Note 1 — BRANDENBURG PRIVATEERS.

British Museum, Harleian MSS., 1517, fol. 232. Probably an intercepted letter. Colbert was the great prime minister of Louis XIV.; Seignelay, Colbert's eldest son, was minister of marine. The document has a curious interest as showing perhaps the first instance in which the (Brandenburg-) Prussian navy, or privateer marine, touches American history. The Great Elector, Frederick William, had for some time cherished ambitious designs, respecting the creation of a navy and the establishment of colonies, but it was not till late in 1680 that he possessed a war-ship of his own, in 1681 that he began a little establishment on the West African coast, in 1682 that he founded his African Company. In this year 1679 he had a few ships hired from a Dutchman, and it appears from this letter of the watchful French minister that two others were being prepared for his service in Zeeland. For five years he had been at war with France. His allies—England, the Dutch, the Emperor—had made peace at Nymwegen in 1678. He was in danger of standing alone, and had made an armistice March 31, prolonged May 3.