As for the article about demolishing of Dunkirk, I am not at all furprized to find it ftruck out; the deftruction of that place, although it would be useful to the States, doth more nearly import Britain, and was therefore a point that fuch minifters could more easily get over..

The fentiments of prince EUGENE of SAVOY, and of the count DE SINZENDORF, relating to the barrier of the States-general, to the upper quarter of Guelder, and to the towns of the electorate of Cologn, and of the bishoprick of Liege.

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LTHOUGH the orders and inftructions of

the courts of Vienna and Barcelona, upon the matters above-mentioned, do not go so far as to give directions for what follows; notwithstanding the PRINCE and COUNT above-mentioned, confidering the present state of affairs, are of the following opinion:

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First, that the counter-project of England, relating to the places where the States-general may put and keep garrifons, ought to be followed, except Lier, Halle to fortify, and the caftle of Gand. Provided likewife, that the fentiments of England be particularly conformed to, relating to Dendermond and Oftend, as places in no wife belonging to the barrier; and which, as well as the caftle of Gand, can only ferve to make the States general mafters of the Low-countries, and hinder trade with England. And as to Lier and Halle, thofe who are VOL. IX. acquainted

acquainted with the country know that these towns cannot give any fecurity to the States-general; but can only make people believe, that these places being fortifyed, would rather serve to block up Bruffels and the other great cities of Brabant. a

Secondly, as to what is faid in the feventh atticle of the counter-project of England, relating to the augmentation of garrifons, in the towns of the barrier, in cafe of an open war: This is agreeable to the opinions of the faid prince and count; who think likewise, that there ought to be added to the eighth article, that no goods nor merchandize should be fent into the towns where the States general shall have garrisons, nor be comprehended under the name of fuch things as the faid garrifons and forti fications fhall have need of. And that to this end, the faid things fhall be infpected in thofe places where they are to pafs; as likewise the quantity fhall be fettled that the garrisons may want.

'Thirdly, as to the ninth article, relating to the governours and commanders of those towns, forts, and places where the States-general shall have their garrifons; the faid prince and count are of opinion, that the faid governours and commanders ought to take an oath as well to the king of Spain, as to the States-general: but they may take a particular oath to the latter, that they will not admit foreign troops without their confent; and that they will depend exclufively upon the faid States, in whatever regards the military power. But, at the fame time, they ought exclufively to promife the king of Spain, that

they

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they will not intermeddle in the affairs of law, civil power, revenues, or any other matters, ecclefiaftical or civil, unless at the defire of the king's officers to affift them in the execution; in which cafe, the faid commander's fhould be obliged not to refuse them.

Fourthly, as to the tenth article, there is nothing to be added, unless that the States general may repair and encrease the fortifications of the towns, places, and forts, where they shall have their garrifons; but this at their own expence. Otherwife, under that pretext, they might seize all the revenués of the country.

Fifthly, as to the eleventh article, they think the States ought not to have the revenues of the chatellanies and dependencies of thefe towns and places, which are to be their barrier against France; this being a fort of fovereignty, and very prejudicial to the ecclefiaftical and civil economy of the country. But the faid prince and count are of opinion, that the States-general ought to have, for the mainte nance of their garrifons and fortifications, a fum of money of a million and a half, or two millions of florins, which they to ought receive from the king's officers, who shall be ordered to pay that fum before any other payment."

Sixthly, And the convention, which fhall be made on this affair, between his Catholic majefty and the States-general, fhall be for a limited time.

Thefe are the utmost conditions to which the faid prince and count think it poffible for his CathoO z

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lick majefty to be brought; and they declare at the fame time, that their Imperial and Catholic majesties will fooner abandon the Low-countries, than take them upon other conditions, which would be equally expenfive, fhameful, and unacceptable to

them.

On the other fide, the faid prince and count are perfuaded that the advantages, at this time, yielded to the States-general, may hereafter be very prejudicial to themselves; forafmuch, as they may put the people of the Spanish Netherlands to fome dangerous extremity, confidering the antipathy between the two nations; and that extending of frontiers is entirely contrary to the maxims of their govern

ment.

As to the upper quarter of Guelder, the faid prince and count are of opinion, that the States-general may be allowed the power of putting in garrifons into Venlo, Ruremond, and Steffenfwaert, with orders to furnish the faid States with the revenues of the country, which amount to one hundred thoufand florins.

As to Bonne, belonging to the electorate of Cologn, Liege, and Huy to the bishoprick of Liege, it is to be understood, that these being imperial towns, it doth not depend upon the Emperor to confent that foreign garrifons fhould be placed in them upon any pretence whatsoever. But whereas the Statesgeneral demand them not only for their fecurity, it is propofed to place, in those towns, a garrison of imperial

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-imperial troops, of whom the States may be in no fufpicion, as they might be of a garrifon of an elector, who might poffibly have views oppofite to their interests. But this is proposed only in cafe that it shall not be thought more proper to raze one or other of the faid towns.

The reprefentation of the English merchants at Bruges, relating to the Barrier treaty.

DAVID WHITE and other merchants, her majesty's fubjects, refiding at Bruges and other towns in Flanders, crave leave humbly to represent:

THAT, whereas the cities of Lifle, Tournay, Menin, and other new conquefts in Flanders and Artois, taken from the French this war, by the united forces of her majefty and her allies, are now become entirely under the government of the Statesgeneral; and that we, her majefty's fubjects, may be made liable to fuch duties and impofitions on trade as the faid States-general fhall think fit to impofe on us we humbly hope and conceive, that it is her majesty's intention and defign, that the trade of her dominions and fubjects, which is carried on with these new conquefts, may be on an equal foot with that of the fubjects and dominions of the Statesgeneral, and not be liable to any new duty, when tranfported from the Spanish Netherlands to the faid new conquefts, as, to our great furprize, is exacted from us on the following goods, viz, butter, tallow, falmon,

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