yards) as a duty on entry; coarfe cloth of the county of York, known in the Ruffian Tariff by the name of Coftrogy, fhall only pay two copecs for every arfheen: broad flannel fhall only pay one copec per arfheen; narrow flannel fhall only pay three-fourths of a copec per arfheen, all as duty on entry. And in every thing that regards the impofts and duties payable on the importation or exportation of commodities in general, the fubjects of Great Britain fhall be always confidered and treated as the most favoured nation.

XXV. The peace, friendship, and good understanding shall continue for ever between the high contracting parties; and, as it is cuftomary to fix a certain term to the duration of treaties of commerce, the above-mentioned high contracting parties have agreed, that this treaty fhall continue for twenty years, counting from the day of figning; and, after the expiration of that term, they may agree upon the means to renew and prolong it.

XXVI. The prefent treaty of navigation and commerce fhall be approved and ratified by his Britannic Majefty and by her Imperial Majefty; and the ratifications, in due and lawful form, fhall be exchanged at St. Petersburgh, in the fpace of three months, or fooner if poffible, counting from the day of figning. In witness whereof, we the under-figned, in virtue of the full powers granted to us by his Majesty the King of Great Britain, and by her Imperial Majesty of all the Ruffias, have figned the prefent treaty, and thereto fet our feals. Done at St. Petersburgh, this 20th day of June 1766.

(L. S.) George Macartney.

(L. S.) Nikita Panin. (L. S.) Erneft, Count

Munich.

(L. S.) Pr. A. Galitzin. (L. S.) Gr. Teploff.

The

The Edit of the Empress of Ruffia; giving leave to all foreigners, of what nation or country foever, to carry on a free and unlimited trade, both by fea and land, with the feveral countries bordering upon the Euxine, which have lately been annexed to the Ruffian dominion; and allotting fpecially to fuch foreign nations the ports of Cherfon in the government of Catherineflaw, Sebaftopolis (formerly called Acht-air) and Theodofia (formerly called Caffa) both in the province of Taurica, where they may refide and carry on their traffic with the fame immunities' and privileges, religious and civil, as are allowed at Peterfburgh and Archangel.

WE Catherine the fecond, by the grace of God, Emprefs and Autocratice of all the Ruffias, of Mufcovy, Kiovia Wolodomiria, Novogorod, Czarina of Cazan, Czarina of Aftrachan, Czarina of Siberia, Czarina of the Cherfonefus Taurica, Lady of Pickof, and Great Duchefs of Smolenfko, Duchefs of Eftonia, Livonia, Carelia, Twer, Ingorie, Permio, Vitatkia, Bulgaria, and other places; Lady and Great Duchefs of the country of Lower Novogorod, Chernigof, Razan, Polofzk, Roftof, Jaroflof, Beloferfk, Uderfk, Obdorsk, Coudinfk, Wityrpfk, Mftiflawsk, and Sovereign of all the northern coafts, Lady of the Twerfky country, of the Carthalinian and Grauzinian Czars, of the country of Carbadinia; of the Princes of Circaffia, and thofe of the mountains, and of the other countries, Heiress Lady, and Sovereign Ruler.

Our endeavours to increase the trade of our own fubjects, and of the other nations throughout the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean, have met with the wishedfor fuccefs; the treaty of commerce which we concluded with the Ottoman Porte on the 10th of June 1783, having finally removed thofe impediments and difficulties which, from the particular conftitution of the Turkish government, had obftructed the faid trade

in every ftep of its progrefs; which can only be guarded against by the inftitution of proper laws for the protection of commerce, and by granting it that entire freedom which its various fpeculations and turns fo indifpenfably require. The principles of this unlimited freedom we have adopted, and followed from the earlieft period of our government, as is manifeft from the several edicts and regulations which have been iffued from our throne; and we now extend thefe edicts and regulations in their utmoft latitude to the trade of the Black Sea. The fecurity and convenience of that commerce are now fully provided for by the annexation of the province of Taurica, and the neighbouring territories, to our other dominions; we have opened therein divers fea ports for the use of all perfons who will carry away from thence the produce of Ruffia, and bring thither the produce and manufactures of other countries.

It is well known, that the last Turkish war (a war which, during the fix years that it lafted, was fignalized by fo many victories of our arms) was no fooner concluded than we erected within the government of Catherineflaw, upon the river Daiper, and at a fhort diftance, the city of Cherfon: it having appeared to us that that fituation was particularly commodious, as well for exporting the produce of Ruffia as for importing, from other countries, fuch things as might be ufeful to us; and we fecured the trade thereof by the moft effectual means of defence, encouraging it moreover by fuch helps as were beft fuited to it, and were not inconfiftent with the general principles of com

merce.

This town, as alfo Sebaftopolis (formerly called Acht-air) and Theodofia (formerly called Caffa) both. which latter are fituated in the province of Taurica,. and are provided with excellent fea-ports, we have, on account of the commodiousness of their fituation, ordered to be opened to all nations, living in amity

with our empire, for the purposes of their commercial intercourse with our faithful fubjects. Accordingly, we moft folemnly declare, by these presents, that all fuch nations are at liberty to come to the faid ports, either in their own or hired veffels, and under their own colours, as alfo to repair thither by land; and they are likewife free to depart from thence at their pleasure, paying the duties of importation and exportation agreeable to the tariffs established in the respective custom-houses.-Moreover, all perfons, of what nations and countries foever, may remain in thefe towns as long as their bufinefs or inclinations may lead them, and enjoy the free exercise of their religion, agreeably to thofe laudable inftitutions which have been handed down to us from our ancestors, fovereigns of Ruffia, and which we ourselves have confirmed and augmented, permitting all strangers refiding in Ruffia to worship the Almighty agreeably to the religion of their forefathers, offering prayers to him, together with our own fubjects, that he will increafe the welfare and ftrengthen the power of our empire. We give leave to all and every one to carry on their trade with abfolute freedom, either fingly or in companies, promifing by our Imperial word, that all foreigners fhall enjoy the fame privileges in those three towns as they enjoy in our Imperial city of St. Petersburgh, and in our provincial town of Archangel; and in cafe of a war, every one fhall be fecured by the principles of that neutral fyftem which we have erected, and which, on our part, fhall be kept facred and inviolable. Finally, if any foreigners fhall wish to settle in these or any other towns or places of our empire, and to become our fubjects, we will receive them moft graciously under our dominion, promifing that they fhall not only be allowed the free exercife of their religion (as mentioned above) but the full enjoyment of all fuch privileges and exemptions with regard to trade and navigation as have been granted to our other fubjects; as alfo to erect fabrics

and

and manufactories, paying only fuch taxes as fhall be paid by our other fubjects of the fame condition with themfelves. All perfons, who fhall thus become our fubjects, fhall be at liberty, they and their defcendants, to remain under our government as long as may be agreeable to them, or as their intereft may require; and in case they should afterwards chufe to withdraw from the fame, they fhall be freely permitted fo to do, on paying the taxes that had been laid upon them for three years to come. The particular privileges which will be granted to the above-mentioned towns will be fet forth in their refpective charters, which are speedily to be published.

Given at St. Petersburgh, the 22d of February 1784, and in the 22d year of our reign.

The original was figned with her Impe rial majesty's own hand.

VOL. I.

C

SWEDEN.