Amsterdam, January 15th, 1781.
Sir,
Zealand is still endeavoring to divert the Republic from its interest
and its duty, to embarrass its operations, and involve it in disgrace
and ruin.
The Directors of the Company of Commerce, and that of Ensurance, and a
great number of merchants, established at Middleburg, in Zealand, have
presented a petition to the States-General, to supplicate their High
Mightinesses to try again the way of negotiation, and to endeavor to
prevent by this means the damages with which the subjects of the
Republic are still threatened, by a war with England, and to come to a
friendly accommodation. This petition has been supported by a
resolution of the States of Zealand, transmitted to the Assembly of
the States-General; but it is said, that this petition has been
rendered commissorial, and will not be taken into consideration,
unless the English should make some propositions of peace. The state
of the Marine of this Republic, during the year 1781, as it has been
proposed by the petition of the Council of State, is, two vessels of
seventy guns, and five hundred and fifty men; nine of sixty guns, and
four hundred and fifty men; fifteen of fifty guns, and three hundred
men; two of forty guns, and two hundred and seventy men; one of forty
guns, and two hundred and fifty men; fourteen of thirtysix guns, and
two hundred and thirty men; thirteen of twenty guns, and one hundred
and fifty men; five sloops, one hospital ship, four packet boats,
twelve large armed vessels, sixteen smaller; making in the whole
ninetyfour ships, and eighteen thousand four hundred and ninety men.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, January 16th, 1781.
Sir,
The Prince, on the 26th of December, made a proposition to the
States-General, viz. in substance, "That His Most Serene Highness had
already communicated the last year to the respective Provinces his
advice, to equip fifty or sixty vessels of war, and to augment the
land forces to fifty or sixty thousand men, to put the frontier places
in a good state of defence, and to provide necessary magazines of
warlike stores, to the end, to be in a condition to defend the lawful
rights of the Republic; that His Most Serene Highness had seen with
satisfaction, that as far as respected the marine, it had been made
better in some degree; and that he flattered himself, that the States
of all the Provinces would reinforce it for the ensuing year, with
redoubled zeal, since they could not be too much upon their guard in
the present conjuncture; that it was equally necessary to put the
Republic in a convenient state of defence, on the land side; and that
he hoped, that they would at this day think seriously of it; that they
would augment the fortifications, and supply the magazines, since, if
they failed in this, His Most Serene Highness would not be responsible
for the events, &c."
The States-General, after having thanked the Stadtholder, for his
assiduous zeal and solicitude to maintain the Republic in the
enjoyment of its liberty and independence, resolved, "That the
proposition of His Most Serene Highness should be communicated to the
respective Provinces, and that it should be represented to them, that
His Most Serene Highness, animated with the purest love of his
country, insists with reason (at this day when the danger is
immediate, and war appears inevitable) upon the necessity of making
unanimous efforts, to the end to resist this danger, and to preserve
the Republic, by joining courage to prudence; that the maritime forces
of the Republic are not yet sufficient to protect the commerce, the
source of the well being of the public in all its branches, and to
ensure from all invasion the possessions of the Republic, both in the
East and the West Indies; that, therefore, their High Mightinesses
think themselves under obligation to pray the members of the union, in
a manner the most friendly and the most pressing, to fix their
attention as soon as possible upon these objects, and to accomplish
them with vigor, since the storm, which approaches at sea, may easily,
by a sudden revolution, discharge itself upon the continent, so that
an augmentation of land forces is as indispensably necessary, as the
armament by sea; that from these motives, their High Mightinesses
assure themselves, that since there no longer remains for the Republic
a choice between peace and war, the respective members of the union
will endeavor, as far as possible to defend their country, and all
which is dear to them, by acting with unanimity, courage, and candor."
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, January 15th, 1781.
Sir,
Congress will not expect me to write upon the subject of peace at this
time, when the flames of war are spreading far and wide, with more
rapidity than ever, and I have no comfortable tidings on the subject
of money.
In the first place, I believe there is not so much money here as the
world imagines; in the next place, those who have what there is, have
now no confidence in any nation or individual. All credit seems at a
stand.
The Republic will want a loan; the northern neutral powers will want
loans, and even a loan will be wanted to support the credit of a
number of houses in the mercantile way, which are affected by the
violent and sudden revolution of the times, and by the piratical
depredations of the English. I hope, therefore, that Congress will not
venture to draw here, until they have certain information that they
may draw with safety.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, January 18th, 1781.
Sir,
At length one act has appeared, which looks like war. The following
placard was resolved on the 12th of this month.
"The States-General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries to
all those who shall see, hear, or read these presents. Greeting. Know
ye, that the King of Great Britain having thought proper, without any
lawful cause, to attack in a hostile manner this Republic, and as we
are obliged to neglect nothing, which can serve for our defence, and
to use at the same time the right, the example of which the conduct of
the said Crown has commenced by setting us, and to act against it, in
the same manner as they act against us, and consequently to do to the
said King, and to his subjects, all the prejudice, which shall be in
our power; for these causes, and for the protection of the commerce
and of the navigation of this country, we have thought fit to
establish, and to permit to all the subjects of these States, who
shall take or destroy any English vessels of war, or privateers, the
following rewards.
I. "All those who shall fit out a privateer, and shall have obtained
of his Highness the Prince of Orange and Nassau, in quality of
Admiral-General of these countries, suitable commissions, after having
given beforehand the requisite securities, shall not be held to
furnish the third man of their crew, as it is ordained by the placard
of their High Mightinesses, of the 26th of June, 1780, excepting those
who will load with merchandises, and take at the same time the said
letters of marque. Those, who shall have taken and conducted into one
of the ports, or roads, within the jurisdiction of one of the Colleges
of Admiralty of this country, a vessel of war or privateer of the King
of Great Britain, shall draw, moreover, a bounty of one hundred and
fifty florins for each man, who shall be found at the commencement of
the combat on board of the said vessel of war, or privateer, as also a
like sum for each pound of ball which the artillery, which shall be
found on board the said vessel at the time aforesaid, can discharge
at one time, not including the swivels, or the balls of the new
artillery, called carronades, valued only at one quarter of their
weight; in such sort, that if one of our privateers shall make herself
master of an English vessel of war, or privateer mounted, for example,
with forty pieces of cannon, carrying altogether three hundred and
fifty pound weight of ball, that is to say, forty carronades, and
fourteen hundred balls of eight pound, and the crew of which shall be
two hundred and twenty men, shall receive for bounty or reward, by
calculating each man and each pound of ball upon the footing of one
hundred and fifty florins, the sum of eightyfive thousand eight
hundred florins, and thus more or less in proportion to the crew; and
the caliber of the cannon, which shall be found at the time of the
combat, upon the English ship, besides the booty and the prize, and
all the effects which shall be found on board, without any other
deduction to be made from it, than the tenth for the Admiral.
II. "The said recompenses assigned for prizes shall also take place in
case the English vessel of war, or privateer, shall be totally
destroyed, whether our armed vessel shall have sunk her, or burnt her,
or shipwrecked her, or whether the said vessel shall have perished in
any other manner, after having been taken; provided, nevertheless,
that this recompense is not to be claimed in the whole, at least if
the crew of the vessel destroyed has not been taken or killed. And if
it should happen, that they have only driven the enemy's vessel on
shore, so that the vessel has perished, but the crew has saved itself,
our letters of marque shall not enjoy, in this case, but one half of
the bounty or reward promised; so that in the case last mentioned they
shall receive only fortytwo thousand nine hundred florins, instead of
eightyfive thousand eight hundred.
III. "Provided, nevertheless, that neither the prize nor the bounty
shall ever be adjudged to any of our letters of marque, until after
the affair shall have been carried before one of the Colleges of the
Admiralty of this country, and the sentence shall have been there
pronounced in her favor.
IV. "The said Colleges of the Admiralty may not adjudge these rewards,
until after the Captain, Lieutenant, and Pilot of the privateer, as
well as those who shall have freighted her, their book-keepers, and
others authorised, shall have declared by a solemn oath, that the
vessel of war, or privateer, of which they have made themselves
masters, has been duly taken without any collusion directly or
indirectly with the English, or with any other known to them. In case
the freighters, who claim the adjudication of prizes and bounties, are
out of the country, absent, or hindered by some other obstacle, it
shall suffice, that the book-keepers, or some other authorised, take
the oath, but so far as it is of his knowledge for himself, and for
his freighters, conformably to the special procuration, which he shall
have for this effect; the freighters nevertheless shall be obliged to
take an oath beforehand before the magistrate of their residence, or
before other persons competent, whose testimonies they shall send.
V. "And for the better encouragement of the said ships, which shall
have armed as privateers, we ordain, that those who shall have been
wounded in a combat with the English ship, shall be maintained at the
expense of the State, without its costing anything to the proprietors
of the privateers, or those who shall be on board. We ordain also,
that those who shall be maimed in fighting an English ship, shall be
gratified on the part of the State, and without its costing anything
to the freighters, with the moiety of the recompense granted by the
Republic to those who serve on board vessels of war; they shall not,
however, have a right but to those rewards which are given once, and
not to those which shall be granted weekly, or monthly, or otherwise.
As to what respects the maintenance of the wounded, the account of it
shall be presented to the competent College of the Admiralty, to be
there examined and duly regulated, so that the maimed, to the end that
they may enjoy the moiety of the recompense proposed, may procure
themselves an act of the said College of the Admiralty, after having
furnished it the necessary proofs.
VI. "For the encouragement of the ships of war, as well as the
merchant vessels, which may be provided with commissions to make use
of, in case of need, to cause to the English ships all the prejudice
possible, we intend that the English ship of which they may make
themselves masters, of what nature or denomination soever it may be,
shall be given them entire, the tenth for the Admiral excepted,
without pretending, however, to any further recompense.
VII. "If it should happen, that our privateers, merchant vessels, or
others armed for a cruise at the expense of individuals of this
country, should retake any vessels or effects belonging to the
subjects of the State, and that such recapture shall be made in the
space of fortyeight hours after they shall have been in the hands of
the enemy, they shall enjoy in that case one fifth of the just value
of the vessels or effects, which they shall have delivered; but if the
recapture shall be made in the space of four days after the vessel
shall have been in the hands of the English, they shall have one
third of the said value; and if the recapture shall be made after four
days, they shall have the moiety of it, without having any further
regard to the greater or lesser time, that the said vessels or effects
retaken shall have been in the hands of the English, after the
expiration of the four days.
VIII. "The adjudication of any one of the said recompenses, as well as
the acts of the respective Colleges of the Admiralty in favor of the
maimed or wounded, being shown to the Receiver-General of the duties
of entry and clearance, to receive the appointed recompense, the
payment of it shall be promptly made by the said Receiver-General at
the Hague, or in the place of the College of Admiralty, in which the
sentence or the taxation shall have been pronounced, as it shall be
most convenient for the said Receiver-General.
IX. "Which Receiver-General shall be provided with sufficient sums of
money to satisfy the said payments, and he shall always take care,
that after having paid some bounties, he has always wherewith to
satisfy promptly those which may be demanded of him in the sequel,
either by the second moiety of the duties of Last and Vielgeld, or by
negotiating successively the sums which he shall have occasion for,
for a supply.
X. "In all cases, the privateer, who shall have taken or destroyed any
English vessel, ought to take care to give without delay, and as soon
as he arrives, notice to the said Receiver-General of the value of the
bounties, which he has a right to claim, to the end that the said
Receiver-General may be in a condition to make prompt payment.
XI. "And in all the respective Colleges of Admiralty, where the case
shall be brought, they shall take care to render prompt sentences,
even by postponing to other times the other affairs which may be
before them.
XII. "And in case an appeal or revision should be demanded, and by
this means the sentences of the said Colleges shall be annulled, we
have desired that in this case, the recompenses assigned by the
sentences of the Admiralty should be delivered to the said privateers,
so that the demand of revision may not suspend or hinder the payment;
we mean at the same time, that the sureties, which the ships going to
cruise ought to furnish, shall be obliged in that case to augment the
surety, and to promise a prompt restitution of what shall have been
paid to the said privateers in consequence of sentences of the
Admiralty, in case that these sentences shall be reversed in the
revision, and the privateers denied their demand. And to be the more
sure that the sums delivered in such cases be restored, we have
declared, and do declare by these presents, that the vessels and all
which belongs to them, with which the said prizes shall have been
made, shall be held judicially to make restitution of the bounties
received; and that the said juridical obligation shall commence from
the day that the said privateers shall have received their
commissions, and shall go upon a cruise.
XIII. "And this placard shall have its effects from the day of this
publication; and that nobody may pretend ignorance, we request and
demand the Lords, the States, the Stadtholder, the Counsellors,
Committees, and the Deputies of the States of the respective Provinces
of Guelderland, and the Earldom of Zutphen, of Holland, and West
Friesland, of Zealand, of Utrecht, of Friesland, of Overyssel, and of
Groningen and Ommelanden, and all other members and officers of
justice, that they announce, publish, and post up this ordinance
immediately, in all the places of this country, where it is customary
to make such annunciations, publications, and postings; we charge and
enjoin moreover, the Counsellors of the Admiralty, the Advocates of
the Treasury, Secretaries-General of Convoys, and Licensers,
Receivers, Masters of Convoys, Controllers, and Searchers, and at the
same time the Receiver-General of the augmentation of the duty of Last
and Vielgeld, and to all others to whom it belongs, to govern
themselves exactly according to the tenor of these presents."
Their High Mightinesses have also published the following.
"The States-General of the United Provinces to all those who shall
see, hear, or read these presents. Greeting. We make known, that to
the end to encourage the loyal inhabitants of this State, we have
thought proper by the present publication, to notify to all and every
one, and to assure them that all those who, employed in the service of
the Republic, in the war at sea, may be maimed in such a manner as to
become incapable of gaining their livelihood by labor, and shall
desire to be assisted by a sum of money, payable once for all, shall
receive in proportion to the importance of their wounds, that which
follows.
1. "For the loss of two eyes, fifteen hundred florins; for the loss of
one eye, three hundred and fifty florins; as to other accidents, which
may happen under the case mentioned, gratifications shall be given
according to the good pleasure of the respective Colleges of the
Admiralty.
2. "For the loss of two arms, fifteen hundred florins; for the loss of
the right arm, four hundred and fifty florins; for that of the left
arm, three hundred and fifty florins; and for other accidents and
wounds in these members, at the discretion of the Colleges of the
Admiralty, upon which each one depends.
3. "For the loss of two hands, twelve hundred florins; for the loss of
the right hand, three hundred and fifty florins; for that of the left
hand, three hundred and fifty florins; as to lesser accidents,
valuable at sums less considerable, at the discretion aforementioned.
4. "For the loss of two legs, seven hundred florins; for the loss of
one leg, three hundred and fifty florins; for accidents less serious,
the gratification shall be fixed by the Colleges of the Admiralty.
5. "For the loss of two feet, four hundred and fifty florins; for that
of one foot, two hundred florins; and for smaller wounds, at the
discretion of the respective Colleges.
6. "Moreover, all those who in the service of the Republic shall be
maimed to such a degree as to be no longer able to gain a living by
labor, nor to provide in any manner for their subsistence, shall
receive during their lives, one ducatoon a week; and all other wounds
or mutilations less considerable shall be paid in proportion."
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, February 1st, 1781.
Sir,
One of the most brilliant events, which has yet been produced by the
American Revolution, is the following Treaty of Marine, concluded at
Copenhagen, the 28th of June, 1780, old style, between her Majesty,
the Empress of Russia, and his Majesty, the King of Denmark and of
Norway, for the maintenance of neutral mercantile navigation, and in
which his Majesty, the King of Sweden, as well as their High
Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Provinces, have taken
part and acceded, and which has been signed respectively, at St
Petersburg, the 21st of July, 1780, and the 5th of January, 1781.
TREATY OF MARINE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND DENMARK.
"As by the war by sea, which has actually broken out between Great
Britain, on one side, and France and Spain on the other, the commerce
and the navigation of neutral powers suffer considerable damages, her
Majesty, the Empress of Russia, and his Majesty, the King of Denmark
and of Norway, in consequence of their assiduous attention to unite
their proper dignities, and their cares for the safety and the well
being of their subjects, from the regard which they have so often
testified for the rights of nations in general, have found it
necessary, in the present circumstances, to determine their conduct
according to those sentiments.
"Her Majesty, the Empress of Russia has, by her declaration, dated the
28th of February, 1780, to the belligerent powers, exposed to light,
in the face of all Europe, the fundamental principles, which spring
from the original law of nations, which she claims, and which she
adopts as a rule of her conduct in the present war. As this attention
of the Empress, to watch over the reciprocal rights of nations, has
united the suffrages of all the neutral powers, so she has engaged
herself in it, as an affair, which concerns the most essential of her
interests, and she has carried it to that length, that we may
seriously consider it as a subject worthy of the times present and to
come, considering that it is to bring into one system, and establish
permanently, the rights, prerogatives, and engagements of neutrality.
"His Majesty, the King of Denmark and of Norway, convinced of these
principles, has likewise established and demanded them in the
declaration of the 8th of July, 1780, which he has caused to be
presented, as well as that of Russia, to the belligerent powers; and
to give them support, he has caused to be equipped a part of his
fleet. From hence has arisen the harmony and unanimity, with which her
Majesty, the Empress of Russia, and his Majesty, the King of Denmark
and of Norway, have judged necessary, by a reciprocal friendship and
confidence, and conformably to the interests of their subjects, to
confirm these common engagements, to be concluded by a formal
convention. In this view, their said Imperial and Royal Majesties have
chosen and named for their Plenipotentiaries, viz. her Majesty, the
Empress of Russia, M. Charles Van Osten, named Saken, present
Counsellor of State, Knight of the Order of St Anne, Minister
Plenipotentiary of her said Majesty to the Court of Denmark, &c. &c.;
and his Majesty, the King of Denmark and of Norway, M. Otton, Count de
Thott, Privy Counsellor, Knight of the Order of the Elephant, &c.; M.
Joachim Otton de Schack-Reventlaw, Privy Counsellor, Knight of the
Order of the Elephant, &c.; M. Jean Henri d'Eichstedt, Privy
Counsellor, Governor of his Royal Highness, the Hereditary Prince,
Knight of the Order of the Elephant, &c.; and M. André Pierre, Count
de Bernstorff, Privy Counsellor, Secretary of State of the Department
of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Royal German Chancery, and Knight
of the Order of the Elephant, &c.; who, after having exchanged their
full powers, which are found in good and due form, have agreed and
resolved upon the Articles following.
"ARTICLE I. That their said Majesties have sincerely resolved to
maintain constantly the most perfect friendship and concord with the
powers actually engaged in the war, and to observe the most scrupulous
neutrality; that they declare, in consequence, to hold themselves
exactly to this, that the prohibition to carry on commerce of
contraband with the powers actually at war, or with those, who may in
the sequel be engaged in it, shall be strictly observed by their
subjects.