justice, that the very imperfect accounts which have been published of foreign tranfactions of great importance, delayed, in hopes of being able to acquire better information, our entering upon a fubject which could not be treated with any degree of precifion, from the continued contradictions in matters of fact, which attended every part of it. In this however, as in every thing elfe, we rather chufe to rely upon the indulgence, than pretend to appeal to the candour, of our Readers.

The only effectual acknowledgement in our power to make, we have already adopted, by taking fuch measures as will prevent, for the future, fo well-founded a complaint from being laid against us. Whatever charges of inability, may with justice be brought against the compilers of this work, that cenfure, which of all others they would moft dread, is that only, which they are incapable of incurring, an inattention to the duties they owe, or a forgetfulness of the great obligations they are under to the Public.

THE

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For the YEAR 1769.

THE

HISTORY

O F

EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

State of the belligerant powers. Expedition to the Mediterranean. Turky. Critical State of that empire. State of Poland. Conduct of the neighbouring powers in regard to the war. Auftria. Pruffia. Denmark. Difputes between the king and the fenate in Sweden. Diet degrades and punishes the fenate. Treaty of fubfidy concluded with France. France. Bankrupcy and fufpenfion of the French East India company. Spain. Portugal. Mazagan taken by the Moors.

W

E faw at the clofe of the last year, the difpofitions that were making by the great rival powers of the North and Eaft, to plunge Europe and Afia into the calamities of war. The conteft between these powers has been cruel and bloody. If it has not been attended with great and fhinVOL. XII.

ing actions, it has abounded with thofe, which fhew war under its moft difgufting and hideous afpect; in the ruin and devastation of countries; in ravage, and in masfacres. Happily, as the neighbouring ftates have not hitherto interfered in the quarrel, its confequences have been reftrained to [B]

the

justice, that the very imperfect accounts which have been published of foreign tranfactions of great importance, delayed, in hopes of being able to acquire better information, our entering upon a fubject which could not be treated with any degree of precision, from the continued contradictions in matters of fact, which attended every part of it. In this however, every thing elfe, we rather chufe to rely upon the indulgence, than pretend to appeal to the candour, of our Readers.

as in

The only effectual acknowledgement in our power to make, we have already adopted, by taking fuch measures as will prevent, for the future, fo well-founded a complaint from being laid against us. Whatever charges of inability, may with juftice be brought against the compilers of this work, that cenfure, which of all others they would moft dread, is that only, which they are incapable of incurring, an inattention to the duties they owe, or a forgetfulness of the great obligations they are under to the Public.

THE

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For the YEAR 1769.

THE

HISTORY

O F

EUROPE.

CHA P. I.

State of the belligerant powers. Expedition to the Mediterranean. Turky. Critical ftate of that empire. State of Poland. Conduct of the neighbouring powers in regard to the war. Auftria. Pruffia. Denmark. Difputes between the king and the fenate in Sweden. Diet degrades and punishes the fenate. Treaty of fubfidy concluded with France. France. Bankrupcy and fufpenfion of the French East India company. Spain. Portugal. Mazagan taken by the Moors.

W

E faw at the clofe of the laft year, the difpofitions that were making by the great rival powers of the North and Eaft, to plunge Europe and Afia into the calamities of war. The conteft between these powers has been cruel and bloody. If it has not been attended with great and fhinVOL. XII.

ing actions, it has abounded with thofe, which fhew war under its moft difgufting and hideous afpect; in the ruin and devaftation of countries; in ravage, and in maffacres. Happily, as the neighbouring ftates have not hitherto interfered in the quarrel, its confequences have been reftrained to [B]

the

justice, that the very imperfect accounts which have been published of foreign tranfactions of great importance, delayed, in hopes of being able to acquire better information, our entering upon a fubject which could not be treated with any degree of precifion, from the continued contradictions in matters of fact, which attended every part of it. In this however, as in every thing elfe, we rather chufe to rely upon the indulgence, than pretend to appeal to the candour, of our Readers.

The only effectual acknowledgement in our power to make, we have already adopted, by taking fuch measures as will prevent, for the future, fo well-founded a complaint from being laid against us. Whatever charges of inability, may with juftice be brought against the compilers of this work, that cenfure, which of all others they would moft dread, is that only, which they are incapable of incurring, an inattention to the duties they owe, or a forgetfulness of the great obligations they are

under to the Public.

THE