A. D. 1 762. 3^c) 



The immediate reftoration of Manilla and the iflands dependent on 

 it, in confcquence of the peace, prevented the conqueft of them from 

 having any effedl upon the Britifli commerce. Neither could it have 

 any influence upon the treaty of peace, which was concluded before 

 the news of it reached Europe. 



Notwithllanding the flattering accounts given by Dodlor Bufching of 

 the great improvements in trade and manufactures eflfedled in the Pruf- 

 fian dominions by the French, Swifs, and German, refugees, we may 

 venture to fay, that trade was held in contempt, and conlequently very 

 far from being in a flourifliing condition, where a reprelentative of tiie 

 fovereign could iffue the following proclamation. 



. Proclamation by the Prujfian governor of Freyherg. 



' Whereas I have been informed, that fome of the inhabitants of 

 ' Freybcrg, and particularly certain merchants, have taken it into their 

 ' heads to forge, and publifli for true, reports to the difadvantage of 

 ' the arms of Pruflia, I declare by thefe prefents, that the firfi: who 

 ' fhall dare to utter one fentence, either to the difadvantage, or the 

 ' advantage, of the Pruflian arms, fhall be taken up, and puniihed as 



* It is an indecency not to be fuffered for burghers to prefume to 

 ' talk of flate aflfairs, in which fuch pititul creatures can do neither 

 ' good nor harm. But I fhall certainly take rigorous methods to make 

 ' an example in terrorem. Every burgher who favours the dekrtion 

 ' of any of my men, fhall be treated as a deferter himielf. The ma- 

 ' gifl:rates mufl: take care to curb the burghers more vigilantly than 

 ' they have hitherto done, olhcrways 1 fliall make them accountable 

 ' for all the malevolent reports which niaj be publiflicd, as it is their 

 ' dutv to watch over the condu(ft of the merchants as well as the other 

 ' citizens. It belongs not to fuch as they are to interfere in the affairs 

 ' of war or peace, and much lefs in the good or bad fucccfs of the bel- 

 ' ligerent powers.' 



We have not, I believe, ai:iy fpecimen of the contempt of trade among 

 the antient Roman ])lunderers, that comes quite up to the fpirit of this 

 capital producVion of modern defpotic infolence. What would we think 

 of a Britdh officer, who iliould prefume to fpeak or write in fuch a 

 manner ? 



The i)reliminaries of peace were figned at Fontainbleau on the 3d of 

 November, and the ratification was exchanged at Vcrlailles on the 22d, 

 fo that the war may be laid to be now at an end. It was llipulaied, 

 that all prizes taken fix weeks after the ratification, beyond the Chan- 

 nel, in the Britifli feas, in the North fea, in the Mediterranean, ami the 

 Atlantic ocean, as far as the Canary iflands, fliould be rellored on both 



