The Virginia Gazette

From the same Gazette. London, March 27.

The last Dispatches the Government received from Barbados from Mr. Greenville and Commodore Holbourne, import, that an English and a French Man of War, having sailed to the four Neutral Islands, and caused the French Court's Orders to be read there for evacuating them, the Inhabitants refused to obey it, and quit their Dwellings, alledging that they had been too long in Possession, and that they had been at too much Labour and Expence to abandon thus their old Habitations. Several Conferences have been held on this Occasion, and a Courier was dispatched to Paris the 22d Instant, with Orders for the Earl of Albemarle to make Representations to the French Ministry, and to insist on the French King's dispatching Orders to the Governors of the Caribbee Islands to second the English Men of War, and force the Inhabitants of the said Islands to quit Possession; because his Majesty does not consider them as Subjects of his Most Christian Majesty, but rather as Banditti and Rebels, and that he will dispatch Orders in Consequence to his Men of War in those Parts. The Earl of Albemarle is order'd to subjoin, That as the King has punctually perform'd his Part of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, his Majesty does not doubt but the Most Christian King, actuated by the same upright Principles, is ready to concur in the necessary Measures for procuring the Evacuation in Question. -- It is indeed almost too late to puff and bluster about this Affair: The French and Prussian Interests are now firmly established in Sweden: The Turks begin to shew a true Copy of their Countenance, and Great Britain's Situation is much worse than it was two Months ago. Why a Squadron was not order'd to drive the French out of the Neutral Islands two Years ago, might be best answered by those who are in the Secret, and know to a Hair's Breadth what is to be got by tedious Negotiations with France.