STATE PAPERS. 



•m 



Tision as may be necessary for the 

 service of the year. The progros- 

 she improvement of the revenue 

 cannot fail to encourage you to per- 

 severe in the system which has been 

 adopted for defraying the expenccs 

 of the war, with as little addition 

 as pos'sible to the public debt, and 

 to the permanent burthens Q.f the 

 state. — I lament the heavy pressure 

 which, under the present circum- 

 stances, must unavoidably be ex- 

 perienced by my people : but I am 

 persuaded that they will meet it \vith 

 the good sense and fortitude which 

 so eminently distinguish their cha- 

 rafter, under a convidtion of the 

 indispensable importance of uphold- 

 ing the dignity, and of providing 

 effeftually for the safety of the 

 empire. 



My lords and gentlemen, 

 I have concluded a Convention 

 with the king of Sweden, for tlie 

 purpose of adjusting all the ditt'er- 

 enccs which have arisen on the sub- 

 ject of the 1 1 th article of the treaty 

 of 1651. I have direfted that a 

 copy of this convention should be 

 laid before you ; and you will, I 

 trust, be of opinion that the ar- 

 rangement, whilst it upholds our 

 maritime rights, is founded on those 

 p rinciples of reciprocal advant.'^e 

 which are best calculated to main- 

 tain and improve the good under- 

 standing which happily subsets be- 

 tween the two countries. In the 

 prosecution of the contest in which 

 we are engaged, it shall be, as it has 

 ever been, my first object to execute 

 a.s becomes me the great trust com- 

 mitted to my charge. Embarked 

 with my brave and loyal pco[)le in 

 one common cause, it is my fixed 

 determination, if the occasion should 

 arise, to share their exertions and 

 their dangers in the defence of our 



constitution, our religion, our laws, 

 and independence. To the activity 

 and valour of my fleets and armies, 

 to the zeal and unconquerable spirit 

 of my faithful subjects, I confide 

 the honour of my crown, and all 

 those valuable interests Avhich are 

 involved in the issue of this momen- 

 tous contest.— A6tuatcd by these 

 sentiments, and humbly imploring 

 the blessing of Divine Providence. 

 I look forward with a firm convic- 

 tion, that if, contrary to all just 

 expectation, the enemy should elude 

 the vigilance of my numerous fleets 

 and cruizers, and attempt to exe- 

 cute their presumptuous threat of 

 invading our coasts, the conse- 

 quence will be to them discomfiture, 

 confusion, and disgrace ; and that 

 ours will not only be the glory of 

 surmounting the present difficulties, 

 and repelling immediate danger, 

 but the solid and permanent advan- 

 tage of fixing the safety and inde- 

 pendence of the kingdom, on the 

 basis of acknowledged strength, the 

 result of its own tried energies and 

 resources. 



Message from his Majesty to the 

 House of Commons, March 26fh, 

 1 804, on the voluntary Offer of 

 the Irish M/litiu. 

 Ilis majesty thinks proper to ac- 

 quaint the house of commons, that 

 the officers, non-commissioned offi- 

 cers, and privates of the several 

 regiments of the militia of Ireland 

 have made a voluntary tender of 

 their services, to be employed in 

 Great iiritain during the war. His 

 majesty has received with great sa- 

 tisfaction this striking proof of their 

 afiection and attachment towards 

 his person and government, and of 

 their patriotic zeal for the general 

 Q q '.i interests 



