<330> possessions in America. He then added that the French ministry were a very weak one,1 and we had little to fear from them, but did well to be upon our guard because of their superior force, that they meant to amuse us with fears of an invasion, in order to exhaust our treasure and to prevent our ships from going to sea.
With regard to the war in America, he said he could not help wondering at the absurdity of both nations to exhaust their strength and wealth for an object that did not appear to him to be worth the while, that he was persuaded by next year both nations would be sick of it and remove the seat of the war into Europe, unless a peace could be made before that time.
He then mentioned to me the affaire of Sweden,2 which, he said, were in a very odd situation, the Senate was endeavouring to alter the form of govemment and to take everything into their own hands, that in order to put a stop to these proceedings and to preserve the government of Sweden as it was settled, he suggested that, if the court of Russia by the influence of the King of Great Britain could be induced to make a representation against these innovations (which the Empress might do as having guaranteed the succession to the crown of Sweden), he, the King of Prussia, as an ally of Sweden, would at the same time make a representation to the same purpose,3 and he thought these representations could not fail of having a due effect and of giving a turn to affaire in that country, that England would also feel the advantage of it, as it would effectually stop the junction of the Swedish and Danish squadrons,4 and that, if Sweden was once detached, Denmark would think twice, before they send out their ships of war …“
Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Berlin 14. Mai, (private and particular): „ …The King of Prussia told me that he had had some conversation with the Prince of Hesse,5 in which he had represented to him the conséquences of his putting himself into the hands of the courts of Vienna or France, that it must necessarily make his country the seat of war and might end in the ruin of himself and his family, that the Hereditary Prince had promised him to give the strengest assurances to the Landgrave and his subjects that he will make no attempt whatever upon the religion of the country, nor in any way endeavour to alter the constitution, that the Prince imagines (what he is pleased to call) the harsh measures taken by the Landgrave with regard to him to have proceeded from the King of England.
In the second audience I had of the King of Prussia, he said that he was Willing to take the Prince of Hesse into his service6 (not that he had a good opinion of him), if I thought it would be agreeable to
1 Vergl. Bd. X, 529; Bd. XI, 479.
2 Vergl. S. 324.
3 Vergl. S. 323.
4 Vergl. S. 239.
5 Vergl. S. 279. 283.
6 Vergl. S. 318.