The Troubles, which broke out in Germany, on Account of the Succession
of the late Emperor Charles the Sixth, having been begun, and carried
on, by the Instigation, Assistance, and Support of the French King,
with a View to overturn the Balance of Power in Europe, and to extend
the dangerous Influence of that Crown, in direct Violation of the
solemn Guaranty of the Pragmatic Sanction given by him in the Year
One thousand seven hundred and thirty eight, in Consideration of
the Cession of Lorraine; and We having, on Our Part, executed Our
Engagements for maintaining the Pragmatic Sanction, with that good
Faith, which is inseparable from Us; and having opposed the Attempts
made against the Dominions of the Queen of Hungary; We are not
surprised, that Our Conduct, in this Respect, should have drawn upon Us
the Resentment of the French King, who has found his ambitious Views,
in a great Measure, disappointed by the Assistance We have furnished to
Our Ally, unjustly attacked by him; or that he should alledge it as a
principal Reason for declaring War against Us.
From the Time, that We found Ourselves obliged, for the Maintenance
of the just Rights of Our Subjects, to enter into a War with Spain,
instead of observing a strict Neutrality, which We might have
promised Ourselves on the Part of the French King, from whom We were
even founded by Treaty to have demanded Assistance; he has given
Encouragement and Support to Our Enemies, by conniving at his Subjects
acting as Privateers under Spanish Commissions, both in Europe and
America; and by sending in the Year One thousand seven hundred and
forty, a strong Squadron into the American Seas, in order to prevent
Us, from prosecuting the just War, which We were carrying on against
Spain, in those Parts; And We have the most authentick Proof, that
an Order was given to the Commander of the French Squadron, not only
to act in a hostile Manner against Our Ships, either jointly with
the Spaniards, or separately; but even to concert Measures with Our
Enemies, for attacking one of Our principal Dominions in America; a
Duplicate of that Order dated the Seventh of October, One thousand
seven hundred and forty, having fallen into the Hands of the Commander
in Chief of Our Squadron in the West Indies. This injurious Proceeding
was greatly aggravated by the French Minister at Our Court, having
declared on Occasion of sending the said Squadron, that the French King
was very far from having any Design, or Intention, of breaking with Us.
The same offensive Conduct was continued, on the Part of the French
King, towards Us, by his Squadron in the Mediterranean, in the Year One
thousand seven hundred and forty one, joining with, and protecting the
Ships of Our Enemies, in Sight of Our Fleet, which was preparing to
attack them.
These unwarrantable Proceedings; The notorious Breach of Treaties,
by repairing the Fortifications, and erecting New Works at Dunkirk;
the open Hostilities lately committed against Our Fleet in the
Mediterranean; the Affront and Indignity offered to Us, by the
Reception of the Son of the Pretender to Our Crown, in the French
Dominions; the Embarkation actually made at Dunkirk, of a considerable
Body of Troops, notoriously designed for an Invasion of this Kingdom,
in Favour of the Pretender to Our Crown; and the sending a Squadron of
French Ships of War into the Channel, to support the said Embarkation
and Invasion; will be lasting Monuments of the little Regard had by the
French Court, for the most solemn Engagements, when the Observance of
them is inconsistent with Interest, Ambition, or Resentment.
We cannot omit taking Notice of the unjust Insinuations contained in
the French King's Declaration of War against Us, with respect to the
Convention made at Hanover, in October, One thousand seven hundred
and forty one. That Convention, regarding Our Electorate only, had
no Relation to Our Conduct as King of Great Britain: the Allegations
concerning it, are groundless and injurious: Our Proceedings in that
Respect, having been perfectly consistent with that good Faith which We
have always made the Rule of Our Actions.
It is unnecessary to mention the Objections made to the Behaviour
of Our Ministers in Foreign Courts; since it is notorious, that
the principal View, and Object, of the Negotiations of the French
Ministers in the several Courts of Europe, have been, either to stir up
intestine Commotions in the Countries, where they resided; or to create
Differences, and Misunderstandings, between them, and their respective
Allies.
The Charge of Piracy, Cruelty, and Barbarity against Our Ships of War,
is equally unjust and unbecoming; and We have all such Proceedings so
much in Abhorrence, that, if any Practices of that Nature had been made
appear to us, We should have taken effectual Care to put a Stop to
them, and to have punished the Offenders in the severest Manner.
We being therefore indispensibly obliged to take up Arms, and entirely
relying on the Help of Almighty God, who knows the Uprightness of Our
Intentions, have thought fit to declare, and do hereby declare War
against the French King; and We will, in pursuance of such Declaration,
vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land; being assured of the
ready Concurrence and Assistance, of all Our loving Subjects, in so
just a Cause: And We do hereby will, and require, Our Generals and
Commanders of Our Forces, Our Commissioners for Executing the Office of
High Admiral of Great Britain, Our Lieutenants of Our several Counties,
Governors of Our Forts and Garrisons, and all other Officers under
them, by Sea and Land, to do, and execute, all Acts of Hostility, in
the Prosecution of this War against the said French King, his Vassals,
and Subjects, and to oppose their Attempts; willing, and requiring, all
Our Subjects to take Notice of the same, whom We henceforth strictly
forbid to hold any Correspondence, or Communication, with the Subjects
of the French King: And We do hereby command Our own Subjects, and
advertise all other Persons of what Nation soever, not to transport
or carry any Soldiers, Arms, Powder, Ammunition, or other Contraband
Goods, to any of the Territories, Lands, Plantations, or Countries of
the said French King; declaring, that whatsoever Ship or Vessel shall
be met withal, transporting or carrying any Soldiers, Arms, Powder,
Ammunition, or other Contraband Goods, to any of the Territories,
Lands, Plantations, or Countries of the said French King, the same
being taken, shall be condemned as good and lawful Prize. And whereas
there are remaining in Our Kingdoms divers of the Subjects of the
French King, We do hereby declare Our Royal Intention to be, that all
the French Subjects, who shall demean themselves dutifully towards Us,
shall be safe in their Persons and Estates.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Twenty ninth Day of March,
1744, in the Seventeenth Year of Our Reign.