was in town, that she had been by the guards and the other troops of the garrison declared their Empress and Sovereign, and that she was then actually at the Casansky Church to hear the Te Deum sung upon the occasion. He added the circumstance of Prince George of Holstein Gottorp's being made prisoner as he was endeavouring to make his escape out of the town. This account was confirmed from all quarters; and we understood that the several supreme colleges of the empire and all the great people were then taking the oaths of fidelity to the new Empress, as the guards and other regiments had already done. This surprising revolution was brought about and completed in little more than two hours, without one drop of blood being spilt or any act of violence committed, and all the quarters of this city at any distance from the Palace, especially the street where I and most part of His Majesty's subjects reside, were as quiet as if nothing had happened; the only novelty to be seen were some picquets placed at the bridges, and some of the horse-guards patrolling through the streets in order to preserve the public tranquillity. As soon as the guards assembled in the morning several detachments were sent to the Peterhoff road to hinder any intelligence from being sent to the Emperor, and this piece of duty was performed with so much diligence and exactness, that no one person got through except the Master of the Horse, Monsieur Nariskin. About ten o'clock in the evening the Empress marched out of town on horseback at the head of twelve or fourteen thousand men, and a great train of artillery, and took the road towards Peterhoff, in order to attack the Emperor at that place or Oranienbaum, or wherever they should meet him; and next day in the afternoon we received the account of His Imperial Majesty's having surrendered his person, and resigned his Crown, without one stroke being struck. 1762. STATE PAPER OFFICE. xlvii DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE EARL OF EGREMONT. Paris, September 13. 1762. I HAVE seen the Duke de Choiseul since supper (for the first time), and have had an opportunity, in a conversation of about half an hour, to enter a little into the difficulties they have drawn themselves into with the Court of Spain with regard to the navigation into the gulf of Mexico, which they have offered to grant us. He protests that they will do everything possible to quiet M. Grimaldi, who upon the bare report of this had already monté sur ses grands chevaux. He most firmly engages, and that with the utmost frankness, that they have no desire to depart from the most minute particular of the offers they have already made to us, and that they only desire us to assist so far as is consistent with our interest, by reciprocal assurances, as to prevent M. Grimaldi from abruptly breaking off the negotiation. And he protests the only difficulty he perceives in doing it. arises from M. Grimaldi himself, the King of Spain having left carte blanche to his cousin the Most Christian King to settle every thing as he shall think proper. DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE EARL OF EGREMONT. Paris, September 19. 1762. UPON the whole, if I can judge at all by the behaviour and language of the Duke de Choiseul by the little I have as yet seen of the women he converses with, particularly his sister the Duchess of Grammont, by Madame Pompadour, with whom I have more than once conversed, and by the accounts of the Sardinian ambassador, who is perfectly well acquainted with this Court, I can venture to assure your Lordship that the Duke de Choiseul most heartily wishes the conclusion of the peace, which indeed is most material to him in every point of view. DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE EARL OF EGREMONT. Fontainebleau, October 11. 1762. I HAVE just seen these Ministers, and I find them in the happiest dispositions to conclude, and in an extreme impatience to know what shall have been determined at London in relation to any compensation to be given by Spain for the Havanna. They assure me that in case the King will be contented with everything being left in the Bay of Honduras on its present footing, without any cession being made by Spain as a compensation for the Havanna, they shall be able to bring M. Grimaldi to sign But they add that, should the King be pleased to order me to insist on Spain's ceding ever so small a parcel of territory in compensation for the Havanna, they foresee not only great difficulties in bringing the Court of Spain ever to consent to it, but the certainty of delaying the signature of the preliminaries to a length of time, as M. Grimaldi, was he ever so well intentioned, could not take upon himself to give up any part of the King his master's territories, unless by special orders from his Court, EARL OF EGREMONT TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. Whitehall, October 26. 1762. It is the King's pleasure that you do peremptorily insist upon one of the two cessions proposed in the 19th Article, as it is of indispensable necessity that a proper compensation should be obtained for the important restitution of the Havanna. The manifest inferiority in value of either of the two, compared with the conquest which is to be given up, will afford your Grace irresistible arguments upon this occasion. * Article 19. du Projet de Traité En conséquence de la restitution de l'importante Isle de Cuba, sa Majesté Catholique cède et garantit en toute propriété à sa Majesté Brittanique : Q. L'isle de Porto Rico. Q. Tout ce que l'Espagne possède sur le continent de l'Amérique Septentrionale à l'Est ou au Sud-est du fleuve Mississippi. HAVING by the King's command had an interview with the Chairman and deputy-Chairman of the East India Company, in order to gather from them the proper lights for settling what is relative to the interests of the Company in India, and particularly in Bengal, I have with some difficulty brought these gentlemen to admit, that the article in the Contre-Projet would be satisfactory to them. And I have it in command from His Majesty to observe to your Grace, in this letter apart, that the conditions upon which the French are restored to the Ganges, namely, that of having no fortifications or troops there, appear very moderate. I am, &c. DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE EARL OF EGREMONT. Fontainebleau, November 3. 1762. I HAVE the satisfaction to send your Lordship, by Monnot, the inclosed preliminary articles, which I signed this morning with the Ministers Plenipotentiary of France and Spain. I have endeavoured to the utmost of my power to keep within the limits of my instructions, and have in no point deviated from them but where I found it absolutely necessary The 18th Article, ceding the island of Cuba and the Havanna, is only altered by the addition of these words, tout ce qu'il a conquis dans, before the words l'Isle de Cuba. In the 19th Article, in which the Crown of Spain makes the cession of Florida to His Majesty, there is a small verbal alteration consequential to the former one; and at the end of it there is the same provision for the toleration of the Romish re ligion, and the liberty of emigration to the subjects of Spain, as had been allowed in a former article to the Canadians. EARL OF CHATHAM TO THE COUNTESS STANHOPE. (The following letter, though altogether unconnected with public affairs, is here inserted as a portrait of Lord Chatham in private life; as a proof that his eagerness for rural improvements was a strong and real, and not, as was sometimes alleged, a pretended, passion. Perhaps, also, in publishing this letter, I may be somewhat swayed by the-I hope, pardonable - pride of seeing my paternal seat connected with so great a name. I should add that the road as planned by Lord Chatham was executed and still exists. (Extract.) M.) Chevening, October 18. 1769. THE date of this letter fully shows how largely we have been desirous to construe the obliging and kind offer of our respected friends at Geneva, and that we use the powers, which the Lord and Lady of this delightful abode have so bounteously given us, to the utmost extent of our commission. Next week will, I imagine, fix us at Hayes, if the gout, which has begun to give some gentle remembrances, should not interpose. Now that we have the pleasure to be still at Chevening, allow me, dear Madam, to enjoy it the most sensible way, in the absence of our friends, which is, by talking to them of it. . . . . At present, give me leave to be a little notable and to talk of purchasing farms, instead of wasting them in the thing called Taste. I cannot help, then, presuming to offer my advice, not to hesitate a moment in giving full powers to Mr. Peel to conclude with Mr. Winter, if he will sell, be the price almost what it may. I can venture to assure you, that the acquisition will add to the general value of |