STATE PAPERS. 
gy and vigour untilwe have the 
means of concluding, in conjunc. 
tion with our allies, such a peace 
‘as the justice of our cause and the 
situation of the enemy may entitle 
us to expect. 
_ With this view I am continuing 
to make the greatest exertions for 
Maintaining and improving our 
naval superiority, and for carrying 
on aftive and vigorous operations 
in the West Indies, in order to se- 
cure and extend the advantages 
which we have gained in that 
quarter, and which are so nearly 
conneéted with our commercial re- 
sources and maritime strength. 
Trely with full confidence on 
the continuance of your firm and 
zealous support, on the uniférm 
bravery of my fleets and armies, 
and on the fortitude, perseverance, 
and public spirit of all ranks of my 
people. 
The aéts of hostility committed 
by the United Provinces, under the 
influence and controul of France, 
have obliged me to treat them 
as in a state of war with this 
country. 
The fleet which I have employed 
an the North Seas has-received the 
most cordial and a€tive assistance 
from the naval forve furnished by 
the empress of Russiz, and has 
been evabled effectually to check 
the operations of the enemy in that 
quarter. | 
I have concluded engagements 
of - defensive alliance with the 
two Imperial courts; and the ra. 
tifications of the treaty of com. 
merce with the United States of 
America, which I announced to 
you last year, have now been ex- 
changed. I have direfted copies 
of these treaties to be laid before 
you. 
139 
Gentlemen of the 
mons, 
It is matter of deep concern to 
me, that the. exigencies of the 
public service will require further 
additions to the beavy burdens 
which have been unavoidably im- 
posed on my peopie. I trust that 
their pressure will, in soine degree, 
be alleviated by the flourishing’ 
state of our commerce and manu 
factures; and that our expences, 
though necessarily great in their 
amount, will, under the actual 
Circumstances of the war, admit 
of considerable diminutton in com. 
parison with those of present 
year. 
house of com. 
My lords and gentlemen, 
I have observed, for some time 
past, with the greatest anxiety, the 
very high price e of grain, and that 
anxiety is increased by the appre. 
hension that the produce of the 
wheat harvest in the present year 
may not have been such as effze__ 
tually to relieye my people from 
the difficulties with which they 
have had to contend. The spirit 
of order and submission to the laws 
which, with a very iew exveptions, 
has manifested itself under this 
severe pressure, will, I am sure, 
be felt by you as an additional in. 
centive to apply yourselves with 
the utmost diligence to the con. 
sideration of such measures as 
may tend to alleviate the present 
distress, and to prevent, as far as 
possible, the renewal of similap 
embarrassments in future. No. 
thing has been omitte] on my 
part, that appeared likely to con. 
tribute to thisend; and you may 
be assured of my hearty concur. 
yence in whatever regulations the 
wisdom of parliament may adopt, 
wu 
