Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/232

 2i8 ANNUAL REGISTER, 175S.

jnionsin Germany would beitsprin- which the houfc of Auftria had hcen

cipal olij^ft. Francedidnot confine fo often indebted for its preferva-

herfelf to bare declarations J in the tion.

autumn of the year 1755 we faw Sach were th** circumft.inces

the French troops afTemble upon when a favourable opportunity

the Mofeile, and the Upper Rhine, offered for concluding with his

It could not be affirmed that thefe Pruflian majefly the treaty of Weft,

troops were deflined to maintain minfter, Jan. 16, I756. The two

peace, and with defenfive views contracting monarchs confidcred it

only, as no one could think of as a fure means to maintain peace

carrying the war into France, in Europe, and efpecially in Ger-

Thefe grand preparations could many. Then it was that France

therefore have no other end, but faw the hopes vanifii with which

that of carrying the war elfewhere flie had flattered herfelf, of being

herfelf, and of entering the teiri- afTifled by the king of Fruffia in her

tories of the empire. The king, in views againft the peace of Europe,

ihefe circumflances, firil addrefied No body then thought, that the

himfelf in quality of king and elec- court of Vienna would, in order to

tor, to the imperial and royal court, obtain its end'--, make an alliance

Jt was certainly the emprefs queen with that of Verfailles, and throw

whom this affair principally re- iifelf into the danger which muft

garded. His Britannic majefly inevitably follow. It feemed,there-

expeffed of her, as king and elec- fore, natural to hope, that France

tor, that flie would call to remem- would abandon a fchf me which fhe

brance the times not long elapfed, wanted allies to execute, and that

and alfo the accompliflimcnt of che the peace of the empire would

treaties which the king had fulfilled continue undiflurbcd. This is as

with the mofl fcrupulous exadlnefs. evident as whcit the French have

He might above all have expeCVd, advanced in their memorii;], in

in quality of eicdor, that his im- order to throw a falfe glofs upon

pf"rial majefty would execute faith- the treaty of Wellminlkr, is weak,

fully what he had promifed by his and void of probability. Jtis there

capitulation. faid, * That the kings of England

He might peihaps have obtain- ' and Pruflia had no enemies to

cd the aHillance of the court of • contend with when the treaty of

Vienna, had he been willing to ' Wellminfter was concluded.' But

enter into the views which the is not the contrary known to all

minilters of that court had fuffici- the world? Had not France al-

enily made known; but the king ready aflembled troops in 1755,

thought them as improper for an- riiid threatened to attack the king's

fwering his intention to maintain Gi-rman dominions? This piece

peace in Europe, as contrary to adds, ' That the king of Great

jultice. Hence the dry and unfa- tisfattory anfvvers which he received from Vienna; anfwers which fufn- ciently dilcovered the n'.w plan that court was purfuing, and which was totally different from that to

Britain had reafons to wifh for a war upon the continent : That the operations of France by fea would thereby be weakened : That the Hanoverian troops would ob:ain fubGdies : That • endeavours