PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
A royal message was presented to parliament on the 6th of March, stating that his majesty had engaged a body of his electoral troops in the service of Great Britain to assist his allies, the States-general; and that he had directed an estimate of the charge to be laid before the house of commons. A few days after M. le Brun, minister of foreign affairs in France, addressed a letter to Lord Grenville, stating that the French republic was desirous to terminate all differences with Great Britain, and requesting a passport for a person vested with full powers for that purpose. He named M. Maret as the proposed plenipotentiary of France; but the present state of affairs did not permit the British government to accede to such an overture, and no notice was taken of the application. On the contrary, a treaty, about this time, was concluded with the King of Sardinia, by which England bound herself to furnish a subsidy of £200,000 annually, to be paid three months in advance; and not to conclude peace with France without comprehending in it the restitution of all territories belonging to that monarch when he engaged in war.