d unjustly
usurped in America, and of which the English claimed the property; that
the rules of self-defence authorize every nation to render fruitless any
attempt that may tend to its prejudice; that this right had been
made use of only in taking the two French ships of war; and that the
distinction of place might be interpreted in favour of the English,
seeing the two ships were taken on the coasts of the countries where
the contest arose." In answer to this observation, the French minister
represented the vast number of ships which had been taken in the
European seas; for in fact the English ports soon began to be filled
with them, in consequence of the general orders for making reprisals.
But the court of Madrid was so far from being persuaded by any thing he
could say, that it gave his Britannic majesty the strongest assurances
of its friendship, and of its intention to take no part in the
differences between him and France, but such as should be conciliatory,
and tending to restore the public tranquillity.

THE IMPERIAL COURT REFUSES AUXILIARIES TO ENGLAND.

On the other hand, his Britannic majesty required, as king of
Great Britain, the auxiliaries stipulated to him by treaty from the
empress-queen. But these were refused, under pretence, that as the
contest between him and France related to America only, it was not a
case of the alliance; though at the same time the French made no scruple
of owning, that they intended to make a powerful descent on Great
Britain early in the spring. When, a little while after, France being
employed in making great preparation for a land war in Europe, the king
of England required her to defend her own possessions, the barrier in
the Low Countries, with the number of men stipulated by the treaty,
which countries, acquired by English blood and English treasure, had
been given to her on that express condition, she declared that she could
not spare troops for that purpose, on account of her dangerous enemy the
king of Prussia; and afterwards, when he was secured by his treaty with
England, she urged that as a reason for her alliance with France. It
must be owned, however, for the sake of historical truth, that this was
no bad reason, considering the power, the genius, and the character of
that prince, who hovered over her dominions with an army of one hundred
and fifty thousand veterans. It must likewise be owned, that she
undertook to procure the French king's consent to a ne