the treaty of general administration upon a footing corresponding with that of Sweden and Hanover. Lord Castlereagh to Edward Thornton, Esq. Chaumont, March 15, 1814. Sir-I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that the most signal success has attended the operations of Marshal Blücher. Napoleon pursued him across the Marne, in the hope of attacking him with superior force. The Marshal fell back, and successfully effected his junction with Winzingerode and Bülow. He defended Soissons successfully, but, his left wing being turned by Berry au Bac, he was compelled to fall back on Laon, always fighting. On the 9th, Bonaparte attacked his whole line. He was everywhere repulsed with great loss; and, at the close of the day, or rather after dark, Generals Sacken and Yorck conjointly executed an operation, without firing a shot, against the corps of Marmont and the Duke of Padua, which has proved nearly fatal to both corps-45 pieces of cannon, tumbrils, &c., 2 or 3,000 prisoners. They were pursued to Berry. On the 11th, Bonaparte commenced his retreat upon Soissons. On the 12th, General St. Priest took Rheims by storm, with 3,000 men and 12 guns. On the 28th ultimo, General Bülow took the fortress of La Fère, in which there were 1,000 men. It was an arsenal full of all sorts of military and ordnance stores-above 100 pieces of field artillery, a train of pontoons, small arms, &c. The whole the General values at five or six millions of Prussian dollars. The news from the South is not less gratifying. General Bianchi beat the enemy at Maçon, with the loss of cannon and prisoners. Geneva is relieved, and the whole of the Allied Force, amounting to 70,000 men, is concentrating, with a view to advance upon Lyons. Lord Aberdeen to Lord Castlereagh. Chatillon, March 15, 1814. My dear Castlereagh-I send a report of the conference, or rather the contre-projet. You will see the copy sent by Stadion to Metternich. Of course, if we hear nothing from head-quarters, we follow the course prescribed for to-morrow, as we are unanimous. We had some discussion as to the immediate course to be pursued. Our three colleagues were agreed. I wished to follow them, but my own colleagues differed. I will give you my reasons to-morrow, but Stadion's courier is just going. The thing, of course, was decided by the three Ministers of the Allies being united. Yours most sincerely, ABERDEEN. I enclose a letter received from Johnson, which is worth your reading. Of course, you will hear from Metternich the good news from Wellington. Stadion has learnt, from a certain source (I mean a sure one), that a very brilliant affair has taken place between Orthes and St. Sever, with the whole of Soult's army, about 32,000 strong-four generals killed, and 40 cannon taken. The affair was decided by a charge of cavalry, led by Lord Wellington, accompanied by the Duc d'Angoulême. Soult had retired to Agen. Lord Wellington's advanced posts were on the Garonne, I believe at Roquefort, seven leagues from Bordeaux. Lord Aberdeen to Lord Castlereagh. Chatillon sur Seine, Tuesday night, March 15. My dear Castlereagh-I send a minute of my reasons for the opinion I held this morning, in opposition to my colleagues. I could add many more, but I hope the thing is not of sufficient consequence to deserve it. This is the first difference of opinion we have had on any matter of the least importance; for Stewart's objection, the other day, to the drawing up of the Protocol, does not deserve to be mentioned. Yours ever sincerely, Memorandum. ABERDEEN. Chatillon sur Seine, March 15, 1814. The Duke of Vicenza having presented his contre-projet to the Plenipotentiaries of the Allied Courts, at a conference held this day at three o'clock, it was by them unanimously judged to be inadmissible. The question proposed was, whether a declaration to this effect should be made to the French Minister in the course of the evening, or deferred for twentyfour hours. The Plenipotentiaries of Austria, Russia, and Prussia, approved of the delay. Viscount Cathcart and Sir Charles Stewart opposed it. Lord Aberdeen's dissent from his colleagues was principally founded on the following reasons:— 1. Because the Plenipotentiaries, by the instructions of the 14th of March, in the event of their unanimously thinking the French projet inadmissible, were ordered to demand a conference dans la journée, for the purpose of declaring their opinion to the Duke of Vicenza. This seems to admit of twenty-four hours. The first conference had not terminated before three o'clock. The projet given in by the French Minister, although unsatisfactory, was an elaborate and finished production. In many respects, it was plausible and insidious, and could not be simply rejected without assigning some reasons and refuting its fallacies. A certain time was necessary for the arrangement of a suitable declaration to accomplish this purpose. The projet delivered by the Allies was hastily put together, and in many of its important details crude and incomplete. The French projet was of a very different character; and the rejection of this complicated and laboured document, without twenty-four hours' consideration, would have been neither wise nor decent in the eyes of Europe. 2. Because an additional reason for the delay was the proximity of the Sovereigns, and the certainty that their pleasure might be known in twenty-four hours. This appeared to be desirable, from the character of the whole negociation, and the little discretion left at any time to the Plenipotentiaries. It may be said generally that, though promptitude and decision may justly be considered as the essence of military operations, perhaps the reverse is true in negociation. 3. Because the Plenipotentiaries acted under a common instruction, received by Count Stadion from Prince Metternich; and as Count Stadion had also received a letter from Prince Metternich, explanatory of the instructions, by which it appeared that the decision of the Sovereigns was substantially executed, it was not intended to prescribe the precise hour or moment. Under these circumstances, although the Plenipotentiaries of the Allies could not be bound by the letter of Prince Metternich, yet, in the absence of other explanations, it might be admitted to possess considerable weight. 4. Because, from the perfect unity which had existed between the Allied Sovereigns and their respective Ministers throughout the negociations, it appeared desirable that this should be preserved. When, therefore, the Austrian, Russian, and Prussian Plenipotentiaries had pronounced an opinion in favour of the proposed delay, and no injury appearing to result from it to the common cause, still less to any British interest in particular, there existed no adequate reason for acting in opposition to the Ministers of the Allied Powers. Lord Clancarty to Lord Castlereagh. ABERDEEN. The Hague, March 15, 1814. My dear Lord-I have very little to send you from hence (with the exception of what he has just brought with him from England), by the messenger Williams. A copy of the letter from Johnson, respecting the mission of an officer from General Maison to the Crown Prince, was conveyed to Mr. Thornton by the messenger Proudman, who went last with despatches to you, via Liege; and Williams, who will take the same route, will also pass through the Crown Prince's head-quarters, and bear a letter from me to Mr. Thornton, with an extract, as far as relates to this purpose, of a letter from Johnson, respecting the mission of Maison above alluded to. A duplicate copy of this I send herewith. I also send enclosed a copy of a plan transmitted from a person at Brussels, in whom the Prince of Orange places. much confidence, said to be arranged by Carnot, which, though I think of very doubtful execution, I have communicated to General Sir Thomas Graham and to Mr. Thornton, to be by the latter, if he shall think fit, placed under the view of the Prince Royal. A despatch reached me last night from Mr. Thornton, dated the 10th, acquainting me that the Crown Prince had accepted the proposed command in Belgium-" with, however," as it is added, "a complete understanding that the treaties between Russia and Sweden, and between Prussia and Sweden, relative to the auxiliary troops to be placed under the orders of the Prince Royal, shall be considered and executed in their full force and tenour." Now, I am in total ignorance as to the provisions of these treaties, and have, therefore, written to Mr. Thornton for information concerning them, as they form a subject on which the Prince of Orange will doubtless question me, with reference to his troops. A very fine regiment of landwehr marched hence for Sir T.Graham's quarters yesterday, perfectly clothed and equipped, and in a sufficiently fit state of discipline-its strength 900 men. Two more will follow, I hope, in the course of this week, and afterwards from time to time, as they become fit. The Hereditary Prince is to have the command of the |