pose; promising, on the faith and word of a king, to agree to, confirm and establish for ever, to accomplish and execute punctually whatever our said beloved Conrad Alexander Gerard shall have stipulated and signed, in virtue of the present power, without ever contravening it, or suffering it to be contravened, for any cause and under any pretext whatever; as likewise to cause our letters of ratification to be made in due form, and to have them in order, or to be exchanged at the time that shall be agreed upon. For such is our pleasure.

In testimony whereof we have set our seal to these presents.

Given at Versailles, the thirteenth day of January, in the year of grace, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

[L. S.]

LOUIS.

By the King.

GRAVIER DE VERGENNES.

TREATY OF ALLIANCE, EVENTUAL AND DEFENSIVE.

The most christian king, and the United States of North America, to wit, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, having this day concluded a treaty of amity and commerce, for the reciprocal advantage of their subjects and citizens, have thought it necessary to take into considera

tion the means of strengthening those engagements, and of rendering them useful to the safety and tranquillity of the two parties; particularly in case Great Britain, in resentment of that connexion and of the good correspondence which is the object of the said treaty, should break the peace with France, either by direct hostilities, or by hindering her commerce and navigation in a manner contrary to the rights of nations, and the peace subsisting between the two crowns. And his majesty and the said United States, having resolved, in that case, to join their counsels and efforts against the enterprises of their common enemy, the respective plenipotentiaries empowered to concert the clauses and conditions proper to fulfil the said intentions, have, after the most mature deliberation, concluded and determined on the following articles.

ARTICLE I.

'If war should break out between France and Great Britain, during the continuance of the present war between the United States and England, his majesty and the said United States shall make it a common cause, and aid each other mutually with their good offices, their counsels, and their forces, according to the exigence of conjunctures, as becomes good and faithful allies.

ARTICLE II.

The essential and direct end of the present defensive alliance is, to maintain effectually the liberty, so

vereignty, and independence absolute and unlimited of the said United States, as well in matters of government as of commerce.

ARTICLE 11.

The two contracting parties shall, each on its own part, and in the manner it may judge most proper, make all the efforts in its power against their common enemy, in order to attain the end proposed.

ARTICLE IV.

The contracting parties agree, that in case either of them should form any particular enterprise in which the concurrence of the other may be desired, the party whose concurrence is desired shall readily, and with good faith, join to act in concert for that purpose, as far as circumstances, and its own particular situation, will permit; and in that case, they shall regulate, by a particular convention, the quantity and kind of succour to be furnished, and the time and manner of its being brought into action, as well as the advantages which are to be its compensation.

ARTICLE V.

If the United States should think fit to attempt the reduction of the British power remaining in the nor thern parts of America, or the islands of Bermudas, those countries or islands, in case of success, shall be

confederated with, or dependent upon, the said United States.

ARTICLE VI.

The most christian king renounces for ever the possession of the islands of Bermudas, as well as of any part of the continent of North America which, before the treaty of Paris in 1763, or in virtue of that treaty, were acknowledged to belong to the crown of Great Britain, or to the United States heretofore called British colonies, or which are at this time, or have lately been, under the power of the king and crown of Great Britain.

ARTICLE VII.

If his most christian majesty shall think proper to attack any of the islands situated in the gulf of Mexico, or near that gulf, which are at present under the power of Great Britain, all the said isles, in case of success, shall appertain to the crown of France.

ARTICLE VIII.

Neither of the two parties shall conclude either truce or peace with Great Britain, without the formal consent of the other first obtained; and they mutually engage not to lay down their arms until the independence of the United States shall have been formally, or tacitly, assured by the treaty or treaties, that shall terminate the war.

ARTICLE IX.

The contracting parties declare, that, being resolved to fulfil, each on its own part, the clauses and conditions of the present treaty of alliance, according to its own power and circumstances, there shall be no after claim of compensation on one side or the other, whatever may be the event of the war.

ARTICLE X.

The most christian king and the United States agree to invite or admit other powers, who may have received injuries from England, to make common cause with them, and to accede to the present alliance, under such conditions as shall be freely agreed to and settled between all the parties.

ARTICLE XI.

The two parties guarantee, mutually, from the present time and forever, against all other powers, to wit, the United States to his most christian majesty, the present possessions of the crown of France in America, as well as those which it may acquire by the future treaty of peace; and his most christian majesty guarantees, on his part, to the United States, their liberty, sovereignty, and independence, absolute and unlimited, as well in matters of government as of commerce, and also their possessions, and the additions or conquests that their confederation may obtain during the