142] 
provocation; and the ambitious 
‘plans she had concerted against the 
Turkish empire were universally 
known, and needed no proof. No- 
thing at the same time was more 
obvious, than that if Great Britain 
had not assumed that hostileposture, 
of which opposition so unjustly com- 
plained, the primitive demands of 
the court of Petersburgh would 
have been insisted on. They had 
beenmade previcusly to avictorious 
campaign ; and could it be believed 
that so rapacious a power would 
have relinquished such extensive 
» 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1702. 
and important provinces as Bessa- 
rabia, Moldavia, and Wallachia, af- 
ter conquering them, unless it had 
dreaded a contest with the first na- 
val power in the world; which 
would have probably been attended 
with the annihilation of its own 
marine, 
This discourse of Mr. Pitt ter- 
minated the debates on the inter- 
ference of Great Britain between 
the Porte and Russia. Mr. Whit- 
bread’s motion was rejected, by two 
hundred and forty-four against one 
hundred and sixteen, 
CHAP IX, 
Debates on the Treaty of Marriage between the Duke of York and the 
Princess of Prussia. 
ment against Lotteries. 
Statement of the Finances. 
Debates on the Slave Trade in the House of 
Petition to Parlia- 
Commons and in the House of Lords. 
SUBJECT which took up 
much of the national and 
parliamentary attention, during 
this session, was the marriage of the 
Duke of York with the King of 
Prussia’s eldest daughter. It was 
not the importance of the object it- 
self, so much as the circumstances 
attending it, that occasioned the an- 
common notice taken of this trans- 
action. The prodigious disparity 
of the pecuniary advances and set- 
tlements made by the respective 
courts, were matters of considera- 
ble surprise to the people of this 
country; and gave occasion to a 
variety of speculations, which, 
though not expressive of the least 
disapprobation of the match itself, 
still indicated an opinion not fa- 
vourable to the stipulations with 
which it was accompanied, 
The portion paid by the King of 
Prussia, together with a nuptial 
present, amounted to a sum equiva- 
lent to 22,0001. sterling; which, in 
case of the Princess’s demise before 
the Duke, was to be returned to 
him; but no reversion of a like 
sum given on the part of England 
(as a counter-portion with the 
Duke, together with 6000I. as a 
bridal gift) had any place in, the 
stipulation. Her private revenue 
was settled at 4000l.a year; and her 
jointure. in case of the Duke’s de- 
cease, at 8000I. a year, with a resi- 
dence and establishment answerable 
to her rank. 
These pecuniary settlements 
were accompanied at the same time 
with a solemn renunciation by the 
King of Great Britain, and the 
Duke of York and his descendants, 
of all right of inheritance to the 
crown of Prussia. ‘ 
In addition to 12,0001. annual in- 
come, already enjoyed by the hi 
the 
