make to the Courts of London and Berlin, gives them to hope, that their Britannick and Pruffian Majefties will fignify, by a speedy answer, their fentiments on a subject, fo effential to the peace and welfare of Europe.

By order, and in the name of his Moft Chriftian Majesty. Signed, the Duke de Choifeul.

This declaration, which concerned all the. Allies in general, was not fufficient to put a stop to the miseries of war, fo fpeedily as France could have wished.

In fact, what delays and perplexing incidents were not to be expected from a Congrefs at which the interefts of America were to be treated of at the fame time with those of the two Empreffes, Sweden, Saxony, and the King of Pruffia!

To remove these obstacles, the King, with the confent of his allies, thought proper to prefs for a feparation of the two wars, which had been agreed upon fince the year 1759. In confequence of this intention, his Majefty caused a separate memorial to be addreffed to the Courtof London, which was accompanied by a letter from the, Duke de Choifeul, his Minifter and Secretary of State for foreign affairs, to Mr. Pitt, Minifter and Secretary of State for his Britannick Majefty.

Letter from the Duke de Choifeul to Mr. Pitt.

SIR,

TH

HE King, my Mafter, acting in conformity with the fentiments of his Allies, in order, if poffible, to procure the re-establishment of a general peace, has authorised me to tranfmit to your Excellency the memorial hereto annexed, which folely concerns the interests of France and England, with refpect to the particular war between the two Crowns. The King has reafon to hope, that the fincere manner in which he propofes to treat with his Britannick Majefty, will banish all miftruft in the course of the negóciation, if it takes place, and will induce his Britannick Majefty to make the King acquainted with his real fentiments, whether with regard to the continuance of war, or 'with respect to the conclufion of

G 3

peace,

peace, as well as in relation to the principles on which they ought to proceed, in order to procure this bleffing to the two nations.

I will add, that I am likewise authorised to affure your Excellency, that in relation to the war in which the King of Pruffia is concerned, the allies of the King my Master are determined to treat of their interefts in the future Congrefs, with the fame franknefs and fincerity, of which I can give your Excellency affurance on the part of France; and that fo as not to depart from what is due to their dignity, their fituation, and to the demands of justice, they will bring with them to the negociation all the acquiefcence, which their humanity dictates for the general good of Europe,

The Kng my Master, and his allies, do not doubt but that they fhall find the heart of his Britannick Majesty and his allies, impreffed with the fame fentiments. I esteem it a happiness that my office makes me the inftrument of conveying fuch favourable fentiments, which give me an opportunity of affuring your Excellencey, with what diftinguished confideration I have the honour to be, &c...

TH

Memorial of the Moft Chriftian King,

HE most Chistian King wifhes, that the feparate peace of France with England could be united with the general peace of Europe, which his Majefty moft fincerely defires to establish; but as the nature of the ob jects, which have occafioned the war between France and England, is totally foreign from the difputes in Germany, his moft Chriftian Majefty has thought it neceffary to agree with his Britannick Majefty on the principal articles, which may form the bafis of their feparate nego. ciations, in order to accelerate, as much as poffible, the general conclufion of the peace.

The best method to accomplish the end propofed, is to remove those intricacies which might prove obftacles to its fuccefs. In the bufinefs of peace, the difputes of nations concerning their reciprocal conquefts, the different opinions with refpect to the utility of particular con

quefts,

quefts, and the compenfations for reftitutions, generally form matter of embarraffiment at a negociation of peace. As it is natural for each nation, with regard to these different points, to endeavour the acquifition of all poffible advantages, intereft and diftruft occafion oppofitions and produce delays. To obviate these inconveniences, and to teftify the fincerity of his proceedings in the course of the negociation of peace with England, the moft Chriftian King propofes to agree with his Britannick Majefty, that, with refpect to the particular war of France and England, the two Crowns. fhall remain in poffeffion of what they have conquered from each other, and that the fituation in which they fhall ftand on the firft of September, in the year 1761, in the East Indies, on the firft of July in the fame year, in the West Indies and in Africa, and on the firft of May following in Europe, fhall be the pofition which fhall ferve as a bafis to the treaty which may be negociated between the two powers. Which fhews that the Moft Chriftian King, in order to fet an example. of humanity, and to contribute to the re-establishment of the general tranquillity, will make a facrifice of those retitutions which he has a right to claim, at the fame time, that he will maintain those acquifitions which he has, gained from England during the courfe of the war.

Nevertheless as his Britannick Majesty may think that, the periods proposed of the first of September, July, and May, are either too near or too diftant for the interests of the British Crown, or that his Britannick Majefty may judge it proper to make compenfation for the whole, or for part of the reciprocal conquefts of the two Crowns, the moft Chriftian King will readily enter into negóciation with his Britannick Majefty in relation to these two objects, when he fhall know his fentiments concerning them, the principal view of his Moft Chriftian Majefty being to teftify, not only to England, but to the whole world, his fincere difpofition to remove all impediments which might defer the falutary object of peace.

The Moft Chriftian King expects that the difpofition of his Britannick Majefty will be correfpondent, and that he will, with equal fincerity, anfwer all the articles con

tained

tained in this memorial, in which the two Powers are fo effentially interested.

Thefe pieces were dated the 16th of March. England. had then conquered from France Ifle Royal or Cape Breton, all Canada, the Ifles of Guadalope and Marigalante, and that of Goree in Africa, with Senegal; Europe at that time was ignorant of the precife fituation of affairs. between the two Crowns in Afia, and the expedition against Belleifle had not, then taken place.

France, on the other hand, had conquered the Island of : Minorca, had repaired fome parts of the port of Dunkirk, and in Germany were in poffeffion of Hanau, the Langraviate of Heffe, and the town of Gottingen in the Electorate of Hanover. It is neceffary to observe, that Caffel: was befieged on the 26th of March, and that it was to be feared, that on the firft of May the King's forces would. no longer be in poffeffion of Heffe, and of the town of Gottingen.

Wefel and Gueldres could not be comprised in the offer of Uti poffidetis which France propofed, because those two towns, and the countries dependant on them, appertain to the Empress Queen: that the King has only the custody of them, and that justice is administered there in the name of her Imperial Majefty.

All Europe was aftonifhed at the facrifices which the King was difpofed to make to England: His Majesty's Miniftry were reproached on the part of thofe Courts who were most affectionate to France; and no one doubted but that England would prefer the quiet poffeffion of her conquefts, and the repofe of her allies in Germany, to the continuation of the war. The memorial of France, by establishing a fixed bafis for the negociation, proposed to make neceffary compenfations for the advantage of the two crowns, and opened a way for the evacuation of Ger many on the part of the French troops, in compensation of the conquefts of England in America.

The full extent of the propofition contained in the memorial of the 26th of March addreffed to Mr. Pitt, was known in France; but the King, like a true father of his people, thought of nothing but their relief; and in con

fequence

fequence of this fentiment, determined to adhere to the offers which feemed to him the moft fure and ready expedients for infpiring his enemies with that fpirit of reconciliation, which directed all his Majefty's wifhes, and

measures.

Mr. Pitt answered the Duke of Choifeul's Letter, and at the fame time fent him a memorial, in anfwer to that of France of the 26th of March.

SIR,

T

Mr. Pitt's Letter to the Duke de Choiseul.

London, 8th April, 1761.

HE King, my Mafter, has authorised me to tranfinit to your Excellency, with all the difpatch which was found poffible, the memorial hereto annexed, in anfwer to that of the 26th of the laft month, made by the order and in the name of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, folely concerning the interefts of England and France, relative to the particular war between the two Crowns, which was accompanied by a letter from your Excellency of the fame date, tranfmitted to me by M. the Prince Galitzin.

His Majefty has published his real fentiments, with regard to the falutary bufinefs of peace, with the fincerity which his Moft Chriftian Majefty defires, and of which he himself set the example; the King my Master, on his part, defires nothing more than, by the fincerity of his conduct, to remove all diftruft in the courfe of the nego

ciation.

I will likewife acquaint your Excellency, that the King learnt with great fatisfaction, that your Excellency was authorised to give affurance that, in relation to the war which concerns the King of Pruffia, the allies of his most Chriftian Majefty are determined to treat with the fame openness and fincerity as the Court of France, and that they will bring with them, to the negociation at the future Congrefs, all the acquiefcence which their unanimity dictates for the general good of Europe.

I must add, that, with regard to the war which concerns the King of Pruffia, as well as with refpect to the other allies of the King my Master, his Majefty, always

conftant