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284 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
the fea fervice; go, however, where you will, you meet with nothing but failors, who
exprefs their abhorrence and deteftation of the fervice.
Far from its being able to fhineas a firft-rate power, it will be neceflary for the repub-
lic to exert every nerve, if it means to hold rank even amongit the fecond order of naval
powers in Europe. In order to do this, the inhabitants muft become patriotic enough
to contribute largely, evenin time of peace, to the neceflities of the ftate, which is as
poor as they are rich. The India Company, whofe adminiftration is {till more miferable
than that of the Englifh, and which, incredible as itis, is loaded with debt by the rob-
bery of its fervants, and the intereftednefs of the proprietors, mutt be entirely fupprefied,
and its pofleffions governed by the republic; the land troops, a miferable jeft upon
armies, and of which the Swifs and Dutch alone deferve the name of foldiers, muft be
entirely difbanded, and their immenfe pay employed in the fervice of the navy. When
all this is done, poffibly the ftate may be in a fituation to keep up a conftant navy of fifty
or fixty fhips of the line; but in the prefent ftate of things, even if the fifty or fixty
thips that are promifed could be gotready, the beft thing that could be done with them,
would be to fell them dire@ly to the neighbouring power of Europe, which would give
moft; the republic itfelf has neither ftrength enough to keep them manned and in a
itate of fervice for a courfe of years, nor good will and power enough to preferve them
at the end of the war; they mutt of courfe rot again in a fhort time. As the republic has
made conquefts abroad, the defence of which, in the prefent times, far furpaffes her
power, fhe has the good will and jealoufy of her neighbours to thank for ftill continuing
in poffeffion of them. /
But {mall as the refources of the republic appear to be, when confidered with regard to
the prefent political fyitem of Europe, the conititution of the country does not allow her
to make all the ufe of them they might be put to. Not only abroad, but in Holland it-
felf, the republic pafies for a confederacy of feven, or, taking in the country of Drenthe,
of eight fovereigns. Nothing can be falfer than this eftimate; there are a greater num-
ber of independent ftates in Holland than in Switzerland, or the whole German empire ;
and whatever appearances may {peak the contrary, the bond of union is much ftronger
in thefe laft countries than it is in Holland. Every city, every country of this republic
is a free {tate ; the members of every province fhould indeed be only the reprefentatives
of the ftates of a country, as they formerly were; but they are in fact become true
ftates, according to their titles. The States General are no reprefentatives of feven or
eight fovereigns, but only the refults of the deliberations of many ftates, which are
united by a {pecial bond, and call themfelves a province. The cities of Amfterdam,
Rotterdam, Leyden, and many others, have, during this war, not only very frequently
forgot the provincial judicature, which, with the other ftates of the province, they have
erected as a kind of congre/s, but have behaved as if they were in every refpect inde-
pendent; I fay, as a hind of congre/s, for that they are no fuperior tribunal, but only
the members of a congrefs, who, in particular cafes, poffefs the higheft authority, is, evi-
dent from feveral affairs having been removed from this judicature to the particular
ones of each city. All the tribunals of Holland muft be looked upon as congrefles of
different fovereigns, who can difunite at pleafure. Even the council of war, pre-emi-
nent and important asit is, is of the fame kind. The diftrits of Oftergo, Weftergo,
the Seven Woods in Friefland, &c. although only properly bailiwicks, are at this inftant
occupied in feparating entirely from the provincial aflembly, and ere¢ting their own tri-
bunals, en dernier refort, among themfelves. In feveral reprefentations which they
have made to the Stadtholder in their own names, and without the participation or ad-
vice
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