enabled to say; and between the Hague and Gorcum there is literally nothing to prevent the French from making a free and unimpeded march into this place whenever they please; and Rotterdam, as being nearer to them, is still more exposed. Although this is the fact, I do not think there is any very considerable apprehension to be entertained of its being put to practical proof.

A matter, however, of very serious moment gives me some uneasiness in the present state of the winds, it is impossible to say how long it may be before the arrival of the troops and of the arms; for the last week, the wind has been as foul as possible, and the hardness of the present frost leads me to suppose that a change is not likely soon to take place. If, however, during the continuance of this wind, the troop-ships should be enabled to work over, their landing would be easy; but, if the wind should become fair for their voyage, and blow even moderately hard from the westward, and that it is in contemplation to land them in North Holland, I know not how, with a lee shore and strong surf, this will be practicable. Whatever succours you may hereafter intend for this country, at least during the winter months, I should strenuously recommend that they should be embarked on board of ships-of-war, in which case they will be enabled to work over, as we have done under the disadvantage of a foul wind, and will be easily landed; while otherwise they may be detained for an indefinite period, as the troops and arms now are, or, if the wind should come on shore, the difficulties of landing will be

extreme.

You will find in this packet a letter addressed from his Serene Highness to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent : properly, I ought to send a copy of this herewith. His Serene Highness has, however, apologized for not sending it for the moment, from the difficulty he is in of procuring a confidential person to make out the сору, but has assured me that it should be transmitted to me for your information without delay, as

soon as the present press upon him will enable him to have it made out.

Adieu!-the cold is intense, and my fingers are almost Yours most affectionately,

frozen.

CLANCARTY.

Lord Clancarty to Lord Castlereagh.

The Hague, December 2, 1813,7 o'clock, Thursday morning. My dear Lord-In the night, the Jason, with the arms, has made the coast. Major-General Taylor is on board, and the arms will be landed in the course of the day, if possible. This is a great relief.

The Prince has received rumours in the night, and seems to attach some credit to them, that the Briel has declared in his favour; this would also be a great point. He has sent an officer to see; and, if he reports the fact to be so, I shall think it of sufficient consequence to despatch a courier express to make it known. This will open a communication with England, and enable General Sir Thomas Graham to make his dispositions accordingly.

Yours, my dear lord, most sincerely and affectionately,
CLANCARTY.

A gentleman has just arrived, who has brought the official confirmation of the Briel having risen. The inhabitants are in possession of the town-Orange boven!

Sir Henry Wellesley to Lord Castlereagh.

Cadiz, December 4, 1813.

My dear Lord-I have not much to say in addition to my despatches of the 30th ult. At my last interview with M. de la Serna, he told me that he had read to the Regency a despatch from the Spanish Ambassador in London, in which he gave an account of a conversation which he had had with your lordship, in which you expressed the extreme dissatisfaction of the British Government with the conduct of the Regency, with respect to Lord Wellington's command.

Count Fernan Nunez did not conceal his apprehensions of the consequences which a perseverance in the same line of conduct would produce both in England and on the Continent; but, so far was this letter from producing any effect upon the Regency, that they instructed M. de la Serna to direct Count Fernan Nunez to signify to your lordship that the conditions under which Lord Wellington held the command were derogatory to the dignity of the nation, and deprived the Government of all power, and that it was absolutely necessary to put an end to them.

M. de la Serna told me that no consideration should induce him to send these instructions to the Spanish Ambassador, and he informed me that he had requested permission to resign the office of Minister of State, upon the plea that his other employment required his undivided attention-his real motive being to free himself from all connexion with a Government which had so much to answer for, and which would be ignominiously dismissed upon its arrival at Madrid.

I have heard to-day that his resignation has been accepted, and that he has been succeeded by Don Jose Luzendo, Secretary to the Council of State. This is the sixth appointment to the foreign department which has taken place within these four months.

I propose to set out for Madrid as soon as I can complete my preparations for the journey; but the demand for mules is so great, in consequence of the removal of the Regency and the Cortes, that it is very difficult to procure any. I shall certainly, however, reach Madrid before the Regency.

Draft.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

H. WELLESLEY.

Lord Castlereagh to Lord Aberdeen.

Foreign Office, December 7, 1813.

My dear Aberdeen-You know how acutely we feel upon

all political subjects, when our feelings have been long excited

by animating events; but that, at all times, a maritime question touches us to the quick. I cannot conceal from you the uneasiness of the Government upon the perusal of St. Aignan's Minute: and most certainly such a document, if published by the enemy, without any counter-document on our part, would excite unpleasant impressions in this country. It is, therefore, deemed indispensable to record our sentiments in a producible shape, and I lose no time in instructing you accordingly.

I apprehend, after presenting your note to Metternich, your course will be to transmit a copy to Lord Cathcart, for the information of the Russian Government. You will assure the Allies that we act not from the smallest sensation of distrust, but from the necessity imposed upon us of always keeping our case in a shape which, if produced to Parliament, would justify our vigilance and correctness, as not having left the enemy a cavil as to our real intentions.

We shall feel much anxiety till an allied force, adequate not only to its protection, but to assume the offensive towards Antwerp, is assembled in Holland. We consider it of great importance that the Allies should countenance the Prince of Orange as early as possible. Pray encourage the Austrian Government to send a Minister to the Hague. With their support and our arms, we may soon hope to have a respectable force established in that most important quarter. If Charles has left you again, impress the same idea upon Prussia. I have not time to write more.

Mr. Edward Thornton to Lord Castlereagh.

Lübeck, December 7, 1813.

My Lord-The Prince Royal, whom I saw to-day, mentioned to me, for the purpose of communicating it to your lordship, his intention to demolish the works which the French erected about Travemunde, the port of this town, and which were certainly intended for the sole purpose of shutting the naviga

tion of the river to the English. But there is another fort on the edge of the sea, which may be used for the protection of fleets lying in the Bay of Lübeck, on which he desired me to consult your lordship, whether it should be destroyed or not, as it might be useful to protect such vessels, being unarmed, from the attacks of Danish privateers. I ventured to give my own opinion that they had better be all of them destroyed, because, in effect, they are all of them directed against us; and, although they might be of a momentary use in defending against privateers, they were principally objects of annoyance to the English ships of war. I did not say all this to the Prince; but, if your lordship coincides in this opinion, it will be very easy to desire his Royal Highness to complete the demolition. of these works in toto.

I learnt, a few days ago, from the Prince Royal, that it is the intention of the Allied Sovereigns to dethrone the King of Saxony, and to place the Duke of Saxe-Weimar in his place. This, I presume, cannot be new to your lordship, yet I am unwilling to omit mentioning it, because it appears the commencement of a system, which will possibly disunite Germany, possibly excite civil discontents, if not civil war, and which would certainly render the return of Bonaparte into Germany, if ever he should regain strength, much less difficult, and (what is worse) less odious.

The Prince observed on this occasion that, if the King of Saxony were to be dethroned, the King of Denmark hardly deserved to escape; and I remarked to him that I was persuaded it was not the wish of the Prince Regent's Government that either of them should be dethroned; the re-establishment of the former system, with as little innovation as circumstances would admit of, being, in my opinion, the only mode of settling the tranquillity of Europe on a permanent basis.

By an article of a Bremen newspaper, it appears that that town is regarded as within the administration of the Central Department, that is, of M. de Stein, who has named the