Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/235

 STATE PAPERS. aai

fcerfuaded her that it was her ifi- The following is part of a

tereft to make war on the conti- letter from Count Fleming, dated

nent. Her envoys made no fe- July 29, 1756. ' If the court of

cret of her defign, as we have * London does not feparate itfelf

already obferved. The prepara- ' from the King of Prulfia, and

tions which fhe made, and the ' make peace with France on the

troops which (he affembied in 1755 * beil terms poiTible, the latter

upon the Upper Rhine and ihe * will go on from fuccefs to fuccefs,

Mofellc, were a convincing proof * and from fcheme to fcheme,

of the blow which fhe meditated. * which may in the end become,

Sbe even induced the emprefs * fatal to the houfe of Hanover.*

queen to make a treaty with her. The court of Vienna, which the

figned at Verfailles the firft of king had fo faithfully fuccoured.

May 1756. Nothing can be lefs and which, in confequence of the

difficult than to difcover the views moft folemn treaties, ougnt to

of the courts of Vienna and Ver- have defended the electorate of

failles, in making that alliance, Hanover, made fo little oppoiition

and the confequences which they to its being invaded, that Count

promifed themfelves from that Fleming gave the following opi-

fyltem. France wanted to punifh wion of it in a letter, dated June

the King of Pruffia for having 12, 1756. * I think (fays he)

dared to difpute the dependence * that it would not be ill-timed,

which fhe exads from all the ' if Fr«nce, the more to embarrafs

courts of Europe, and for having ' the King of Prulfia, Ihouid fend

made with England a treaty, which, * an army of 60,000 men into

though inolFenfive, was inconlillent * the country of Hanover ; which

with the views of the French mi- ' would greatly facilitate its de-

nillry. ' f:gns.' The fame minifter in-

She above all flattered herfeif, forms his court of his reafons for

that by the meafures ihe had pur- thinking fo, and of the court of

fued, by the war which fhe was Vienna's motives for refufing to

going to make on the coninent, fuccour the king in cale of an hof-

and by the invafion of the king's tile invafion, in a letter dated May

German dominions, he uould be 10, 1756, being the very day the

brought to make a peace prejudi- treaty of Verfailles was figned.

cial to his crown, or in cafe he ' It plainly appears (fays he)

refufed to come into that, defigns ' that fince the court of Vienna

might be accompiiihed, that would * cannot have the King of Pruffia

include the ruin of the houfe cf ' for the objeft of the war, it

Hanover. Thefe are not mcje con- * will no longer run the rifque with,

jedures j they are the fentiments * England agaiail France, which

of a perfon whofe penetration, * it looks upon as a much lefs

and the confidence which the allied ♦ dangerous enemy than the King

courts juftly put in him, enabled * of PrufTia.'

him to difcover the truth, and who His difpatch of June 9, 1756,

had the intelligence which he fent gives the following account wny

to his court, from the fountain it did not yet fear France fo much

li«ad, as the King of Pruffia: ' Never-


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