18 political progre/s of Britain. May 9. 
“¢ The safety of Hanover, and its aggrandisement, 
“* were the main objects of the Britifh court *.”” Oh 
this principle it was, that, in 1719, George I. pur- 
. chased from the queen of Sweden, and annexed to 
his German dominions, the dutchies of Bremen.and 
Verden. The price was a million of rix dollars +; 
that interruption of commerce with Rufsia, and 
those naval expeditions to the Baltic, in defence of. 
Sweden, which were specified in my last letter.—On 
the 16th June 1721, the king sent a mefsage to the 
House of Commons, importing that he had agreed to 
pay a subsidy to Sweden of seventy-two thousand 
pounds, and that he hoped they would enable him to 
make good his engagements. The supply was granted. 
In about three weeks‘after, they were informed that 
the debts of the civil list amounted to five hundred 
and fifty thousand pounds; and that his majesty 
‘was confident they would impower him to raise that 
‘sum upon the revenue ; which, after warm opposition, 
“was permitted. On the 8th April 1725, the house re- 
ceived a mefsage of the same kind; upon which 
***Mr Pulteney exprefsed his surprise, that a debt, 
<* amounting to above five hundred thousand pounds, 
** thould have been contracted in three years: Hesaid he 
*¢ did not wonder that some persons fhould be so ea~ 
* Guthrie edit. xi. page 518. ; 
+ Vide Smollet’s history. At three fhillings and sixpence per rix dol- 
far, this sum amounts to one hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds 5 
and at four fhillings and sixpence, to two hundred and twenty-five thou- 
sand pounds. Mr Paine (Rights of Man, part ji. p. 197.) states the mo- 
ney at two hundied and fifty thousand pounds, and adds what cannot be 
doubted, that the purchase was made with the savings of the civil list. 
o 
a se at shies 
