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214 my wish ever since peace has been on the carpet to get rid of ideal advantages, for those that by a good administration may prove solid ones to this country.

"Minorca I should not willingly give up, because if Port Mahon was made a free port, it might draw again into our hands the Mediterranean trade. One unpleasant addition to the great difficulties which arise from these propositions, is the enabling the Dukes of Richmond and Grafton, and the Lords Camden and Keppel, as also General Conway, to fight the whole treaties over again, and to form fresh cabals; I also dread that delays may give time for France to receive accounts from the East Indies, which cannot but add to her demands.

"This letter is less explicit than I wish to be, but the difficulties increase so much, whichever way we turn, that I think it necessary to conclude with just adding that I think peace highly necessary to this country, but shall not think it complete, if we retain Gibraltar, but am not ready to chalk out anything more on so sudden and I own unexpected propositions."

In conformity with the wishes of the King, the two Floridas were offered to Spain. "You will perhaps ask me," wrote Rayneval to Vergennes, "how it is possible to reconcile the character I gave you of Lord Shelburne with his conduct relative to the equivalent for Gibraltar. I have already given you the key to it in my former despatches, but the course pursued by the American plenipotentiaries has contributed in a most essential degree to the present position, and both Lord Grantham and Lord Shelburne have understood their advantage. The unfortunate news of the signature of their treaty unbeknown to us has occasioned the increase of the equivalent demanded for Gibraltar. Had Lord Shelburne refused to ask it, the Cabinet, if appearances are to be trusted, would have decided on the rupture of the negotiations."

The claim to Dominica, of which the French were