The Virginia Gazette

From the LONDON GAZETTE, April 18.

At the Court of St. James's, April 17, 1780.

PRESENT,

The KING's Most Excellent Majesty in COUNCIL.

WHEREAS since the commencement of the war in which Great Britain is engaged by the unprovoked aggression of France and Spain, repeated memorials have been presented by his Majesty's Ambassador to the States General of the United Provinces, demanding the succours stipulated by treaty; to which requisition, though strongly called upon in the last memorial of the 21st of March, their High Mightinesses have given no answer, nor signified any intention of complying therewith: And whereas by the non-performance of the clearest engagements, they desert the alliance that has so long subsisted between the Crown of Great Britain and the republic, and place themselves in the condition of a neutral power, bound to this kingdom by no treaty, every principle of wisdom and justice requires, that his Majesty should consider them henceforward as standing only in that distant relation in which they have placed themselves: His Majesty therefore having taken this matter into his royal consideration, doth, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, judge it expedient to carry into immediate execution those intentions which were formerly notified in the memorial presented by his Ambassador on the 21st of March last, and previously signified in an official verbal declaration, made by Lord Viscount Stormont, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, to Count Welderen, Envoy extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from the republic, nearly two months before the delivery of the aforesaid memorial; for these causes his Majesty, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, doth declare, that the subjects of the United Provinces are henceforward to be considered upon the same footing with those of other neutral states not privileged by treaty; and his Majesty doth hereby suspend, provisionally, and till further order, all the particular stipulations respecting the freedom of navigation and commerce, in time of war, of the subjects of the States General, contained in the several treaties now subsisting between his Majesty and the republic, and more particularly those contained in the marine treaty between Great Britain and the United Provinces, concluded at London December 11, 1674.

From a humane regard to the interests of individuals, and a desire to prevent their suffering by any surprise, his Majesty, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, doth declare, that the effect of this his Majesty's order, shall take place at the following terms, viz.

In the channel and the North seas, twelve days after the date hereof.

From the channel, the British seas, and the North seas, as far as the Canary islands inclusively, either in the ocean or Mediterranean, the term shall be six weeks from the aforesaid date.

Three months from the said Canary islands as far as the equinoctial line or equator.

And lastly, six months beyond the said line of equator, and in all other parts of the world without any exception, or other more particular description of time and place.

STEPHEN COTTRELL.