The United States of America have propagated far & wide in Europe the Ideas of the Liberty of Navigation and Commerce. The Powers of Europe, however, cannot agree as yet, in adopting them in their full extent. Each one desires to maintain the exclusive dominion of some particular Sea, or River, and yet to enjoy the liberty of navigating all others. Great Britain wishes to preserve the exclusive dominion of the British Seas, & at the same time to obtain of the Dutch a free Navigation of all the Seas in the East Indies. France has contended for the free use of the British and American Seas, yet She wishes to maintain the Turks in their exclusive dominion of the Black Sea, and of the Danube, which flows into it thro’ some of their Provinces, and of the Communication between the Black Sea & the Archipelago, by the Dardanelles. Russia aims at the free Navigation of the Black Sea, the Danube, and the Passage by the Dardanelles, yet She contends that the Nations, which border on the Baltic, have a right to controul the Navigation of it. Denmark claims the Command of the Passage of the Sound, and by the late Marine Treaty, between the Neutral Powers, it was agreed that the Privateers of all the belligerent Powers should be excluded from the Baltic.2 France and Spain too begin to talk of an exclusive Dominion of the Mediterranean, and of excluding the Russian Fleet from it, or at least France is said to have menaced Russia with a Fleet of Observation in the Mediterranean, to protect her Commerce to the trading Sea Port Towns of the Levant— But as England possesses Gibraltar, and the Emperor of Morocco the other Side of the Straights, France & Spain cannot command the Entrance, so that it will be difficult for them to support their pretensions to any exclusive dominion of the Mediterranean, upon the Principle, on which the Northern Powers claim that of the Baltic, and the Porte, the Passage of the Dardanelles.

France at present enjoys a large Share of the Trade to the Levant. England has enjoyed a share too, and wishes no doubt to revive it. The Emperor & Empress, if they succeed in their Views of throwing 110open the Danube, Black Sea and Archipelago, will take away from France and England a great part of this Trade— But it is not likely that England will join with France in any opposition to the Emperor and Empress.

In order to judge of the Object, which the two Empires have in view, we should look a little into the Geography of those Countries.

The Project of setting at liberty the whole Country of ancient Greece, Macedonia & Illiricum, & erecting independent Republicks in those famous Seats, however splendid it may appear in Speculation, is not likely to be seriously entertained by the two Empires, because it is impracticable. The Greeks of this day, altho’ they are said to have Imagination & Ingenuity, are corrupted in their Morals to such a degree, as to be a faithless perfidious Race, destitute of Courage, as well as of those principles of Honor and Virtue, without which a Nation can have no Confidence in one another, nor be trusted by others.

The Project, of conquering the Provinces of Albany, Romelia, Valachia, Moldavia & little Tartary from the Turks, & dividing them between the two Empires, may be more probable—3 But the Turks in Asia & Europe together are very powerful, and, if thoroughly awakened, might make a great resistance: So that it is most probable the two Imperial Courts would be content, if they could obtain by Negociation, or by Arms, the free Navigation of the Danube, Black Sea and Archipelago. This freedom alone would produce a great Revolution in the Commerce of Europe. The River Don or Tanais, with its Branches, flows through the Ukraine, and a considerable part of the Russian Dominions, into the Black Sea. The Danube flows very near Trieste, thro’ the Kingdom of Hungary & then thro’ a Turkish province, into the Black Sea. If therefore the Black Sea and the Danube only were free, a Communication would be immediately opened between Russia & Hungary, quite to Trieste, to the great Advantage of both Empires— But if at the same time the Passage of the Dardanelles was laid open, all the Levant Trade would be opened to the two Empires, and might be carried to Trieste, either by the Danube, or thro’ the Archipelago and the Gulph of Venice. This would be such an Accession of Wealth, Commerce and Naval Power to the two Empires, as France is jealous of, & may be drawn into a War to prevent. It is a question, how the King of Prussia will act. It is the general Opinion, that as he is advanced in Years, loves and enjoys his Laurels and his Ease, and cannot hope to gain any thing by War, he will be neuter. If he is, the Issue cannot be 111foreseen. The Emperor is vastly powerful, and his Preparations are immense. Perhaps France may not think it prudent to declare War. I should be sorry to see her again involved in a War, especially against the Principles She has lately espoused with so much Glory and Advantage.

For my own part, I think Nature wiser than all the Courts and States in the World, & therefore I wish all her Seas & Rivers upon the whole Globe free, & am not at all surprised at the desire of the two Empires to set those near them at liberty.

I think, however, that whatever turn these Negociations may take, they cannot directly affect Us, altho’ we may be remotely interested in the freedom of the Levant Trade, and of the Seas and Rivers in the Neighbourhood of it.

I have the honor to be, with great Esteem & / Respect, / Sir, your most obedient & / most humble Servant

A Jealousy of American Ships, Seamen, Carrying Trade, and naval Power, appears every day more & more conspicuous. This Jealousy, which has been all along discovered by the French Minister, is at length communicated to the English. The following Proclamation, which will not increase British Ships and Seamen, in any proportion as it will diminish those of the United States, will contribute effectually to make America afraid of England, & attach herself more closely to France. The English are the Dupes, and must take the Consequences.

This Proclamation is issued in a full Confidence, that the United States have no Confidence in one another: that they cannot agree to 112act in a Body as one Nation: that they cannot agree upon any Navigation Act, which may be common to the thirteen States. Our proper Remedy would be to confine our Exports to American Ships— To make a Law that no Article should be exported from any of the States in British Ships, nor in the Ships of any Nation, which will not allow Us reciprocally to import their Productions in our Ships. I am much afraid there is too good an Understanding upon this Subject between Versailles & St. James’s.

Perhaps it may be proper for Congress to be silent upon this head, until New York, Penobscot &ca are evacuated. But I should think that Congress, would never bind themselves by any Treaty, built upon such principles. They should negotiate, however, without loss of time, by a Minister in London— A few Weeks delay may have unalterable Effects.

The Proclamation is as follows, vizt.

At the Court at St. James’s the 2d. of July 1783. Present The King’s most Excellent Majesty in Council.

Whereas by an Act of Parliament, passed this Session, intituled an “Act for preventing certain Instruments from being required from Ships belonging to the United States of America, and to give his Majesty, for a limited time, certain powers for the better carrying on Trade and Commerce between the Subjects of his Majesty’s Dominions, & the Inhabitants of the said United States,” it is amongst other things enacted, that during the Continuance of the said Act, “it shall and may be lawful for his Majesty in Council, by order or Orders to be issued & published from time to time to give such directions, and to make such regulations, with respect to duties, drawbacks, or otherwise, for carrying on the Trade & Commerce between the People & Territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain, & the People & Territories of the said United States, as to his Majesty, in Council, shall appear most expedient & salutary, any Law, Usage, or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding”:2 His Majesty doth therefore, by & with the Advice of his Privy Council, hereby order & direct, That Pitch, Tar, Turpentine, Hemp & Flax, Masts, Yards & Bowsprits, Staves, Heading, Boards, Timber, Shingles, & all other Species of Lumber; Horses, Neat Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, Poultry, and all other species of live Stock & live Provisions; Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Wheat, Flour, Bread, Biscuit, Rice, Oats, Barley, & all other species of Grain, being the Growth or Production of 113 any one of the United States of America, may, until further Order, be imported by British Subjects, in British built Ships, owned by his Majesty’s Subjects, & navigated according to Law, from any Port of the United States of America, to any of his Majesty’s West India Islands; and that Rum, Sugar, Molasses, Coffee, Cocoa Nuts, Ginger, & Pimento, may, until further order, be exported by British Subjects, in British built Ships, owned by his Majesty’s Subjects, & navigated according to Law, from any of his Majesty’s West India Islands, to any Port or Place within the said United States, upon payment of the same Duties on Exportation, and subject to the like Rules, Regulations, Securities and Restrictions, as the same Articles by Law are or may be subject & liable to, if exported to any British Colony or Plantation in America: And the right honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury, and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, are to give the necessary directions herein, as to them may respectively appertain.

Stephen Cottrell.

One of the most remarkable things in this Proclamation is, the Omission of Salt Fish, an Article which the Islands want as much as any that is enumerated. This is no doubt to encourage their own Fishery, & that of Nova Scotia, as well as a Blow aimed at ours. There was in a former Proclamation, concerning the Trade between the United States and Great Britain, an Omission of the Articles of Pot Ash and Pearl Ash.3 These Omissions discover a choice Love for New England. France, I am afraid, will exclude Fish too, and imitate this Proclamation but too closely, if indeed this Proclamation is not an Imitation of their System, adopted, as I believe it is, upon their Advice & Desire.

These however are impotent efforts. Without saying, writing, or resolving any thing, suddenly, let us see what Remedies or Equivalents we can obtain from Holland, Portugal, Denmark. Let us bind ourselves to nothing—reserve a right of making Navigation Acts, when we please, if we find them necessary or useful. If we had been defeated of our Fisheries, we should have been wormed out of all our Carrying Trade too, & should have been a mere Society of Cultivators, without any but a passive Trade. The Policy of France has succeeded, and laid in these Proclamations, if persisted in, the sure Source of another War between Us & Britain.

The English Nation is not however unanimous in this new System, as Congress will see by the inclosed speculations, which I know to have been written by a confidential Friend of my Lord 114Shelburne, I mean Mr. Benjamin Vaughan.4 This Minister is very strong in the House of Lords, & Mr. Pitt in the House of Commons has attached to him many Members in the Course of this Session. If that Sett should come in again, we shall have a Chance of making an equitable Treaty of Commerce. To this End, a Minister must be ready, and I hope, in Mercy to our Country, that such an Opportunity will not be lost by delays, in Complaisance to our Allies.

I have the honor to be, with great Respect, / Sir, / your most obedient & / most humble Servant