L. DE BRDNSVIC

') Dans la Conférence du 5 Juin 1758 ou délibéra sur la violation du territoire du comté de Zutphen, dans celle du 9 Juin sur des désordres commis par les Français à Venlo. Cf. aussi Resol. Stat. Gen. 17B8, le 8, 12 et 16 Juin.

— 517 — [1768. Juin.

Lf^TTRE DCIiXIII.

Torke à Hoîdernesse. Conversation avec le roi de Prusa. Celui-ci veut une bonne paix; il apprécie hautement l'alliance avec le roi George; il faut s'efforcer d'arracher la République à l'influence française.

Secret. Breslaw, June 14 1758.

I had the honour to communicate to the King of Prussia the contents of your lordship's secret letter of the 11 past. And His Majesty was pleased to express his entire satisfaction at the assurances I gave him from the King of His Majestys firm resolution to adhère to and extend his présent systera upon every oportunity that offered. His Pruss. Maj. readily admitted the difficultys that had occurred in bringing over other powers to our side, but added that his ideas extended themselves to future peace, as well as to the présent warr, and that made him always touching upon that string. „Affairs," continued His Majesty, „look favourably for us at présent. But I don 't forget that they did so last year likewise; and therefore I am for taking advantage of them whilst they are prospérons. I can assure you that my resolution is firm and that I am determined to continue unchangeable in my alliance with England ; it is more agréable to me than any other and of this I can give you my Word of honour. I own to you that I shall be glad to make peace when I can; but I will not think of it whilst England has not her advantages and security too in America as well in Europe, nor unless we can make our ennemys come into such a peace as may be durable; my situation and circumstances will not admitt of my going into warr every day and making a truce instead of a peace; my loss is too heavy in

1758. Juin.] 518

subjects and revenues for such a System and therefore I labour hard to make the warr short by distressing our ennemys as much as I can. The Empress Queen is not satisfyed with the conduct of France towards Her and particularly with the insinuations which hâve been made by that power at Vienna of being mediators for her obtaining a peace; this is not an agréable prospect for Her Impérial Majesty, and may possibly incline Her to a separate peace which I shaU very readily corne into. I hâve no désire to be atvariance with that Princesse provided she does not assume too great superiority: upon an equality I will beherfriend to morrow but I must not putt my self into a situation to be led by the Austrians ; for then I should be dépendant and could be of no use to my self, nor to others. As things are at présent circumstanced, I think nothing else to do but to putt a good face upon it and reject ail offers that are made separately, as I hâve already done and I know you hâve too; and by following that method, we shall come to our point; we should treat ail offers as made in common and cannot fail by such a conduct to weary ont our ennemys; we should ne ver appear eager for peace, nor never slightly reject the propositions made us. Jealousy by this means will encrease amongst them and we may reasonably hope to be soon upon a footing to settle a peace to our own satisfaction and for our own security."

His Pruss. Majesty then entered into the situation of Holland and declared that he thought we should, at ail event, eudeavour to gain the Republick; that they were necessary for consolidating our System and particularly for keeping open the communication between him and England; that the difficultys, we had met with y should not discourage us; that the success of

— 519 [1768. Juin.

the King's army must produce a turn in our favour, if not for the warr, at least for our future tranquillity and that he gave us full powers to act for him as circumstances required; that he would not disavow any thing we should concert, and was ready to enter into any measure with England and HoUand for the security of the Netherlands and preventing France from bridling the States General. He said that, if the Dutch once made an augmentation, France, he believed, would be greatly alarmed and despair of securing any part of the Low Countrys, what he looked upon as our interest to prevent; that if he could carry his point on this side, he would with pleasure carry the warr home to France ; and provided England would assist him by sea and provide for the subsistance of the army, as well as distress the ennemy by a body of troops embarked at the same time, he did not doubt but the warr might be carryed into the heart of their country and they, in spite of their chain of for tresses, be obliged to submitt to a peace upon such terms as we thought we might accept of with security.

The King of Prussia told me that the Queen of Sweden had acquainted him of the French intrigue, which had obtained the rejecting of Sir John Goodricke as Minister from England; that he was sorry for it, and that it would hâve been the same whether he had come to his quarters or not, as the Senate would hâve found another pretence, being determined not to receive an English Minister ') ; and that he

^) Le chevalier J. Goodrick, nommé envoyé à la cour de Suède, avait fait le voyage avec Yorke et s'était rendu avec celui-ci au quartier du roi de Prusse à Grûssau, „pour demander ses ordres sur la manière de lui faire parvenir les nouvelles de la Suède, aussi bien que sur les conditions

1768. Juin.] — 520 —

thought the conduct very impertinent, but not withstanding he did not think things could continue long upon that footing in Sweden, as the nation was very uneasy at the situation they were in, and by no means satisfyed with the warr they were engaged in , and in which they made a bad figure *). That as to the Russians, they did not seem so eager as they were represented, and he thought of them so much in that way, that he had determined to bring down into Moravia several battallions more, which he had formerly destined to oppose their progress, and that [he] had already sent orders for their march.

In this situation and temper I left the Pruss. Majesty and I should be wanting in my duty, if I did not repeat to Your Lordship that from the whole turn of his conversation and conduct I am convinced, the King may dépend upon the hearty support and concurrence of the King of Prussia for the support and furtherance of the common cause, in which both Kings are engaged. He desires not to dictate the method of carrying on the warr. Ail he desires from England is to distress and embarrass France, and every method which can be proposed to him for giving assistance for that end, he will most readily come into ....