„<548> amitié solide entre cet empire et Sa Majesté le roi de Prusse. Apraxin vient d'être nommé feld-maréchal et au commandement de l'armée. Il est le plus paresseux des hommes et en outre poltron. Il fut très maltraité l'autre jour par le hetman des Cosaques, sans pourtant qu'il montrât la moindre sensibilité.“
Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Dresden 21. October, über Audienzen, die ihm der König von Preussen am 16. October gewährt. „, …His Prussian Majesty highly approves of the instructions the King has been pleased to give to his electoral minister at Vienna, as it can not fail to open the eyes of some of the members of the Empire, by shewing them the danger there is to the whole Germanie body, whilst the unnatural union between the houses of Austria and France subsists.
The King of Prussia is firmly of opinion that the French will not attempt anything against Hanover this year,1 but he earnestly desires the King would immediately think of concerting proper measures to make himself sure of an army for the next year, he wishes that affairs were settled with the Duke of Brunswick2 and other princes, and that everything was tried to induce the Dutch to agree to an augmentation of their troops, that, to render this more easy, he thinks England should, in the present conjuneture, make great concessions to them, even where they have little or no pretence to ask …
His Prussian Majesty hopes that, if the Dutch could be induced to agree to the augmentation, there would be less difficulty of getting their consent for Prince Lewis of Wolfenbüttel to command the army;3 he has a very high opinion of him and thinks him the rittest person to command an army.
In obedience to a former instruction I reeeived from your Lordship, I took the opportunity of inquiring about Prince Ferdinand ot Brunswick,4 of whom the King of Prussia gives an excellent character, and I shall only add that he is greatly esteemed by the Prussian generais and beloved by all soldiers …“
Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Dresden 21. October (secret): „I have communicated to the King of Prussia the substance of several letters I have lately reeeived from Sir Charles Williams; he is highly pleased with the prospect of success painted out in Sir Charles' letter of the 28th September … Orders are already given for remitting ten thousand ducats immediately, and means are devised for sending unobservedly the larger sum; which however is not easy to be executed from the inland parts of Germany, where they have little or no dealings with Petersburg. The King of Prussia said he wished to have the Russians kept quiet at least, but if that could not be obtained, he did not fear them;
1 Vergl. S. 490. 491.
2 Vergl. S. 356. 379.
3 Vergl. S. 49S. 499. 510.
4 Vergl. S. 352.