The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a private Letter from Amsterdam.

The States General seem to be unwilling to comply with the Solicitations of the Court of Great Britain, to enter jointly with her into vigorous Measures, in order to obtain Satisfaction from the Court of Spain, for the Depredations made by the Spanish Guarda Costas. One Cause of their Backwardness herein, which indeed is none of the most inconsiderable, is the Condition that their Marine Affairs and Finances are in. Another is, they flatter themselves that as soon as the King of Spain perceives the Unanimity of the British Nation in its Resentment of the cruel Usage of its Sailors, its general Thirst of avenging the Indignities they have suffered, and of recovering the great Losses its Merchants have sustained, his Catholick Majesty will be more easily prevailed upon to make an ample Satisfaction: Besides, the States General are very certain, that Spain will not be succoured by any other Power, and therefore will be in no Condition of making Head against the Marine Force of Great Britain, their high Mightinesses having good Assurances that France will carefully avoid to intermeddle in this Dispute, in which she can have no Advantage, and wherein much may be risked, especially as the Health of the Cardinal is so precarious; for should he die and leave the Kingdom engaged in a War, which probably would be difficult to determine, who knows what would be the Consequence? If such a War should be entered into, it would scarce be finished without much Bloodshed; for was France to assist Spain, their High Mightinesses would certainly in that Case be obliged to succour Great Britain: But on the contrary, its apprehended, as Matters now stand, was the Republick to take Party against Spain, it would determine France in favour of the latter. It's even said, that the causing a Body of 6000 Troops to assemble between Lisle and Doway is partly to curb the Republick, by signifying, in Case it should join Great Britain, the Intentions of his most Christian Majesty. We are likewise assured, that the Steadiness of the British Parliament very much baffles the Policy of the Queen of Spain; who by no Means thinks herself in a Condition to Support a War against that Nation. His Catholick Majesty has therefore dispatched an Express to Paris, with a Letter to his most Christian Majesty, wherein the King of Spain demands of the King, his Nephew, either his Assistance in Recompence of his having so generously contributed to the Success of the Schemes formed by France in the Year 1733; or if the too-pacifick Cardinal does not think fit to enter into War with so formidable a Nation as Great Britain, that he would employ his good Offices in Quality of a Mediator, in order to terminate the Misunderstandings that have arisen between his Catholick Majesty and the King of Great-Britain.