, to return to their habitations; but without effect. Those favourable fentiments of the court of Vienna to wards the inhabitants in general, before mentioned, produced an act of the aulic council of the empire in fupport of them, which was intimated to the Genoefe; only, as they did not comply, it was not thought that the ftate of public affairs rendered compulfion eafily practicable. The Genoefe depended for fuccour chiefly upon the French, to whofe intereft they adhered, and whofe minifter at Vienna joined iffue with theirs in remonftrating against the decree, while at the fame time they kept about 60,000 men cantoned in Dauphiny and Languedoc ready for their affiftance, under colour of fuppreffing the affemVOL. XVIII.

blies of Proteftants there, and really harraffing thofe poor people more than would perhaps have been otherwife thought of. In that fame year the inhabitants of Campo Freddo, another territory dependent on Genoa, reckoning themselves unjustly treated, and it being a known fief of the empire, carried their complaints directly to Vienna. Upon this the French envoy at that court joined the Genoefe minifter there, in reprefenting, that the complaints of thofe people ought first to have been judged of by the republic of Genoa, according to the feudal rights and imperial capitulations, which exclude all recourfe per faltum of the fubject to the fuperior lord, before the immediate fuperior has taken cognifance of the affair. The aulic council, reckoning themselves proper judges in the cafe as it flood, gave fentence in favour of the inhabitants of Campo Freddo, as well as they had formerly done in favour of thofe of St Remo; which was formally notified to the republic. In the beginning of last year it was again intimated to the regency of Genoa, that if they did not quickly do juftice to both St Remo and Campo Freddo in regard to their grievances, his Imperial Majefty would take meafures, for which the republic might blame herfelf if he did not like them. In anfwer to this, the Genoefe minister at Vienna was ordered to declare, that the republic would endeavour to maintain the rights fhe derived from her independency and fovereignty, without departing from the regard fhe had for the head of the empire, and the decifions of his council; from which it might be easily inferred, that the ufing of more words to inforce obedience would be needlefs, till fome alteration fhould happen in the ftate of affairs. The regency of Genoa finding, that the former members of the parliament of St Remo, who had retired into the dominions of his Sardinian Majefty, abfolutely refufed to return, and refume their functions, they refolved to eftablish a new parliament, fubordinate to the Gencefe Governor-General, whofe affent fhould be neceffary to the validity of their decifions. About the

fame