i6 A. D. 1783. 



April 3" — ^The American ftates being now acknowleged fovereign 

 and independent, the king of Sweden entered into a treaty with them, 

 to be in force for fifteen years, wherein each agreed to confider the fub- 

 jeds of the other as the mofl favoured nation in commercial matters. 

 In cafe of either of the parties being engaged in war, a free navigation 

 was flipulated for the party remaining neutral, with the ufual exception 

 as to contraband goods ; wherein, however, it may be obferved, that all 

 kinds of materials for the conflrudion and equipment of fhips (except 

 arms, powder, and ball) are reckoned among free goods. This treaty, 

 confining of twenty-feven articles, befides five feparate ones, was figned 

 at Paris by the Swedifh ambafTador and Dr. Franklin on the 3" of April. 



Ruffia about the fame time, alfo entered into a commercial treaty 

 with the United ftates. 



April iS'*" — The refloration of the Bahama iflands to the Britifh do- 

 minion was anticipated by Colonel Devaux, an American loyalift, who, 

 being uninformed of the peace, coUeded a fmall handful of irregular 

 volunteers, with whofe help he obliged the Spaniards, though far fupe- 

 rior in numbers, and ftrongly fortified, to furrender the iflands to him. 



April 17''' — For the encouragement of the linen and cotton manu- 

 fadures, the following bounties were enaded to be paid, free of any fee 

 or dedudion whatfoever, upon exportation to Africa, America, Spain, 

 Portugal, Gibraltar, or the Eafl Indies, viz. for Britifh and Irilh buck- 

 rams, tilletings, and linens, and Britifla cahcoes, cottons, and cotton 



• The author of the eftimate might furely have number of people employed in thofe manufaftures 



ftated the woollen as increafing, and the cotton as to be 5,250,000, was in the pofleffion of the duke 



increafing with alloaifhing rapidity. It was alfo of Portland. But his Grace has authorized me to 



faid about this time, that an cilimate, ftating the fay, that he never had any fuch eftimate. 



