without delay, take the invitation of Her Imperial Majesty into consideration, and concur in immediately making a declaration to the belligerent Powers, founded on the same principles as that of the Empress, explaining at the same time the nature of a free and contraband trade, conformable to their respective treaties with the other nations.

For the rest, the underwritten has the honor to assure your High Mightinesses, that if, to establish such a glorious and advantageous system upon the most solid basis, they wished to open a negotiation with the above-mentioned neutral Powers on this subject, the Empress, his sovereign, is ready to join you.

Your Mightinesses will easily see the necessity of accelerating your resolutions upon objects of such importance and advantage for humanity in general. The underwritten begs of you to give him a speedy

answer.

HAGUE, April 3, 1780.

DEMETRI PRINCE GALLITZIN

Explanations demanded by the Court of Sweden relative to the Russian Project for an Armed Neutrality, April 5, 17801

ARTICLE 1

How and in what manner a reciprocal protection and mutual assistance shall be given.

ARTICLE 2

Whether each particular Power shall be obliged to protect the general commerce of the whole, or if in the meantime it may employ a part of its armament in the protection of its own particular com

merce.

ARTICLE 3

If several of these combined squadrons should meet, or, for example, one or more of their vessels, what shall be the rule of their con

Translation. French text at Martens, Recueil de Traités, vol. 3, p. 170. See also Annual Register, 1780, p. 354.

duct towards each other, and how far shall the neutral protection. extend.

ARTICLE 4

It seems essential to agree upon the manner in which representations shall be made to the Powers at war, if, notwithstanding our measures, their ships of war, or armed vessels, should continue to interrupt our commerce in any manner. Must these remonstrances be made in the general name of the united Powers, or shall each particular Power plead its own cause only?

ARTICLE 5

Lastly, it appears essentially necessary to provide against this possible event, where one of the united Powers, seeing itself driven to extremities against any of the Powers actually at war, should claim the assistance of the allies in this convention to do her justice; in what manner can this be best concerted? A circumstance which equally requires a stipulation, that the reprisals in that case shall not be at the will of such party injured, but that the common voice shall decide otherwise an individual Power might at its pleasure draw the rest against their inclinations and interests into disagreeable extremities, or break the whole league, and reduce matters into their original state, which would render the whole fruitless and of no effect.

Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of the States-General of Holland and West Friesland, April 13, 17801

It has seemed fit and it has been resolved that the affairs of the States-Genera! be so conducted that it shall be stated to the Prince de Gallizin, Envoy Extraordinary of Her Imperial Majesty of all the Russias, in reply to his memorial of the 3rd of this month, that Their High Mightinesses have received with great satisfaction the communication which it has pleased Her Imperial Majesty to send them con

1Translation. French text at Martens, Recueil de Traités, vol. 3, p. 166.

cerning her views and the declaration presented to the Courts of Versailles, of Madrid, and of London.

That Their High Mightinesses regard this communication as a striking mark of Her Imperial Majesty's affection for the Republic, and that they consider it an honor and a duty to make a frank and cordial reply.

That Their High Mightinesses can not help perceiving and admiring, as a fresh proof of the well-known high-mindedness and justice of Her Imperial Majesty, and the object she is endeavoring to accomplish and the means she has adopted to preserve during the present war the strictest neutrality toward the belligerent Powers, not only to ensure the honor of the Russian flag and to maintain the commerce and navigation of her subjects by not permitting any of the Powers at war to do it harm, but also in the interest of the peace and liberty of Europe, and to establish on the solid foundtaions of justice and the law of nations an equitable system of navigation and commerce for neutral Powers.

That Their High Mightinesses desire, no less than Her Imperial Majesty, to observe the strictest neutrality during the present war, but that they have themselves especially experienced the prejudice which the commerce and navigation of neutral Powers have suffered as the result of the vague and uncertain principles which the belligerent Powers have adopted concerning the rights of neutrals, according to the dictates of their individual interests or the necessities of the war cperations; that they, therefore, like Her Imperial Majesty, regard it as absolutely necessary for the neutral Powers to cooperate in determining their aforesaid rights and in establishing them on a firm basis.

That, with respect to the determination of these rights, Their High Mightinesses, by conforming to the five points set forth in Her Imperial Majesty's declaration to the Courts of Versailles, Madrid and London, which was communicated to them, in her behalf, on the 3rd of this month, by Prince de Gallizin, stand ready to follow the example of Her Imperia! Majesty, and to declare to the belligerent Powers, as she has done, that Their High Mightinesses are entirely disposed to enter into negotiations with Her Imperial Majesty and with the other neutral Powers to consider what measures should be taken in order that freedom of commerce and navigation may be most effectually maintained, with strict observance of neutrality toward the belligerent Powers.

That an extract from the resolution which shall be adopted on this subject shall be handed by their agent, van der Burch de Spieringshoek, to Prince de Gallizin, Envoy Extraordinary of Her Majesty the Empress of all the Russias, with the request that it be brought to the knowledge of his sovereign, and that he support it in the most favorable manner with his good offices.

That an extract shall also be sent to Mr. de Swaert, resident of Their High Mightinesses at the Court of Russia, for his information and instruction, with orders to cooperate, so far as it lies in his power, toward the success of the good intentions of Their High Mightinesses. That the said extract shall also be addressed to the Ministers of the Republic at the Courts of Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Lisbon, for their guidance, with orders to join with the Minister of Russia at the Courts where they reside and to support their efforts to the best of their ability.

Declaration of the Court of England to the States-General of the Netherlands, April 17, 17801

Since Great Britain was drawn into an involuntary war with France and Spain, the King's Ambassador to the States-General of the United Provinces has presented a number of memoranda demanding the assistance stipulated by treaties. Although these representations were reiterated in the most urgent manner in the memorandum of March 21, they have met with no response, and their High Mightinesses have displayed no intention to subscribe to them.

By thus deferring the fulfilment of their most positive engagements, they are deserting the alliance which has existed so long between the Crown of Great Britain and the Republic, and are placing themselves on the level of neutral Powers that are not bound to this country by any treaty. The principies of wisdom and equity, consequently, require the King to consider the States no longer in any other relation than the distant one in which they have placed themselves, and His Majesty, having taken this subject under consideration, has, with the

Translation. French text at Martens, Recueil de Traités, vol. 3, p. 173.

advice of his Council, deemed it proper to order the immediate carrying out of the measures which were formally set forth in the memorandum of March 21, last, and which had previously been hinted to Count de Welderen, Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic, in a verbal declaration by Lord Stormont, one of the Secretaries of State, nearly two months before the delivery of the aforesaid memorandum.

For these reasons, the King, with the advice of his Council, declares that the subjects of the United Provinces shall henceforth be considered on the footing of those of neutral Powers, which have no treaty privileges. By these presents, His Majesty suspends provisionally and until further orders all stipulations specifically intended to favor in time of war the freedom of navigation and commerce of the subjects of the States-General, as set forth in the various treaties in force. between His Majesty and the Republic, and particularly in the marine treaties concluded between Great Britain and the United Provinces at London on December 1, 1674.

His Majesty, animated by a feeling of humanity, desiring nevertheless to spare the interests of individuals, and not seeking to cause them loss by an act taking them unawares, declares, moreover, with the advice of his Council, that the present ordinance shall not go into effect until the following dates, to wit:

In the north seas and channel twelve days from this date.

From the channel, the British seas and the north seas to the Canary Islands inclusive, both in the ocean and in the Mediterranean, the time will be six weeks from the date of these presents.

The period will be three months from the Canary Islands to the equinoctial line or equator.

Finally, it will be six months, for the waters situated beyond the equator, and in general in all other quarters of the world without exception, or without a more specific determination of time or place.

RESCRIPT ADDED TO THE FOREGOING ORDER

Inasmuch as, in accordance with our order in Council, dated April 17, 1780, the various treaties granting special privileges to subjects of the States-General of the United Provinces in the matter of their commerce and navigation in time of war, are suspended, and as the subjects of the States-General are to be considered on the same footing as those of other neutral States having no treaty privileges, until it