* preferved in the conquered Countries. This Tariff is far more favourable than that of 1664, which is to be obferved in all the other 'Harbours on the Western Coaft of France, and confequently the Commerce of your 'Majefty's Subjects is very much concerned in the Prefervation of the Harbour of Dunkirk, fince that Harbour will make enjoy the Be'nefit of that Tariff for all the Commodities they fhall import there for the Confumption of the Provinces of Flanders, Artois, and 'Hainault; whereas if the fame Merchandizes be imported by other Harbours, they must pay the Duties according to the Tariff of •1664.

Sixthly, To confirm to your Majefty how advantageous the Harbour of Dunkirk is to 'the Trade of your Majesty's Subjects, the 'Sieur Tuggbe has the Honour to prefent to " your Majefty a Lift of Two hundred and Eighteen English Ships, which from the 15th of Auguft 1712. to the 13th of May, 1713. have " come into that Harbour, and unloaded their Cargoes there to the Value of above 'Two Millions of French Livres; praying at the fame time your Majefty to obferve first, 'That France being, during thofe Nine Months, in War with Holland, thefe Commodities could not be carried into the Auftrian Pro- vinces. poffefs'd by the Dutch, and must have been vented and confumed only in the French 'Provinces of Flanders, Hainault, and Artois, " and that in Time of Peace the faid Confumption, and confequently the Trade of England there, will very much encreafe. Secondly, That as the Dunkirkers could not furnish in

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• Return or Exchange for the Commodities • imported there, during thofe Nine Months, either any Manufactures or Commodities of their own Growth, because they have none, they were obliged to pay the whole Value of the fame in Money, and must ever pay for 'them in fame manner, which is a moft confiderable Advantage in all forts of Traffick.

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Seventhly, As it is not impoffible that in procefs of time, there may happen fome Rupture between Great Britain and Hol land, fo Great Britain in fuch a Conjunature, which God avert, will find it felf en. tirely deprived of the Trade to French Flanders, Hainault, Artois, and Part of Picardy, fince at fuch a time it will not be in the Power of your Majesty's Subjects to carry on the faid Trade by the Harbours of Oftendor Newport, not even under all the Inconveniencies and • Expences to which thofe Two Harbours do naturally fubje& them, becaufe their Commodities could not from thofe Two Harbours ⚫ be carried into the French Provinces, but by going through Places poffefs'd by the Dutch, who in all likelihood would not give them free Paffige. Thus in fuch a Conjun&ture, • at least the Prefervation of the Harbour of • Dunkirk would be neceffary for the Trade of your Majesty's Subjects.

Eighthly, The Freedom of the Port and Town of Dunkirk, in cafe your Majefty will vouchsafe to alter the fevere Refolution you have taken against its Mole and Dykes, will enable your Majefty's Subjects to carry on their Commerce with more Conveniency than any other Nation in the Auftrian Provinces

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of Flanders, Hainault and Brabant; in the • French Provinces of Flanders, Hainault, Artois and Picardy; and even in Germany by the Staples and Store houses they may erect there, and which will facilitate their answering the • Demands of Commodities from all thofe refpective Countries punctually, and at proper • Times and Seafons.

• Ninthly, Suppofing that the Oppofition which the Eighth and Ninth Articles of the Treaty of Commerce concluded by your Majefty with France, has met with in the House of Commons of your Parliament, should take place, and deftroy the Arguments above al'ledg'd in favour of the British Trade by the Way of Dunkirk, into the French Provinces; yet the Reafons relating to the faid Commerce by the Way of Dunkirk, into the Au ftrian Low Countries and into Germany, by means of a free Paffage, without paying any 'Cuftom or Duties, would ftill fubfift, and may fuffice to let your Majefty fee, that the Pre( fervation of that Harbour, with its bare Mole and Dikes, defpoil'd of all manner of Forti'fications, will not only be most beneficial and advantageous, but even abfolutely neceffary to the Trade of Great Britain.

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Tenthly, All fuch as have any tolerable Skill in Navigation know that Ships that are at 'Sea, can never have under the Wind too many Places of Retreat, either to fhelter themselves against Storms when they happen to fall into them, or to repair their Loffes and 'refit after they have fuftained ill Weather. The 'Harbour of Dunkirk is one of those desirable 'Retreats for Ships that fail to, or come from

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the North Seas. And altho' the Coast of England affords many Places for Ships to put into, it may nevertheless happen oftentimes after the Demolition of the Mole and Dikes, for which the Magiftrates of Dunkirk beg ་ your Majefty's Mercy, that the Ships of your Subjects may be fo driven and Wind-bound by bad Weather on the Coaft of Dunkirk, that being unable to reach their own Shoar, they will in vain regret, as well as all other Nations trading to the North, that Harbour of Safety, of which they fhall be deprived; and • avoid a bare Commiferation of the Danger to which Seafaring Men are expos'd, ought to have preferv'd for them, according to the ⚫ common Dictates of Humanity.

Upon all thefe Confiderations, that is, confidering the fmall Damage which the Har'bour of Dunkirk, defpoil'd of all its Fortifications, both on the Sea and the Land fide, may caufe either to your Majefty's Subjects, or to thofe of your Allies; the Ufefulness ⚫ and Benefit which the Trade of Great Britain ' will find in the Prefervation of the faid Har'bour in the manner above explained, And the unprofitable but ruinous Lofs which the unfortunate Inhabitants of that Town will suffer by its Demolition, the Magiftrates of • Dunkirk and the Sieur Tuggbe their Deputy • prefume to hope that your Majefty will gra cioufly be pleased to recal part of your Sentence, by caufing your Thunderbolts to fall only on the Martial Works which may have incurr'd your Majefty's Difpleasure, and by fparing only the Mole and Dikes, which in their naked Coudition can, for the future, be

no more than an Object of Pity. Nay, they 'fhall even be an Eternal Monument of your Majefty's Glory, fince by inceffantly Reminding the Beholders of the dreadful Ornaments of which they fhall remain defpoil'd by your Majefty's Will alone, they will, at the fame time, eternally preferve the Memory of your Majefty's Clemency, which fhall have 'beftow'd them on the Tears and Groans of the Inhabitants of that Town, overwhelm'd with Grief.

'Tis by thofe Tears and by thofe Groans, that the Magiftrates and their Deputy, humbly proftrate at the Feet of your Majesty's Throne, no lefs Gracious than Dreadful, beg 'the Prefervation of their Harbour, and befeech your Majefty to vouchfafe to look with Eyes of Pity on Eighteen Thousand Families, who must be reduced to wander about, if by the ⚫ entire and fevere Execution of your Majefty's Orders, they are forced to quit their Habitations to go and feek or rather beg their · Bread.

Let not your Majefty's ever beneficent Hand be the Inftrument of their Mifery and Difperfion! And let not the Inhabitants of Dunkirk be the only People in the World that may complain of the Rigor of a Queen whofe 'Wisdom and Clemency is adored by all the • Earth.

My Indignation at this Ufage of my Queen and Country, prompted me to write a Letter to Neftor Ironfide, Efq; which I fubfcribed English Tory.