<124> into Germany practicable this year; which he thinks he shall be able to do in the following manner.
He foresees what will be the answer of the court of Vienna, and intends to direct his minister at that court to ask a second audience of the Empress-Queen, in which he will lay open to Her Imperial Majesty the intelligence the King of Prussia has of a treaty entered into between Her Majesty and the court of Russia to attack him at the same time, and the discovery he has made that the execution of this scheme is only delayed tili next year, because the Russians were not ready,1 that, notwithstanding this, if Her Imperial Majesty will give him assurances that she will not attack him neither this nor the next year, he will be satisfied and will give reciprocal assurances to Her Imperial Majesty on his part.
After his minister has made this déclaration at the court of Vienna, he proposes about the 10th or 15th of next month to communicate this Step to the court of France, before they can hear of it from Vienna, and at the same time to lay open to them the whole intrigues of the court of Vienna with the court of Russia, many of which he believes have been concealed from the court of France; this will naturally occasion some messages between these courts, and he thinks that, towards the end of August, the French will find the season too far advanced for them to attempt a march into Germany to attack His Majesty's dominions by way of diversion, especially as they have not yet formed magazines for that purpose.
The inclosed memoir I received from the King of Prussia with directions to send it to His Majesty; to his serious consideration he submits it.
The King of Prussia expects that His Majesty will give Orders to the persons he employs in France or elsewhere, to get what intelligence they can concerning any designs that may be framing against the interests of His Prussian Majesty, and that your Lordship will be so good to communicate the same from time to time.“
Mémoire.
Après tous les bons avis que nous avons reçus des desseins des Autrichiens et de leurs intrigues, tant en Russie qu'en France, il ne reste au Roi d'autre parti pour sa sûreté que de prévenir ses ennemis. Le Roi est informé des mouvements que les troupes russes ont faits;2 par ces nouvelles il se croit être en sûreté contre toute leur mauvaise volonté pendant le cours de l'hiver. Le Roi ne demande aucun secours au roi d'Angleterre. Si ce Prince veut lui fournir une escadre dans la Baltique3 l'année qui vient, ce sera un sujet nouveau de reconnaissance que la cour de Berlin aura à celle de Londres ; si le roi
1 Vergl. S. 114.
2 Vergl. S. 15. 41.
3 Vergl. S. 34. 98; Bd. XII, 506.