626 A. D. 1778. 



dilpofing ot their gooik by wholefale ; to purchafe all kinds of goods 

 not particularly prohibited ; smd to carry them wherever they pleafed. 



8, 9) The Dutch engaged to proted the vellels and efteds of the 

 Americans in their ports and on their coails ; and that their fhips of 

 war £hould proted the American traders at fea, fo far as they fliould 

 keep company with them. And the United ftates promifed equal pro- 

 tedion to the veflels and effiids of the Dutch. 



10) The Dutch promifed to ufc their intereft with the emperor of 

 Morocco, and the other piratical Moorifli govermnents of Africa, to ab- 

 ftain from molefting the American trade. 



ri 27) The next feventeen articles contain regulations for prefer\'- 



ing rhe property of the deceafed ; for the condud of merchfints, com- 

 manders of vefibls and feamen ; for examining veflels at fea, and how 

 to proceed with refped to contraband goods ; for fhips of war and pri- 

 vateers with refped to veffels taken or retaken by them ; for the treat- 

 ment of velfels wrecked, 8cc. 



28) The veflels of either power were at liberty to liavigate to and from 

 all ports whatfoever, not excepting thofe of rhe enemies of the other 

 power, and freely to carry the property of fuch enemies, and alfo their 

 jxirfons, except only their military forces, as pafl^engers. 



29) In the enumeration of goods, which might be freely carried 

 bv the vefl^els of either power to a nation at war with the other, except- 

 ing only to towns befieged or blocked up, are not only wool, filk, &c. 

 and the goods manufadured from them, gold and filver, corn, and 

 other articles of provifions, but alfo fhip timber, fails, canvafs, and 

 whatever is not formed into thefhape of warlike weapons. 



30) In cafe of either of the powers being engaged in war, the vefl"els 

 belonging to the other were to be furnifhed with annual paflports and 

 certificates. 



34) Each power agreed to receive confuls, commiflaries, &c. appoint- 

 ed by the other. 



So very clofely was this treaty conduded, that the Britifli miniftry 

 got their firfl: knowlege of it by a copy found in the pofl^efllon of Mr. 

 Laurens, when he was taken at fea in his paflTage from America for Hol- 

 land in September 1780. 



The ifland of Dominica, ever fince the year 1766, when its harbours 

 of Prince Ruperts bay and Rofeau (the name of which General Mel- 

 ville, the firfl Britifli governor-general, changed to Charlottetown) were 

 declared free ports, had enjoyed a confiderable fliare of commercial 

 profperity from the refort of French and Spanifli veflels, which brought 

 mules, cattle, indigo, cotton, and bullion, in exchange for negroes and 

 Britifli manufadures. Its produce was alfo confiderably increafed, 

 thovigh not in the proportion that might be inferred from the cuftom- 

 houfe accounts of the imports from it, a great part of which muft be 

 allowed to be the produce of foreign iflands brought into its free ports. 



