[AMERICAN REVOLUTION.] Preliminary Articles of Peace, between His Britannick Majesty, and the States General of the United Provinces. Signed at Paris, the 2d of September, 1783. Published by Authority. London: Printed by T. Harrison and S. Brooke, in Warwick-Lane. 1783.
4to. Original blue paper wrappers, stitched as issued; pp. 10, printed in English and French in parallel double columns, woodcut printer’s device to title, woodcut initials and headpiece; light creasing to upper outer corner otherwise exceptionally well preserved.
First edition, very rare, of preliminary articles of peace between Britain and the Netherlands, as part of the Treaty of Paris ending the War of American Revolution.
Signed on 3 September 1783, the Treaty of Paris formally ended the American Revolutionary War, with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States and ceding extensive western territories. The present British official edition, printed in both French and English, contains the preliminary terms of peace with the Netherlands and forms part of the broader diplomatic settlement that also involved France and Spain.
The Dutch treaty was a key obstacle in the overall negotiations, with all other agreements signed the following day. Under its terms, Britain returned Dutch colonial possessions in the East Indies, captured in 1781, in exchange for expanded trading rights in the region, a final settlement not formalised until May 1784.
The articles were signed by George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester (1737-1788) and Mattheus Lestevenon van Berckenrode (1715-1797), respectively the British and Dutch ambassadors to the Court of Versailles.
ESTC T80985.
#2121558