9303. UNTERREDUNGEN DES KÖNIGS MIT DEM GROSSBRITANNISCHEN MINISTER MITCHELL.

[Dresden, 29. und 30. August 1757.]

Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Dresden 31. August (secret): „My Lord. The Ring of Prussia arrived here last Monday.314-1 I waited on him immediately and found him in as good spirits314-2 as if he had returned from a successful expedition; he desired me to come to him the next day,314-3 when he would talk to me of business.

Yesterday I had a very long conversation with His Prussian Majesty ...

When I pressed His Prussian Majesty to communicate his thoughts of a plan for a general pacification,314-4 he answered he desired nothing so much as peace, but that it was impossible to propose any plan before the end of the campaign.

I then desired to know if he had yet had leisure to think of proper measures to be taken for carrying on the war with vigour. His answer was nearly the same, that, till this campaign was ended, it was impossible to determine what would be the proper measures for the next.

With regard to his views in Russia, in case of the death of the present Empress,314-5 he has reason to believe that the Great-Duke and -Dutchess are well inclined towards him;314-6 and he wishes to live in peace and friendship with them.

As to the Ottoman Porte, he thinks, if they could be brought to act, it might be of the greatest utility;314-7 and he added that he was<315> willing to go all lengths, that he had at that court an emissary315-1 with a credit for 300,000 crowns, that is 50,000 sterling, and he hoped on this occasion the King would do his utmost to render the Porte active.

I then touched on the affair of the subsidy from England,315-2 in the manner directed in Your Lordship's letter.315-3 His Prussian Majesty answered, he was sorry it was now become necessary; that, the French and Russians having taken possession of so great a part of his dominions, he saw his resources would fail; he was, therefore, obliged most unwillingly to become a burden to his allies;315-4 that, if he could weather it out till winter, there would be time for négociation; that a subsidy of four millions of crowns would be necessary for the next year.

I took the liberty to observe that this subsidy was larger than England had ever given in one year to any foreign power whatever; that the nation, engaged in a most expensive war with France, might find a difficulty in raising so great a sum.

His answer was that he had hitherto asked nothing; that necessity only had forced him to it now; that, if measures were to be concerted, they ought to be such as might be effectual.

I replied that it was absolutely necessary His Prussian Majesty should explain in what manner he intended to apply the subsidy His Majesty may be enabled by his Parliament to give, in order to satisfy His Majesty and the nation of the expedience and utility of granting so large a subsidy as 670,000 pounds in one year. His answer was it is impossible to be particular as to the manner in which this sum may be usefully employed, till we see the end of the campaign.“

Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Dresden 31. August (most secret):315-5 „When the King of Prussia mentioned to me the accounts he had received from Berlin315-6 of the negociation that was actually begun at Hannover for a neutrality, I urged every argument that occurred to me315-7 arising from the present most unhappy situation of affairs, from the absolute impossibility there was of His Royal Highness resisting so superior a force, and from the utter ruin that must fall upon His Majesty's German dominions, if this measure had not been adopted; which however, I was persuaded, His Majesty had embraced with the greatest unwillingness.

His Prussian Majesty heard me with the greatest patience, but did not seem satisfied with my reasons. He put me in mind what his dominions had suffered and were likely to suffer, that the treaty he had<316> made with the King, had been the occasion of this war,316-1 that his adherence to that treaty had drawn upon him the whole power and resentment of France, that the most unfortunate divisions among the English ministers316-2 had prevented his having any assistance whatever from England, and he then abruptly asked me what assistance England could give him, if Hannover accepted of a neutrality; « if that » says he « takes place, there is an end of everything. I own the bad situation of my affairs, but they are not yet desperate, and I ought at least to have been acquainted, before such a resolution was taken. I confess I am unfortunate, but that is not a reason why I should be abandoned.  »

I could only answer that I was really not entrusted with the particular reasons for the negociation begun at Hannover, but I was most fully empowered to assure him that His Majesty as King of Great Britain would religiously fulfil every engagement he had entered into, and would give His Prussian Majesty every assistance that could reasonably be expected from him.“

Nach den Ausfertigungen im Public Record Office zu London; der „most secret letter“ eigenhändig von Mitchell.


314-1 29. August.

314-2 Vergl. S. 311. Anm. 2.

314-3 In Mitchell's Tagebüchern wird die Unterredung vom 29. August ausführlicher erzählt. Auf diese Unterredung vom 29. bezieht sich offenbar der Hinweis in der königl. Resolution vom 30. August (Nr. 9304). Der König hat am 29. August zu Mitchell, der über die hannoverschen Neutralitätsverhandlungen (vergl. S. 315—318) beunruhigt war, gesagt: „I needed not be so much alarmed; that, though this showed very bad and unfair intentions, yet it must take time, before a thing of that sort could be negotiated between the courts of Vienna and Paris (for at this time we had no suspicion of any negociation but with the court of Vienna); that it might perhaps occasion some jealousy and misunderstanding between them, of which we might profit, if the English ministry still remained firm. He concluded with desiring me to come the next day to him.“ Tagebücher Mitchell's in den Memoirs and papers of Sir Andrew Mitchell; by Bisset. I, 365. 366.:

314-4 Vergl. S. 229.

314-5 Vergl. S. 141; Bd. XIV, 557.

314-6 Vergl. Bd. XIV, 557.

314-7 Vergl. S. 162. 163; Bd. XIII, 619; XIV, 559.

315-1 Rexin. Vergl. Bd. XIII, 619.

315-2 Vergl. S. 194. 279.

315-3 Erlass des Grafen Holdernesse vom 17. Juli 1757. Vergl. S. 279. Anm. 1 und in Bisset. l. c. I, 254—265.

315-4 Vergl. S. 279.

315-5 Vergl. zu der folgenden Unterredung die kurzen Angaben in den Tagebüchern Mitchell's. Bisset I, 366.

315-6 Vergl. Nr. 9299. 9304.

315-7 Eichel schreibt an Podewils am 28. August: „M. Mitchell ist inzwischen au désespoir über die honteuse und, wie er sie qualificiret, infame Démarche des obgedachten (hannoverschen) Ministerii.“

316-1 Vergl. Bd. XIV, 361. 363.

316-2 Vergl. S. 94. 162; Bd. XIV, 551.