Repeated memorials were in the mean-time presented by the Prussian minister to the court of Vienna, to divert the emperor from his purpose; but without effect. The Austrian partisans first attempted to evade the force of them by representing the convention as a private transaction between the emperor and the elector Palatine, which did not interest the Germanic body. Finding the king deaf to such futile reasonings, they endeavoured to allure him to acquiescence by a promise of similar compliance with regard to his claims to the succession of the house of Brandenburg Anspach and Bareuth.-Frederic was too strongly actuated by jealousy of the Austrian house, too confident in the strength he derived from the alliance of the empress of Russia, who had conceived an enmity towards the court of Vienna, and too sensible of the benefit and the glory which he should derive from the exalted station of protector of the rights of Germany, to yield to the emperor's lure. "He was not averse," he said in reply, to the aggrandizement of the house of Austria in just acquisitions: that it was wrong to blend the present dismemberment, "which that house had no right to make, with a distant, but incontestible "acquisition belonging to the house of Brandenburg."-That no equitable means of accommodation might be left untried, his majesty renewed his overtures to the Austrian court, in a proposal, "that, for the sake "of peace, the elector Palatine should cede to the house of Austria two "extensive districts belonging to Bavaria, upon the Danube and the Inn. "In return for which the empress queen and emperor should grant some "renunciations and investitures, with respect to disputable fiefs and claims "in his favour." But these districts were not deemed an adequate compensation for the emperor's pretensions; and his advances were treated with a superciliousness that bespoke defiance." As the colours with which the human character is diversified afford matter of curious observation, so do the different tints with which it is shaded at different periods of life. The Prussian monarch's heroism, in the last scene of life, when our thoughts naturally assume a more serious cast, did not, like that of his illustrious rival, Maria Theresa, give place to pious fervour. Yet we may perceive that the youthful fire with which his ambition had been 1778 Ann. Regist. 16. May 26. Idem. 17. 1 1778 been animated in his earlier years, which had led him to transgress the rules Agreeably with the state of the king's mind, his address to the generals and army assembled by him near Berlin, when he found that the emperor was determined to appeal to the sword, was of the most pathetic nature."He observed that many of them had served with him from their earliest days, and were grown grey in the service of their country; that they, "consequently, knew each other perfectly well; they had been partakers of "the same dangers, toils, and glories. He made no doubt that they were "all equally averse with himself to the shedding of blood; but the dangers " which now threatened his country not only rendered it a duty, but placed "them under a necessity of adopting the most speedy and efficacious "measures for the timely dispersion of that storm which threatened to burst "so heavily upon them. He relied on their zeal, and would, with heart"felt satisfaction, for ever acknowledge their services. He urged, in the "most pressing terms, humanity towards the enemy, and an unremitted "attention to the strictest discipline among their own troops. And he "concluded by observing, that he did not wish to travel like a king: rich "and gaudy equipages had no charms for him: but, although his infir"mities rendered him incapable of travelling with his troops, as he had "done in the vigour of youth, yet they should see him on horseback in "the day of battle." His majesty, then, having published a manifesto, exposing the injustice of the emperor's conduct in violating those rights which it was his duty as head of the Germanic body to protect, made his arrangements for the campaign. Marshal Laudohn being posted with one of the grand divisions of the Austrian forces near the confines of Saxony and Lusatia, Frederic stationed his brother, prince Henry, with 90,000 men, to guard the Saxon electorate, which had been ravaged by the Prussian armies during the seven years' war. The king himself advanced with a strong army, on the side of Silesia, to Jaromirs on the Bohemian frontiers, near which the emperor with an army of 100,000 men, under generals Lacy and Haddick, had taken a position at Koningsgratz on the Elbe, which was naturally strong and was rendered nearly impregnable by the works with which it was secured.-A third army under general Werner was posted near Austrian Silesia, to guard that frontier against an invasion from the marquis de Botta, who was opposed to him in that quarter. All the German powers waited with anxious suspense the issue of a campaign in which they were deeply interested. When they beheld 400,000 well-disciplined troops drawn into the field, they expected some event correspondent to the vast preparations that had been made for it and the high repute of the generals who commanded the several armies. But they were disappointed in their expectations.-His majesty, who could not but remember the bold enterprises by which he had gained possession of the province which he was now guarding, was surprised to find that his young antagonist had prepared for defensive operations. The court of Vienna had spoken in haughty language during the negotiations which had been carried on: and the emperor, in a letter to Frederic, had, with unbecoming petulance, indirectly dared the aged warrior to a battle. Yet, when he expected an attack, soon after the armies had taken their respective stations, the Sieur Thugut arrived from the empress queen to make overtures for a negotiation. Conferences were in consequence opened: but the king, who was averse to such trifling, refused to accede to a cessation of arms. -Convinced, on reconnoitring the enemy's position, that, even if successful, he could not expect to force their intrenchments without the loss of a great part of his troops, he endeavoured, by various movements, which afforded him opportunities for an attack, to draw them from their strong ground, but without success. Prince Henry, mean-time, was co-operating in the projects of his royal brother. Having been reinforced with 20,000 Saxons under Mællendorff, he left that general to guard Saxony: and, crossing the Elbe with 60,000. men, he, with much difficulty penetrated into the north-western part of Bohemia; k Gillies. 449. VOL. II. 2 T t Mem. de Fred. II. 5. 241. Ann. Regist. 30. 1778 1778 Bohemia; flattering himself that, by this movement, he should either draw the emperor fromhis strong position, and thus afford the king greater freedom of action, or induce Laudohn to give him battle. He, however, was disappointed in both. The emperor remained immovable at Koningsgratz: and Laudohn, retiring to Bunslau, for the protection of Prague, adhered to his defensive plan.-After a campaign distinguished by no memorable event, Joseph, at the head of the finest army in Europe, and exceeding that of his rival in force, suffered Frederic and his brother to gather laurels at his expence, without even the hazard of a battle; the former returning unmolested into Silesia; the latter retiring, laden with spoils, in the face of Laudohn's army, into Saxony, † without an attempt to attack him in his retreat." 1778 RUSSIA AND TURKEY. APPREHENSIVE that a war with the Turks would ensue from this contest in the Crimea, Catharine dispatched prince Prosorouski with a strong force into that country, to maintain the cause of Sahim Gueray, and to guard against any attack in that quarter. And the event was that the Russian general gained a complete victory over Selim and his partisans, and obliged him to take refuge in the mountains. Negotiations for an accommodation were, in the mean-time, carried on by the Russian ambassador at Constantinople. But when it appeared that the empress already considered the Crimea as a country under her protection, a predicament which differed little from that of dependence, and that she insisted on the establishment of her partisan, Selim, with a view to the accomplishment of her ambitious design, when, moreover, it was seen that she extended her views to Moldavia and Walachia, insisting on the. appointment of governors of those countries who should be dependent of the Porte, as the first step towards rendering them independent on herself, it roused the spirit of the Turks, and the whole nation called aloud for war, rather than submit to such sacrifices of the Ottoman power and dignity 1778 to its imperious and insatiable rival." Hostilities were ready to be commenced, when the interposition of a foreign power prevented the two empires from being again involved in the miseries of war.-Great Britain, by declining the office of mediator, afforded the French government a fair opportunity to court the empress's favour, which it readily embraced. Lewis the Sixteenth, being on the eve of a war with Great Britain, was desirous to undermine that crown in the friendship and alliance of Catharine; who might otherwise be led by gratitude or policy to espouse its cause: and, with that view, the French ambassador at Constantinople was commissioned to proffer the kind offices of his sovereign in effecting that accommodation which the empress was known to be desirous of. His Prussian majesty encouraged the French government in this line of policy, in order to enable the empress to support him in his war with Austria.-The present situation of the Turkish empire was favourable to the views of these mediators: for, together with that weakness and those disorders which must ever attend on so wretched a system of government, it was so dreadfully afflicted with the plague that 160,000 persons are said to have fallen victims to it in a very short time." TURKEY. VIDE supra. EAST INDIES. 1778 THOSE who were concerned only for the commercial interests of the company could not but look back with regret to that happy and prosperous period of its establishment, when, as merchants, without any ambitious views of conquest, they consulted their own welfare by cultivating a good understanding a Tooke. 2. 359. 63. Ann. Regist, 1780. 9. C with 1778 |