George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10

‘ [434] guarantee,’ thus on the eleventh of October he in-

Chap. XX.} 1780. Oct. 31.

structed Yorke, ‘and accede to the neutral convention, such an event would leave us no alternative.’¹ On the last day of October, Yorke announced that the states-general, at their meeting in the first week of November, would disavow the transaction between Am-

Nov.

sterdam and America, but would decide to join the northern league. ‘I am afraid,’ he said, ‘we must proceed alone, and advise an immediate declaration.’²

On the third of November, this despatch was laid before the king. On that very same day, the states of Holland, after full deliberation, condemned the conduct of Amsterdam for the acts which Great Britain resented, and resolved to give to the British government every reasonable satisfaction, so as to leave not the slightest ground for just complaint. Even Yorke, who saw everything with the eyes of an Englishman, thought their conduct rather fair.³ Yet Stormont would brook no delay; and the British cabinet anticipating the peaceful intentions of the states of Holland and the states-general, with the approval of the king, on the same day came to a determination to make war upon the republic, unless it should recede from its purpose of joining the northern confederacy.⁴ In the very hours in which this decision was taken, Yorke was writing that a war with the republic would be a war with a government without artillery, ‘in want of stores of all kinds, without fleet or army, or any one possession in a state of defence.’⁵