210 TERMINATION OF THE DISPUTE. [1790. 



In the letter of instructions from Mr. Pitt to his agent at Paris,* 

 he declares it to be essential that " the French should not appear in 

 the business as mediators, still less as arbitrators," and that no en- 

 couragement should be given to them to propose any other terms 

 than those on which Great Britain had already insisted ; that, 

 "whatever confidential communications may take place with the 

 diplomatic committee of the National Assembly, for the sake of 

 bringing them to promote the views of Great Britain, no ostensible 

 intercourse could be admitted, except through accredited minis- 

 ters ; " and especially that " no assurances be given, directly or 

 indirectly, which go further than that Great Britain means to perse- 

 vere in the neutrality which she has hitherto observed with respect 

 to the internal dissensions of France, and is desirous to cultivate 

 peace and friendly relations with that country." The agent, thus 

 instructed, presented himself to the diplomatic committee of the 

 National Assembly, which at once resolved to do all in its power 

 to strengthen the relations with England, and to prevent a war, if 

 possible ; and, with this view, three of its most influential members, 

 Freteau, Barnave, and Menou, were deputed to conduct the busi- 

 ness on its part. These members conferred with the British agent, 

 and also with M. de Montmorin, the minister of foreign relations of 

 France, who communicated directly with the Spanish government ; 

 and in this manner the controversy was brought to a close, by a 

 convention signed, at the palace of the Escurial, on the 28th of 

 October, by Mr. Fitzherbert, the British ambassador, and count de 

 Florida Blanca on the part of Spain. 



This convention, commonly called the Nootka treaty, contains 

 eight articles, of which the substance is as follows : — 



With respect to the circumstances which occasioned the dispute, 

 it was stipulated, by the first and second articles, that the build- 

 ings and tracts of land, on the north-west coasts of America, 

 of which British subjects were dispossessed by a Spanish officer, 

 " about the month of April, 1789," shall be restored ; a just repara- 

 tion shall be made for all acts of violence or hostility committed by 

 the subjects of either party against those of the other, " subsequent 

 to the month of April, 1789;" and, in case the subjects of either 

 should have been, " since the same period," forcibly dispossessed of 

 their lands, vessels, or other property on the American coasts, or the 



* The whole letter is given by Bishop Tomline, in his Life of Pitt, chap. xii. The 

 name of the person to whom it is addressed does not appear ; he is simply mentioned 

 as "a gentleman resident at Paris, of considerable diplomatic experience." 



