Coffacks was to have been marched from the Ukraine in fummer, had not the motions of the Turks on that frontier formerly taken notice of, prevented it. Thus either fide made preparations for war, as if they thought it inevitable, while in the mean time both profeffed they had no other aim, than the main taining and perpetuating of peace. As matters ftood, there can scarcely be a reafon affigned why Ruffia would chufe to engage in a war, except herfelf or her allies were attacked; and as neither of thefe happened, peace was actually preserved, notwithstanding fuch appearances to the contrary.- -There has hitherto happened but very little, which has had the appearance of a friendly correfpondence between the courts of Peterfburg and Berlin, fince the recal of M. Grofs from the latter, on account of indignities faid to have been put upon him. [xiii. 97-] There have been very few accounts through the year, concerning the differences between Ruffia and Sweden. The only avowed point at present in difpute, is, whether of the two nations fhould poffefs a certain diftrict eaft of the river Kimen, the revenues of which have, by mutual confent, been, for a confiderable number of years, under fequeftration, fo as neither party may receive them, till the affair be determined. As we have formerly observed, it is not probable that the court of Stockholm wishes to have this matter adjusted by a negotation, even though fhe were in that way to get the whole district in queftion; for fo long as the difpute remains, it will always afford a very plaufible reafon for declaring war, on a favourable occafion; and fhould the Swedes, with the affiftance of their allies, be fucceffful in fuch a war, it is not to be fuppoed they would be fatisfied with what is the fabject of litigation in Finland, while the Ruffians poffels feveral fine provinDesconquered from Sweden by Peter the Great. Above two years ago, the Sweminiftry, in a feeming hafty fit of humour, accufed thofe of Ruffia of having raifed contributions upon the fegetered diftrict. Not only did the lat ter fully vindicate themselves, but retorted the accufation upon the Swedes with great ftrength and brifknefs. In order to wipe this retorted imputation off the throne, the King of Sweden iffued an edict laft fpring, importing, among other things, That as nothing had been decided in the negotiation for fettling the limits of Finland, with respect to the territories whofe revenues were fequeftered, his Majefty, being ever attentive to perform his engagements, ordered that ftrict inquiry fhould be made into the conduct of the royal officers, who might have exacted contributions. from thofe territories; that if it fhould appear they had been rapacious enough to do it, the money fo levied fhould be lodged in the hands of a third party; and that fuch as fhould afterwards tranfgrefs in this point, fhould be feverely punished, and turned out of their posts. The iffue of this inquiry has not yet been communicated to the public. The motions of the Turks near the frontiers of the Ukraine, before taken notice of, obliged the Ruffians to keep all things there in a proper ftate of defence laft fummer, as they had done, on the like account, for fome years preceding. In the mean time, as much as poffible to cut off all occafions of a rupture, the Empress has got the differences with the Ottoman Porte, and the Crim-Tartars, which remained undecided fince the last peace, fettled. Other proper measures have also been concerted, in order to maintain the peace. We have heard of no material alteration made in the royal navy fince the end of 1753, when it was faid to confift of 43 fhips of the line, 300 galleys, and 160 fmaller veffels, manned by 40,000 feamen.The Pruffian exercife has been introduced among the Ruffian troops, as it formerly had among those of most others powers in Europe.Her Imperial Majefty has fuppreffed the inland tolls throughout her dominions, which gives general fatisfaction, efpecially to the merchants. A tax of an uncommon kind has been impofed, namely, one upon all whofe wives fhall bear children, for educating and main B 2 taining taining a certain number of properlyskilled midwives, a matter formerly much neglected in that country.- On the 1ft of October, the Grand Duchefs of Ruffia was delivered of fon, heir apparent to the throne, who was baptized by the name of Paul. This event gave the more fenfible pleasure to the court, that his Imperial Highness the Grand Duke had been married to her for above ten years, without their having had any child before. After having obferved the fituation of affairs between SWEDEN and Ruffia, very little of what has come to our knowledge concerning the former of thefe two ftates for a year paft, feems to be worthy of notice in a recapitulation. The court ftill keeps a clofe correfpondence with those of Conftantinople, Versailles, and Berlin. So far as we have heard, the ftrength of that kingdom remains much the fame as in 1753, when we were informed, that the land-forces confilted of 64,000 men; and the marine of 20 fhips of the line, and 70 galleys, for manning of which 20,000 feamen were kept registered.The Swedes continue to be very diligent in improving their manufactures; among which they are endeavouring to have filk of their own produce from the raw materials. Early laft year the famous Count Teffin obtained leave, on account of his age and infirmities, to refign even his employ ment of Governor to the Prince-Royal. -A fine palace was lately finished for their Swedish Majefties at Stockholm, which had been fifty years a-building. Laft fummer the court of DENMARK chimed in with the humour now fo common throughout Europe, by forming a camp for the better difcipline of her troops, which was done with great magnificence. While preparations were making for this parade, the Grand Duke of Ruffia renewed the claims of his family to the duchy of Slefwick, and fome other diftricts of his patrimony, which he alledged, as formerly, the crown of Denmark had unjustly feized. On this occafion the Emprefs of Ruffia offered her good offices for accommodating the affair; at the fame time inviting his Da nifh Majefty to accede to the triple alliance between the courts of Vienna, Peterfburg, and London. Instead of fhewing any difpofition towards fuch a meafure, his Majefty wrote to the 'Grand Duke of Ruffia, demanding immediate reimbursement of a confiderable fum advanced on a mortgage of fome lands in Holftein, in default of which he threatened to take poffeffion of the lands mortgaged. Soon after this we had advice, that the Emprefs of Ruffia had made the Grand Duke a prefent of 70,000 rubles, towards difcharging the debts of Holftein, but did not hear whether his Danifh Majefty received any of that money. The Danes are ftill excluded from the privilege of trading with Spain, on account of the treaty they entered into with the Emperor of Morocco in 1753, by which they engaged to protect fuch Moorish flaves as fhould efcape from the people of any other nation on board Danifh men of war; and to fell the Emperor warlike ftores, and what materials they could furnish for building and equipping corfairs. Early last year the fubfidy-treaty between France and Denmark was renewed. The chief intention of this treaty was formerly, to pre vent troops being hired by the latter to any other power; and whether it has now engaged to furnish any auxiliaries to France and her allies, in cafe of a rupture in the North, we have not been informed. Only one new article came to the knowledge of the public, by which the court of Versailles promifed to employ her good offices for engaging Spain again to open the ports of that kingdom to the Danes. In conformity to this, very late advices bear, that the French ambaffador is taking great pains for bringing to a conclufion a treaty of commerce between the courts of Ver failles and Madrid, and for getting the crowns of Sweden, Denmark, and Pruffia, included in it, as allies of the crown of France. His Danish Majefty has diffolved the Eafl-India, Weft-India, and Guinea companies, and laid the trade to thefe feveral places open to all his fubjects The The face of Iceland is faid to be in a manner quite changed within these few years, by the introduction of manufactures, and the extension of trade. At the court of VIENNA they are ftill intent upon getting the Archduke Jofeph, eldeft fon of their Imperial Majefties, elected King of the Romans, by which he would become apparent fucceffor to the Imperial crown. There was indeed but little news concerning that affair during the last year, in comparifon of what had been in fome former ones; all the topics of argument having been exhausted, and the feveral methods of negotiation tried, on both fides. The argument against the election taken from the Archduke's tender age, daily lofes ftrength. He is now in his fifteenth year, and, according to the conftitution, could take the reins of government into his own hands at eighteen. The electors stand as they did a bove a year ago, being feven for the eletion, and only two, namely, thofe of Cologn and Brandenburg, against it. Several princes of the Germanic body gave notice laft year, of the oppofition they thought themselves obliged to make, the right to which they referved liberty to claim, when the motion for taking the cafe into confideration fhould be made in the college of Princes. Though the Archduke has fuch a majority of Electots on his fide, yet the pufhing of the matter to an issue has been hitherto de ferred, upon prudential confiderations. Inftead of the marriage formerly talked of between that young prince and a daughter of his Portuguese Majefly, we were told laft year of a treaty being on foot for having him married to the Princefs Jofephina, daughter of the late Emperor Charles VII. and fifter of the prefent Duke of Bavaria. The motions of the Ottoman troops, with the known difpofition of fome other powers, give the miniftry of Vienna /confiderable uneafinefs, efpecially confidering the fcheme they would fo gladly have carried into execution. To be provided for the worst, the fortifications of the places towards the frontiers of Turky have been repaired and augment ed. The finances have been put into fo exact a method, that they do not fear they fhall be in want of funds in cafe of a rupture. Their regular troops on foot are more numerous than in 1753, when they were reckoned at 180,000. Bodies of militia have been raifed in Upper and Lower Auftria, Hungary, and Bohemia, from which above 100.000 men may be draughted, as occasion shall require. Meafures have also been taken for drawing from Ifria, Croatia, Efclavonia, Tranfylvania, and the bannat of Temefwaer, fwarms of troops twice as numerous as thofe which were of fo much fervice to their fovereign in the laft war. Befides all thefe, they tell us, that there is a negotiation on the carpet, for taking eight or ten thoufand Savifs into the pay of their Imperial Majefties, if any affair, particularly that relating to the election of a King of the Romans, fhall make it neceffary. That there may a fufficient number of youth be so trained up, as to be in a capacity of afterwards ferving their country in time of war and peace, the Emprefs-Queen has given orders for eftablishing a third academy, in which the children of all perfons employed by the court, either in a civil or military capacity, who are above fifteen years of age, are to be taught the military art, with the Hungarian, Bohemian, Italian, English, and French languages. The number of Protefiants has for fome years been confiderably increafing in the Auftrian hereditary countries, which provoked their Popish neighbours to treat them with great leverity. This being reprefented to the Empreís-Queen, fhe appointed commiffaries to inquire into and redress their grievances. But it being found difficult to reftore concord, liberty was at length granted to the Proteftants to retire into Hungary or Trarlylvania, where there are many more people of their communion than in the other countries fubject to the houfe of Auftria. They who remained at their old habitations found ftill grounds of complaint, which they reprefented fometimes to the court of Vienna, fometimes to the minifters of the evangelic body at Ratisbon. It has been actually agreed, that the courts of Vienna and London fhall pay the Elector PALATINE 1,200,000 German florins, to indemnify his fubjects for the loffes they fuftained, and the provifions they furnished the allied army, during the late war; one moiety on the day of the election of a King of the Romans, and the other a year after. Ratisbon. The evangelic body having The diet of the empire having, with at different times interpofed in their fa- the Emperor's approbation, introduvour, the Emprefs-Queen iffued orders ced the Princes of TOUR TAXIS and against molefting them, and renewed SCHWARTZBURG RUDOLSTADE into the privilege formerly granted them of the college of Princes, on the 30th of going to Hungary or Tranfylvania. A May, the minifters of divers princes confiderable number more of them reti- ftrongly protefted against the measure as red to those countries during the laft illegal, and declared that their princifummer. They complain that even pals would not acquiefce in it. We are there they fuffer almoft as many hard- told, that nothing is at present conclufhips from the Papifts, as in the territo- ded in the diet without violent oppofiries they left. Not long ago, the Pro- tion; which is probably owing to the teftants of Carinthia fent to the minifters oppofite political views of feveral prinof their communion at Ratifbon, very cipal members, and the differences in moving reprefentations of the cruel u- point of intereft that fubfift among them. fage they meet with, notwithstanding the Emprefs-Queen's declarations in their favour. On that occafion, the Proteftant minifters refolved to make a common cause of what relates to the fufferings of the Proteftants throughout the Auftrian dominions. The minifter of Brandenburg in particular intimated, that his mailer would intereft himself in it with the greatest zeal and activity; and that if his application to the court of Vienna, in conjunction with the moft confiderable princes and ftates of the Proteftant communion, did not produce the defired effect, the Roman Catholics fettled in the Proteftant ftates of the empire ought not to be surprised, if fuch ufage fhould be retorted on them. About the beginning of November laft thofe Proteftant minifters jointly fent two letters, one to the Emperor, and another to the Emprefs. Queen, befeeching them to caufe redress be immediately made of the religious grievances of their Proteftant fubjects in Auftria, Hungary, Carinthia, and Stiria. Early in the year the princes of the houfe of Anhalt prefented a memorial to the diet of the empire at Ratisbon, by which they renewed their claims to SAXE LAWENBURG, alledging, that the King of G. Britain, as Elector of Hanover, has no lawful title to that duchy. This was anfwered by the minifter of Hanover, who endeavoured to fhew the weaknefs of those claims, and to prove the validity of the title by which his Britannic Majefty has got poffeflion of the territory in question. The treaty between BAVARIA and G. Britain has been renewed and enlarged, in fpite of all the opposition privately made to it. His PRUSSIAN Majefty, Elector of Brandenburg, may be truly faid to be at the head of the Proteftant interest in Germany. On all occafions he warmly efpoufes the interefts of people of that profeffion; and he is without doubt among the most powerful princes of the Germanic body, which gives great weight to his interpofition. Thefe confiderations make the Proteftants conftantly apply to him as their fureft and moft active friend; while at the fame. time their applications add to both the dignity and influence of his family. But it is not impoffible, that, as the late complaints have come chiefly from fubjects of the house of Auftria, his zeal may be animated by his jealoufy of that houfe, while fome other Proteftant prin ces, as well difpofed to fupport those of their communion, and whofe good offices will in effect go as far to procure them eafe, may think they have reafon not to propofe their arguments in fo open and peremptory a manner. As matters ftand, however, there appears Eile ground to doubt, but that his Pruffian Majefty would be among the first to retaliate upon the Roman Catholics, and to maintain the privileges of the German Proteftants by force of arms. The affair relating to EAST-FRIESLAND, poleffed by the King of Pruffia, and claimed by his Britannic Majefty Elector of Hanover, remains in the fituation to which it was brought in 1753. That case was then referred by the diet at Ratisbon, much contrary to the liking of the court of Berlin, to the decifion of the Emperor's aulic council. It was generally fuppofed that tribunal would have determined in favour of Hanover; but how to put its fentence in execution, was, and continues to be the queftion. The decifion has therefore been hitherto put off. On the other hand, his Pruffian Majefty has made no attempt upon the Hanoverian dominions, for the fecurity and defence of which all poffible precautions had been taken. We have not heard, that the difcuffrons concerning fhips belonging to the bjects of his Pruffian Majefty feized by Briti privateers during the late war, and fome Pruffian property alledged to have been taken by them on board other neutral veffels, have been brought a conclufion. Upon thofe captures, proceedings in confequence of them, the King of Pruffia founded a claim of 145 Brandenburg crowns, as an indemnitation to his fubjects; which he declared his refolution to ftop, out of the last moiety of the fums borrowed from British fubjects, by the late EmCharles VI. upon mortgages in Sr, which was ceded to his Pruffian May, with the burden of paying tation. It is affured, that the affair of the loan has been carried to Vienna, where it is difcuffing under the mediaof their Imperial Majefties, and it is already far advanced. If fo, We may fuppofe that what relates to the res and feizures before mentioned, be alfo under confideration, fammer his Pruffian Majefty thought deny a paffage through the duchy Cleves, to German Proteftants going the Rhine for Amfterdam, in or der to imbark for the British colonies in America; which put thofe people to confiderable expence and trouble in making the journey to Amfterdam from Cologn by land. The court of Berlin is ftill reckoned to have a very confiderable fubfidy from France, with the affiftance of which she is enabled to keep on foot about 147,000 as well difciplined troops as any in the world. Whatever there may be reafon to think about fome of the King's dif putes with his neighbours, he is certainly among the most attentive of monarchs to render his own fubjects flourishing and happy. The meaneft of them are carefully protected against injuries and infults from the greateft. Agriculture and manufactures are fedulously promoted, and fuch encouragement is given to commerce, as draws many merchants, particularly fome rich Jews, to Berlin. Such Proteftants as can get to the Pruffian dominions from either France or the Auftrian hereditary countries, are favourably received, and find as convenient fettlements as can be afforded them. It was lately difcovered, that Prince Frederick of HESSE, married to Princefs Mary, daughter of his Britannic Majefty, above four years ago privately renounced the Reformed Proteftant rehigion, and embraced Popery. The Landgrave his father, greatly moved by this unexpected event, immediately stripped him of the poft of commander in chief of his forces. He also convoked the ftates of the landgraviate, to concert with them the most proper means of preventing the confequences which appeared to threaten the Proteftant religion in general, and Calvinifm in particular. They accordingly met at Caf fel on the 17th of December laft. printed paper of fix fheets was laid before them, containing, befides the preamble, an act of the 1st of October, and another of the 28th of the fame month, both figned by Prince Federick, and confirmed by his oath, comprehending, in nineteen articles, a regulation which the Landgrave and his minifters judged moft proper for preferving the A prefent |