The Virginia Gazette

Copenhagen, November 3. The Court has receiv'd Letters from Marseilles with Advice, that the Settlement projected in favour of the Subjects of Denmark, at Saffia and Santa Croce on the Coast of Africa, had miscarried, by Means of the Insinuations of a Party formed among the Foreign Merchants to traverse this Design. Tho' the Contract of the Concession was signed by the Emperor of Morocco, and every Thing settled with M. de Longueville, the King's Embassador, this Minister has nevertheless been arrested at Saffia; and not content with seizing his Papers, they also sequester'd his Effects, and lodged them in the Castle. Almost all his Majesty's Subjects in that Port and at Santa Croce were taken up at the same Time, and their Effects sequester'd. It has since been discover'd, that the Emperor of Morocco has been grossly imposed on: Some People artfully insinuated to that Prince, that the Danes, under Colour of establishing their Commerce at Saffia and Santa Croce, really design'd to make themselves Masters of those two Places, and with this View came with a Squadron and Land Forces, well provided with Artillery and warlike Stores. And lest this Falsity should not have the desir'd Effect, they farther represented to the Emperor, that tho' the Retribution which the Crown of Denmark had engaged to pay him was very considerable, he might yet find a greater Advantage in Lieu of it, by augmenting the Duties on all Goods imported and exported at the said two Places. This Argument carried the Point against our Countrymen; but the romantick Design of seizing the Places in Question was made the Pretext of this glaring Breach of publick Faith, though they gave but very vague and ambiguous Reasons for their Procedure to our Embassador and Consul. If Means cannot be found to undeceive the Emperor, we must be content to frequent his Ports on the same Footing as other European Nations. It appears by the Accounts of the Charge of this Undertaking, that the Equipment of the Squadron, the Embarking of the Troops, the Value of the Stores, the Merchandize, and other Effects put on board, and the Presents to the Emperor of Morocco, amount together to about 900,000 Piaflers.