Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 1

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CCLIX.
De Hertog van Newcastle aan Willem Bentinck¹⁾.

[B.M., Add. 32810]

1) Kopie.

Newcastle House, 24 Nov./5 Dec. 1747.

(Verontschuldigt zich wegens laat antwoord op Bentincks brieven van 3 en 7 Nov. N.S.)

In the meantime I have neglected no opportunity to do everything in my power that might strengthen the hands of the Prince of Orange in Holland, and promote that union and concert in all measures both of peace and war between the King and the Republic, which is so necessary for both Nations, and which cannot be effected, without establishing a mutual confidence between His Majesty and the Stadtholder. This being my principle, and having been the constant rule of my conduct, I flatter myself I am not comprehended in the complaint, made in your second letter, that affairs do not go here as you expected and had reason to hope, which apprehension, however, I hope, will have been in a great measure removed before this time.

You must be sensible, that our difficulties here are full as great, as any you can meet with in Holland; and the greater, that unfortunately many things have lately passed in Holland which, tho' in some degree rectified afterward, have not failed much to encrease them; and, so far, that had it not been for the fortunate arrival²⁾ of H.R.H. the Duke just at the time that the final orders and full powers were sending, for determining the respective contingents, and concluding the convention; I am very apprehensive that all my endeavours for adjusting the points in dispute to satisfaction, would have been ineffectual. H.R.H's great weight, and authority; his knowledge of the fatal consequences in Holland, which might attend the too vigorously insisting, here, upon

2) In Londen.

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what strict justice and rules of proportion might justify; his solid reasoning there upon; and His shewing - - as H.R.H. did - - from demonstrable calculations that the Republick had it in their power immediately to compleat their troops, upon the foot they now are, to 74.000 men, exclusive of what Mon^r. Van Haren¹⁾ may get in Switzerland, or any new corps that may be further to be had in Germany, produced so good an effect, that if all my brethren were not convinced, they, at least, acquiesced in H.R.H.'s opinion, and upon this foot, I do apprehend, that orders would have been sent, last Tuesday, to Lord Sandwich, to fix the respective contingents of England, and Holland, at 70.000 men each²⁾. But on Tuesday morning came a letter from Lord Sandwich, with a new proposal from the Prince of Orange, viz. that the Wolfenbuttle troops³⁾ should be taken, jointly by England, and Holland, His Majesty paying three fourths of the subsidy; and no further demand to be made of the King for the encrease of His Majesty's contingent. You may easily imagine that this proposal was readily given into; and orders immediately sent thereupon.

As this is now the state of the case, which arises purely from the variation of the measure in Holland, and too quick a decision there, it will be impossible to make any alteration in it here; and therefore, I hope, it will not be attempted, but be received in the manner that His Majesty's immediate compliance with the Prince of Orange's own proposal and request deserves; and effectual care taken that the contingent of the Republick, as now re-

1) Zie hiervóor, blz. 312.

2) Naast deze zinsnede (vanaf and upon this foot) staat in Cumberland's hand met potlood gekrabbeld: ‘certainly it ought to be kept in the letter as it proves the fault theirs that we do not furnish the desired contingent of 70,000.’ - Op een andere plaats had Newcastle zich op ‘H.R.H.’ beroepen; die passage is doorgestreept en in de kant staat geschreven: ‘I should wish my name not used there.’

3) 6000 man, waarmee elk der twee bondgenooten zijn quote tenminste van 63.000 op 66.000 zou brengen; vgl. P. Geyl, a.w., blz. 255.

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gulated, may be compleat, and in time, as you may be assured H.R.H. will see that that of His Majesty, amounting to 66.000 men, shall be......

Having thus fully explained to you everything, that relates to the augmentation of our respective contingents, I must express our entire satisfaction in the proper and seasonable answer of the Republick to the Abbé de la Ville's memorials¹⁾, which talks the language of their brave ancestors and will not fail²⁾ to give weight, credit and authority to the Republick. You will see what His Majesty has thought proper to say³⁾ of that, and of the late Revolution in Holland; and what the unanimous sense of both houses of Parliament is upon those subjects. The King has equal satisfaction and dependance upon the Prince of Orange's assurance relating to the declaration of War, as you may see by the tenour of the King's speech and our addresses.

As to the recall of Commodore Michell from Zealand. If the greatest care had not been taken it might have been done, upon the proposal of the Dutch Admirals themselves, who acquainted Mr. Michell that they were to go with the Dutch ships to Portsmouth etc., when they could no longer stay in safety on the coast of Zealand. However, we have been pretty alert; and I hope that matter is now set right⁴⁾. But this behaviour of the Dutch admirals is one great proof of what I before hinted, viz. that such steps are sometimes taken in Holland which tho' set right afterwards, may before that can happen disable us here from doing what may be really necessary for the common service; for the expences we are at are so great, and the risk we run, tho' necessary, must be owned to be so much, that such uncertainties in the conduct of our nearest neighbour and ally will add

1) Wagenaar, XX, blz. 162 vlgg.

2) Kantteekening als boven: ‘if the spirit expressed in it he supported by facts.

3) In de troonrede.

4) Kantteekening als boven: ‘whether Michells letter with a particular account of this transaction ought not be inclosed, that Bentinck may examine the bottom of that silly affair?

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weight to those reasonings which suppose a necessity of getting out almost quovis modo.

You are so good as to say: aidez nous et nous vous aiderons: allow me to say: Do that which is best for yourselves, and that is the best assistance you can give us. And upon this subject I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that when anything contrary is done, or anything omitted that should be done, neither the King, His Royal Highness, nor any of your faithfull servants, impute any part of it to you. But the Republic is composed of many parts and many individuals; numbers of which, if hearkened to, will overturn all that we are doing. I wish I could see even now any step taken towards a proper enquiry and proceeding upon the affair of Bergen-op-Zoom etc. That is much wanting to give that weight and dignity to the new government which, I am persuaded, it ought and will soon have. A steady and proper conduct in Holland will, I may venture to assure you, be fully answered and supported here.

As to what you mention about the King of Prussia etc., Denmark will be managed the best we can, and all necessary care, - - as far as it is possible - - will be taken to prevent the ill effects of the encrease of His Prussian Majesty's power. At present there is no reason to think that it will be made use of against us, and I am afraid a neutrality is the most we can hope for. But as to what you mention, of the suffering him to extend himself as he has done, I can only answer: ‘what could have hindered it?’ Or, at least, it could not have been done in the state the Alliance was then in, and considering the part the Republick then acted. And I may further add that, if His Prussian Majesty had not been taken out of the scale of active opposition, Europe would have been undone, before now; and the Republick of Holland still continued in the state it was before the late happy alteration; which brings me to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart upon the establishment of the Prince's succession, in which I think this country as much interested as Holland itself. I don't trouble the Prince of Orange with a letter of compliment, and congratulation, upon this happy event but I shall be infinitely obliged to you if, in laying me at his Highness's

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feet, you would assure the Prince and Her Royal Highness that there is not in Holland or England one person more rejoiced at it than myself.

You will have seen by His Majesty's speech, what the King's present system is: which, I think, in every part agrees with what you and I have often talked over and wished, viz. to form without loss of time such an army on the side of the Low Countries, and take such measures for Italy, as may enable us to carry on the war with a prospect of success if France should not consent to just and reasonable terms of peace; and that it should be settled between the King, the Prince of Orange, and, if possible our other Allies, what those just and reasonable terms should be. The first, viz. the forming of the army, I hope will succeed, as it certainly will if each power does its part; that is, performs what they promise, as well as the King will do; and if H.R.H's plan for forming three corps and their operations can and does take place, as it ought to do. As to the terms of peace, when we have the Prince of Orange's thoughts we shall be able to take the proper measures for that also. This being the state of the case, I hope your difficulties about the congress will be entirely removed; and that there and everywhere we shall talk one and the same language; and in order thereto we must keep H.R.H. here as long as possible. And that the common cause, and necessary preparations may not suffer by His absence from the Army and the Hague; I must conjure you to use your utmost endeavours that His Royal Highness's advice and directions may be punctually and exactly observed, and followed......¹⁾

1) Bij de eerste alinea van deze brief behoort nog aangeteekend, dat Bentincks ‘second letter’, tegen een opmerking waarin Newcastle protesteert, die van 14 Nov. is, nr. CCXLIX; N. had dus niet alleen de brieven van 3 en 4, maar ook die van 14 Nov. ontvangen. - Voorts zij hier opgemerkt, dat Newcastle's brief van 6/17 Nov., nr. CCXLVII, verkeerdelijk daar ter plaatse afgedrukt is: chronologisch behoort hij na Bentincks brief van 14 Nov., nr. CCL.