9471. UNTERREDUNGEN DES KÖNIGS MIT DEM GROSSBRITANNISCHEN MINISTER MITCHELL.
[Leipzig, 27. und 30. October 1757.]
Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Leipzig 30. October (most secret): „Last Thursday,466-1 His Prussian Majesty was pleased verbally to communicate to me the plan he had proposed in his letter to the King,466-2 which is in substance that, about the beginning of January, the troops lately returned from the expedition against France should be landed on the Elbe, that then the troops of Hannover, Hesse and Brunswick should begin to act, that the King of Prussia will support and assist them to dislodge the French.
The means proposed are these. Maréchal Lehwaldt is now marching from Prussia with 16 or 18,000 foot and 8000 dragoons and hussars, they will be joined by some Prussian bataillons, and are firstly to attack the Swedes, who, it is thought, will not be able to make great resistance, and afterwards they are to march towards the Elbe and to join the King's army and act against the French. The cavalry of the army from Prussia will arrive at Stettin in the middle of November, and all the infantry by the end of that month, and it is supposed that during the month of December the Swedes may be reduced, and so that army be at liberty to act in concert with the King's army about the beginning of January.
This is the substance of the project as I comprehend it ...
I shall now mention some things which His Prussian Majesty threw out in conversation:
1° That there should be a thousand English dragoons sent over along with the troops.
2° That care should be taken at Hamburg to secure some large boats fit to make a bridge over the Elbe at Lueneburg, which however, he observed, must be conducted with the greatest secrecy and address, as the French have many spies at Hamburg.
3° That flour for the King's army be provided for one month at least from the time they begin to act, and that some stores should likewise be made at Hamburg, in case the Prussian troops should fall short of bread, as it will be impossible for the King of Prussia's army to carry more than nine days' provisions with them, but the flour, he thinks, may easily be procured from Hamburg or Holland; some attention should likewise be had to provide forage for the army . . .
His Prussian Majesty told me that he heard the court of Russia was disgusted with the French, and that the friends of England at the court of Petersburg said that this was the time the English should improve to renew their treaty of commerce . . .“
<467>Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Leipzig 30. October (secret), er habe an diesem Tage den König gefragt, ob das hannoversche Ministerium mit einem Theile des vorgeschlagenen Operationsplanes bekannt gemacht werden dürfe. „He answered by no means; after what has passed, they ought not to be trusted, they will spoil everything; I have confidence in His Majesty, but can have none in his Hannoverian ministers, and I wonder the King continues to consult them ...“
Mitchell berichtet an Holdernesse, Leipzig 30. October (particular): „In obedience to Your Lordship's letter of the 10th I have acquainted467-1 the King of Prussia with the difficulty the King was under of finding a proper general to command his army, and His Prussian Majesty said he would give His Majesty Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick or any other general, but he added that, in case the plan he had proposed, took place, either maréchal Lehwaldt must command or he, King of Prussia, would go thither and take the command of the whole upon himself, and, in the mean time, he advised that at Hannover they should be quiet and endeavour to gain time till the signal be made to them to act.“ 467-2
Nach der Ausfertigung im Public Record Office zu London.
466-1 27. October. In den Tagebüchern nennt Mitchell für diese Unterredung: „, Wednesday 26th“ . Vergl. Bisset l. c. I, S. 380.
466-2 Vergl. Nr. 9423; vergl. auch Nr. 9456.
467-1 Der Bericht enthält keinen Hinweis darüber, ob diese Unterredung auf den 27. oder den 30. October zu setzen sei;
467-2 Ueber eine Unterredung mit Eichel berichtet Mitchell an Holdernesse, Leipzig 30. October (very secret): „The King of Prussia avoids ever mentioning the subsidy to me, I find it gives him pain to think of it (vergl. S. 194; Bd. XIII, 98), but his unhappy situation makes it absolutely necessary, for he cannot carry on the war without it.
Yesterday, Monsieur Eichel spoke to me in the King of Prussia's name, and, after renewing in the strongest manner the promises his master has already made, not to treat but in concert with England, he insinuated that it would be very agreeable to the King of Prussia to know, as soon as possible, when the subsidy of four millions of crowns (vergl. S. 426), if granted by Parliament, would be paid; the King of Prussia wished it might be early, as it imported greatly to have this point settled forthwith, that the King of Prussia, who never loses time, might thereby be enabled to employ it to the best purpose, which he will communicate so soon as the campaign is ended. I promised to write about it and assured him there was no occasion to press the King's ministers to exert themselves for the support of the King of Prussia“. [Public Record Office zu London.]