WILLIAM LEGGE, EARL OF DARTMOUTH, to PRIOR, 18/[29] August 1712, Windsor Castle
Table of contents
1712.0829.Ta
Addressed:
M.r Prior.
Windsor Castle Aug:t 18. 1712.S.r
The Meſsenger who brings you this, will deliver
you her Ma.ty's Ratification of the Truce which you
will exchange as soon as conveniently you can.
In the third Article there seems to be an omiſsion
of the words les Mers Britanniques1 immediately
after the word la Manche in the 4.th line of
the third page not only becauſe there is no expreſe
mention made after what times Captures made in
thoſe Seas (les Mers Britanniques) shall be restored
but as it appears still more plainly from the
Subsequent Paragraph which says that from the
British Seas to Cap S.t Vincent2 a Term shall be
allowed of Six weeks. However as thoſe words were
not in the original, neither could they be in the
Ratification. The last paragraph of the same
Article is looked upon to be something inconsistent
with the King's Declaration, for whereas it is
agreed in the former that the Truce of four
months shall not commence beyond the Line
till after the Ratification expiration of the
Term of Six months, the Declaration limits the
Truce altogether to the 11.th of December next;
you will discourſe with Monsieur Torcy upon
thoſe two heads and desire him to give you the
sence of the Court upon them in order to clear
the ambiguity.
It is apprehended here that by the Act of
the Third and ffourth of ye Queen which prohibits
all Trade and Commerce with ffrance, during the
War, the Queen has not sufficient power to
authoriſe the Importation of any other ffrench Goods
than wines only, the Chief Iustices, Attorney and
Sollicitor General are to give their opinions in
this matter, & when they shall have agreed upon
such a form of a Paſs as Her Ma:ty may legally
grant you shall have 500 or 1000. sent you
over in order to ex[c]hange 'em for the like number
from the Court of ffrance, in the meantime the
fifty which have been already given by M.r Torcy
shall be locked up for it is not reasonable we
should make uſe of their paſses till they have
as many of ours. In caſe the learned should
be of opinion that the Act for prohibition of
Commerce is still in force notwithstanding ye
Truce, however a form of Commerce is
still in force Paſses must be settled tho' it
were only to prevent the Captures which may be
made in ye remote parts where the Suſpension
is not yet to take effect. I wish you [...]
much joy of this Employment which I believe
is more agreable to you than that near London
Bridge.
I am &c.a
Dartmouth