CONTINENTAL ALLIANCES.
The treaties to which his majesty alluded had been concluded early in this year. That between England and Holland embraced a mutual guarantee of dominions; a security for the existing form of government in the United Provinces; and regulations by which the commerce of each country was placed on the footing of the most favoured nations. The treaty between the kings of Great Britain and Prussia was one of defensive alliance; in which, besides the usual articles of mutual agreement, the contracting parties bound themselves to act at all times in concert, for the maintenance of the security, independence, and government of the United Provinces. The object of these treaties was not so much to preserve the balance of power in Holland against the influence of France, as to secure that country from any attempts which might be made against it by the Emperor of Germany and the Empress of Russia, whose forces were now banded together. It was supposed that the object of the alliance of the Austrian and Russian courts was conquest and aggrandizement; a supposition which seemed confirmed by their known characters, and by the war which they were carrying on against the Ottoman empire. From France, at this period, there was now nothing to fear, for it was a house divided against itself, and was, therefore, incapable of either disturbing the peace of her neighbours, or of rendering them any assistance in case of attack from any other quarter. But out of the weakness of France arose the necessity of opposing a barrier against the dangerous alliance which had been formed between the two imperial courts; for it was imagined, that if successful in their war with the sultan, they would afterwards direct their hostile and ambitious views to other parts of Europe.