The Virginia Gazette

They write from the Hague, that the Ministry of the Court of France is very attentive to every thing that passes between their High Mightinesses and the Court of Great Britain, and does whatever is in its Power to defeat the Intention of the Negociation which is said to be upon the Tapis for a triple Alliance between his Britannick Majesty, the King of Prussia, and their High Mightinesses ; and in order to counter-ballance such an Alliance, the Count de la Marck has Orders to do his utmost to engage the Court of Spain not only to accede to the Treaty of Vienna, but also to enter into an Alliance with their Imperial and most Christian Majesties, into which there is no Doubt but the King of Sardinia will likewise enter ; so that the Affairs of Europe seem to be in such a Crisis as to merit the Attention of Politicians.

They write also from the Hague, that frequent Conferences are held between the Foreign Ministers and those of the Republick; the latter omits nothing in order to
They more particularly endeavour to put an End to the three following Affairs, viz. the Misunderstandings with Spain, in Relation to the American Trade, the renewing of the Treaty of Commerce with France, and the Regulation of the Tariff with the Low Countries.

As to the first Point, their High Mightinesses have Sent Orders to their Ambassador at Madrid, to declare to his Catholick Majesty, that very far from approving and protecting the clandestine Trade of their Subjects in the Dominions of his Majesty, or from doing any thing else that should be disagreeable to him, they have made it appear by several Resolutions, that they are very willing that those who shall be convicted of having infring'd the Laws and Treaties relating thereunto, should be severely punished; and in order to give a fresh Proof to his Majesty of their Intentions in this Respect, they have sent very punctual Instructions to their Governors, Consuls, and Magistrates, in America, to make a strict Enquiry after those who have been any way concerned in the Facts alledged in the Complaints of the Court of Spain, to cause them to be arrested, vigorously prosecuted, and punished without Mercy; and withal, to send hither particular Accounts of their Proceedings; further enjoining them, by no Means to tolerate the least Step which shall be contrary to the Treaties between Spain and the Republick. The same Declaration has been made here to the Marquis de St. Gilles; who, on his Part, declar'd, that their High Mightinesses Answer in November last, had satisfied the King his Master, but that the last Intentions of his Majesty thereupon could not yet be known, by Reason of great Number of important Affairs which lay before his Ministry. That however, he knew that his Majesty would willingly consent that Commissioners Could be appointed by each Party (the old Trick, for Delay) who might revise the Treaties, and explain the true Sense of those Articles which were not quite clear, his Majesty being disposed to shew how sincerely he desires to live in good Understanding with the Republick: but, in the first Place, he demands Satisfaction for the Damages and Insults done to his Subjects, and that the Guilty maybe exemplarily punished.

The Court of France lately seems more inclin'd than at first to the renewing the Treaty of Commerce, and several Articles are agreed upon; that Affair is, nevertheless, greatly delayed, without any Body's being able to discover the Reason of it: It's however imagin'd, that the Ministry makes Use of this Circumstance to insensibly draw their High Mightinesses into their Measures, in regard to the Affair of Juliers and Bergue.

And as to the Conferences of Antwerp, they would have been determined long ago, even to the Satisfaction of their High Mightinesses and the Imperial Court, had not Affairs foreign to this Negotiation prevented: such as the Complaints brought there by the Commissaries of Brabant against the Magistrates of the Barrier Towns, the Governors and Commanders placed there by the States General, and even against the Garrisons. But their High Mightinesses have remonstrated to Count d'Ullefeldt, that supposing there was a real Foundation for these Complaints, they could not properly be adjusted by Commissaries appointed to settle a Tariff; wherefore they desir'd him to employ his good Offices with his Imperial Majesty, to the End, that Orders might be sent to Brussels to remove those Difficulties; and it's said, that these Representations have had the desir'd Success, insomuch, that People now flatter themselves, these Conferences which are recommended, will soon be happily determin'd.