Husery. 
—_—_— 
Franee in- 
terferes in 
the affairs 
of Helland. 
Alliance be. 
tween the 
two coun- 
tries. 
622 
bability of renewed hostilities, though, shortly afterwards, 
the disputes between the Emperor and the United Pro- 
vinces, respecting the barriers and strong towns in the 
Netherlands, excited the attention and jealousy of France. 
Before the late war, a French faction had scarcely ex- 
isted, or, at least, had not been powerful in Hi ; 
but that event, by detaching Great Britain from the 
United Provinces, had opened up an opportunity for 
such a faction to establish itself at the head. This fac- 
tion consisted of the hereditary enemies of the Orange 
family ; so that in Holland, as in America, the despotic 
government of France united itself with republicans, As 
soon as the Emperor extended his ions to the na- 
vigation of the Scheldt, the Dutch implored the media- 
tion of the King of France, their late hostility with Bri- 
tain having deprived them of any claim for protection or 
mediation from that power.. At this time, there were 
two ies at the court of Versailles, at the head of 
which were the Count de Vergennes and the Marshal de 
Castries ; the former, the favourite of Louis, was, like 
him, mild, humane, and a strong friend to peace ; the 
latter, supported by the Queen, was, like her, bold, in+ 
triguing, and enterprising, and the strong advocate for 
war. As the mediation of France had no influence with 
the Emperor, and the Dutch saw themselves threatened 
with hostilities, in consequence of having opposed his 
designs on the Scheldt, they applied to Louis for a ge- 
neral to head their armies ; and. the Count de Millebois 
was sent to them. Count de Vergennes, hitherto, had 
epposed any hostile or violent. measures; but, at this 
juncture, in consequence of the encroaching ions 
of the Emperor, he expostulated with the court of Vienna 
in more free and direct lan e. At the same time, 
the armies of France Bek yo degrees. to the borders 
of Alsace, Lorraine, and the Low Countries; and orders 
were given to form a camp at Lans of 80,000 men. The 
Queen of France, though ambitious and warlike, by no 
means approved of these indications of hostile measures 
against her brother the Emperor ; and therefore endea- 
voured to bring back the mind of the Count de Vergennes 
to its habitual feeling of moderation and love of peace; 
but the Count, though sensible of the state of the finances 
of France, and therefore desirous, if possible, of avert- 
ing hostilities, could not brook the idea, that the honour 
or interests of his country should be sacrificed; and, on 
the morning when a grand council was to be held, the 
result of which was to be conclusive with regard to the 
part France should take, and the Queen desired he would 
noton that day forget that the Emperor was her brother, 
he replied, that he certainly would not forget, but he must 
also remember that the King of France was her husband, 
and the Dauphin her son. Soni afterwards, the Emperor 
accommodated his differences with Holland, through the 
mediation of France, and thus the military preparations 
of the latter were rendered unn z 
The influence of France at the Hague, was thus con- 
siderably strengthened ; and the Count de Vergennes did 
not fail to make use of it for the advantages of his coun- 
try, by forming a new treaty of alliance. By this tre 
in case Holland was en in war, France was to-fur- 
nish her with 10,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 12 sbi 
of the live, and six frigates ; and, in the event of a ma- 
ritime war, or, in other, words, in case. and 
France should recommence hostilities, the United Pro- 
vinces engaged, themselves to furnish six ships of the 
line, and frigates. If France were attacked by 
FRANCE. 
of C 
Jand, they were either to furnish 5000 infantry and 1000 . 
cavalry, or a proportionate sum of money. ey 
The internal condition of France was every day be- Calonne 
coming more alarming. i ; WAS. NOW the head 
at the head of her finances. He ; displayed ad- the 
dress and talents in the measures le SI for 
the re-establishment of the Caisse d’Es - He also 
established the Caisse D’Amortissement, or sinking fund, 
the plan of which was recommended. by, its simplicity, 
Accarding to it, government were to pay ally into 
the hands of commissioners, the entire interest of the 
tional debt, together with an additional sum of L,120,000 
sterling. By this, it was estimated that annuities to the 
amount of L.50,000 would: be annually. extingui 
and in that proportion the sum ockepertiee eptindes | 
tion of the national debt would be increased. In 
om 
this sum, the annual receipt of the Cai 
its income, it would be impossible to raise the additions 
al annual sum requisite for the establishment and ope- 
ration of a sinking fund. The object of the financie 
of France ought to have been ively to relieve the 
existing difficulties, and not by any means to have exe 
tended their views and plans to a remote generation. 
There were besides other causes operating inst the 
success of any plans. of finance, which will ee ee : 
selves as we proceed in the history. As the manners 
and the talents of Calonne were more. insinuating and 
popular than those of Necker, while er wae, ai80 a 
accommodating to the necessities or the wishes of | 
court, he was their favourite; but with the nation at 
large, he was not so great a favourite as Neckar had 
oo bie ee eee 
out being ex to any consi degree of odiur 
till the year 1785, when, by the pL i anew a:p,1 
East India Company, he Sunes mat censure, yd 
objections urged against this monopoly were brought 
ee in a style of boldness and freedom, hitherto un- 
usual in France; and, from the substance as well as the 
manner of them, it was evident that those philosophers 
who had hitherto confined their speculations on govern- 
ment and political economy to books, were extremely de- 
sirous of reducing them to practice. Monsieur de Ca- 
lonne was by no means in a condition to regard the dis- 
cussions which this  eabiecs gave rise to with indifference; 
as they plainly indicated, that a body of men who at this 
time had great influence in France, were decidedly hose 
tile to the measures of his administration. _ He likewise 
was convinced, that the re-establishment of the finances 
was a much more arduous task than he had anticipated ; 
= 
for though France had now been at peace for three years, 
it was found requisite at the end ip io to sup. 
ply the deficiency of the revenue by a loan, Still, howe 
ever, had the rigid economy recommended ang paced 
by Neckar been persevered in, the expendi and the . 
income might have been brought more ona level; 
pressing necessity either to, 
erbourg, or to increase the 1 
quired during the dispute between the Gaps 
