CHAP. XXI. Com of hoftili ties be Porte. "in friendship, although under no engagement "to either, gives me great concern. But, from "the pacific difpofition of other powers, I have "reafon to hope that these troubles will extend no further. I fhall perfevere in my earneft "endeavours to preferve the general tranquillity of Europe; at the fame time it shall be "the conftant object of my care, to be fuffi"ciently prepared againft any event which may affect the honour, fafety, or intereft of my kingdoms." હું HOSTILITIES between these two powers had mencement raged fince the year 1769: their firft fpring may probably be found in the intriguing genius of tween Ruf- Choifeul, who fomented difturbances in Poland, fa and the for the purpofe of referving to his cabinet the power of interfering, when a favourable occafon fhould prefent itfelf. By the exertions of the French minifter, a party was foftered, called 'the Confederation of Bar, who, uniting religion with patriotifm, maintained open rebellion against the authority of king Stanislaus Auguftus. They frequently folicited the affiftance of the Turks, but without effect, till, in October 1768, prince Gallitzin, in purfuing a party of Poles, not only entered the Turkish dominions, but burned Balta, a fmall town belonging to the fultan. IRRITATED by this violation of territory, and inftigated by the interefted reprefentations of France, the fultan imprifoned, in the Seven Towers, Ofbrekow the emprefs's minifter at Conftantinople. This violence occafioned the commencement of a war, during which the Ruffian empire firft effectually difplayed its mighty energies; the conteft was conducted with great animofity, but generally favourably to the Ruffians: they over-ran Wallachia and Moldavia; Moldavia; and the emprefs having adopted the CHAP. novel and bold measure of fending a fleet into XXI. Turkish the Mediterranean, had the fatisfaction of fee- Deftrue ing the Turkish marine effectually deftroyed, tion of the in the harbour of Chefmé, on the coaft of Na- fleet. tolia. FRANCE beheld the progrefs of the Ruffians Jealousy of with jealoufy and alarm: fhe had encouraged France. the commencement of hoftilities, in the hope of reducing the power of Ruffia, and was proportionally irritated at finding them tend to the aggrandizement of the emprefs, and the difgrace of the Turks. The Ruffian naval power was regarded with peculiar malevolence; and the French cabinet made feveral efforts to aflift the grand fultan, but were always over-awed by the refolution and formidable appearance of the British fleet. at Fok IN Auguft 1772, a pacificatory congrefs was Congress ineffectually held at Fokfhjani, and probably hiani. the French influence was ftill exerted, in preventing the Turks from acceding to terms, humiliating to them, and advantageous to Ruffia. CONSIDERABLE maritime preparations were Preparamade in the French ports, and every means at- tions of tempted to lull the fufpicions, or elude the vi- France. gilance, of the British miniftry; but in vain. The king, bound by treaties with both the contending powers, refufed to permit the undue interference of a foreign nation, or an armament, for the purpofe of dictating a mode of pacification. Early in the late feffion of par- 2d Dec. liament, measures were adopted for putting the 1772. navy on a refpectable eftablishment; twenty tation of thousand men were voted for the fervice of the the British year; and although the delicacy of the crifis naval forbad the miniftry to difclofe the real motive Augmen force. XXI. CHAP. of their preparations, it did not efcape the penetration of oppofition, who obferved, that while the king's fpeech breathed fentiments of peace, the meafures of his fervants indicated nothing but hoftility." French mi for war. 1773. averse. THE duke d'Aiguillon, who was at the head nifter eager of the French miniftry, was anxious to engage in the conteft, and effayed every art to make the British court regard the proceeding with 28th Mar. indifference. In a council at Verfailles, d'Aiguillon announced a demand made by Sweden, for certain fuccours ftipulated by France, on the plea that her independency was threatened by a joint attack from Ruffia and Denmark: The king the king, and many members of the cabinet, were averfe from hoftility, as other great nations would alfo interfere, and a general war would probably enfue: they propofed a fupply in money, but d'Aiguillon afferted, that Sweden infifted on a fuccour de force; a fleet of fourteen fail, he faid, might be equipped in a month; England would not oppofe, and Holland would affift in the meafure. Louis XV. was difpleafed at the profpect of impending hoftilities; but the other members of the council having declared their fentiments, did not venture further to oppofe the minifter, and orders were dispatched to Breft for arming twelve fhips of the line and two frigates, manned with feven thoufand failors, a number fo greatly exceeding the ufual complement, that it was fuppofed officers and foldiers were intended to be included under that defcription. Prepara tions at Breft. 30th Mar. In an interview with lord Stormont, the Bri 2 See Debrett's Debates, vol. vi. the war, Euvres du Roi de Pruffe, Catherine, vol. ii. c, y. vi. and vii. Empire, c. v. p. 301 to 314. Also respecting vol. iv. Life of the Emprefs Eton's Survey of the Turkish 1773. Confe rence of the French tifh embaffador, d'Aiguillon dwelt on the am- CHAP. bitious views of Ruffia, her demands on the XXI. Porte, and her aiming to reign defpotically in the north, by regulating the government of Sweden, and attacking that kingdom in con- lord Storcert with Denmark; France, he faid, was bound mont with by every tie of intereft and honour, to fupport minifter. Sweden, if attacked. Lord Stormont, perceiving the drift of thefe obfervations, anfwered, much would depend on the mode of fupporting Sweden; for although the king withed to avoid whatever could difturb the harmony fubfifting between the two courts, a French fleet in the Baltic would draw a British fleet there alfo. The duke, diffatisfied at this intimation, obferved, that England always backed her friendly profeffions with a declaration, infifting, that France fhould renounce her hor nour, by abandoning her ancient ally, threatened with deftruction; a requifition with which he could never comply. Lord Stormont re plied, that France might give other fuccours, but the entry of two fleets into the Baltic, would in effect be no more beneficial than a neutrality: this declaration was carefully qualified, by obferving, he had never faid the Britith would attack the French fleet, but he could not be refponfible for contingencies arifing from two fleets in the fame feas. at Breft tinued. THIS vigorous language produced fome ef- 4th April. fect; the preparation at Brett was counter- Armament manded: but ftill the French court, hoping to difcon elude the vigilance of the British government, directed an armament of twelve or thirteen fail of the line to be equipped at Toulon, under New one pretence of exercifing the failors; and the order at Toulon, for feven thoufand men at Breft was not re tracted. СНАР. 1773. 4th April. Preparations in England. Ix announcing this information, lord Stormont fuggefted, that vigorous and immediate preparations, on the part of Great Britain, without affected fecrecy or affected oftentation, might be the moft effectual means of preferving the public tranquillity. This prudent ad7th April. vice was perfectly confonant to the judgment of the cabinet, and or the fame day his letter was received, the embaffador was inftructed to declare, if France tirred an oar, England would immediately bend her fails: no propofal could be admiffible, tending, in any fhape, to lead Great Britain to connive at France fending a fleet into the Baltic or Medi 6th April. Second fador with minifter. terranean. BEFORE the receipt of thefe inftructions, Conference d'Aiguillon exprefsly avowed to lord Stormont of the Bri- the intended armament at Toulon, though he tifh embaf declared it was only equipped for the purpose the French of performing evolutions. After much difcuffion, lord Stormont obferved, that although he had not, in his former difcourfe, mentioned the Mediterranean, yet his arguments refpecting the Baltic applied with equal force to that fea; he then asked the duke if he feriously meant the fleet for evolutions alone? d'Aiguillon replied, he indeed intended it fo, but it might poffibly be employed in affifting Sweden. 7th April. CONVINCED from the manner of the French minister, that he was bent on plunging the two kingdoms in war, and apprehenfive he did not truly reprefent to his fovereign the fentiments of the British court, lord Stormont fuggefted the propriety of delivering a memorial to the duke, as he then must fubmit it to the king of France; he alfo announced, that the Toulon fquadron would be ready for fea by the end of |