<154> récapituler aux postes la manière dont on veut qu'ils doivent les défendre, et alors l'on peut être tranquille. Je suis avec bien de l'estime, mon cher frère, votre fidèle frère et serviteur

Federic.

Nach der Ausfertigung. Eigenhändig.


9079. UNTERREDUNG DES KÖNIGS MIT DEM GROSSBRITANNISCHEN MINISTER MITCHELL.

[Lager vor Prag, 9. Juni 1757.]1

Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Weleslawin, 12. Juni (particular): „I had the honour on the 9th instant to communicate the substance of Your Lordship's letter of the 27th May to the King of Prussia, and I have the satisfaction to assure Your Lordship that he does think very seriously how he may be able to assist His Royal Highness,2 and to protect the Landgrave of Hesse, whose firmness and fidelity to the common cause deserves every mark of attention and gratitude.3

The King of Prussia has had the same information concerning the designs of the French against Emden and their project upon the navigation of the Elbe and the Weser, he has ordered his governor4 to defend Emden and has even spread a report that English troops are to be sent to defend it.5 This, he knows, cannot happen, but he desires that it may be inserted in our newspapers, and that mention may be made of the particular regiments destined for this service and the transports, convoys etc. that are to carry them. A puff of this kind properly inserted and repeated in our newspapers, he thinks, will make the French cautious of attempting the siege of Emden and may, at least, serve to gain a little time, till His Prussian Majesty can turn his face towards them . . .“

[Lager vor Prag, Juni 1757.]7

Mitchell übersendet mit einem Bericht, Weleslawin, 12. Juni (secret), das Schreiben des Königs vom 11. Juni.6

„ ... By way of commentary to the King of Prussia's letter I must acquaint Your Lordship with what passed in a conversation I had with him a very few days before. Upon my acquainting him with the news I had received from Petersburgh, by the way of Warsaw, he said briskly >I see I have nothing to expect from England, I have never asked“


1 Vergl. über die Unterredung vom 9. Juni auch die Tagebücher Mitchell's. Memoirs and papers of Sir Andrew Mitchell, by Bisset. London 1850. Bd. I, 343.

2 Vergl. S. 118. 143; Bd. XIV. 514. 522.

3 Vergl. S. 87. 140; Bd. XIV. 466.

4 Kalckreith. Vergl. S. 48.

5 Vergl. S. 95.

6 Nr. 9087.

7 Mitchell nennt in seinem Bericht den Tag der folgenden Unterredung nicht. In den Tagebüchern Mitchells ist die Unterredung unter dem 4. Juni erwähnt. Memoirs. Bd. I, 341. 342.