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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
In a paper read before the Royal Historical Society in its last session I traced the northern policy of George I. to the time that the news arrived of the death of Charles XII. of Sweden, ending with the treaty of Vienna signed by Austria, Hanover and Saxony on January 5, 1719. My present paper has for its subject the peace-making which necessarily followed the death of Charles, a peace-making conducted by George I. in accordance with his own views, as modified by the necessity of consulting the wishes of the regent of France and by the recalcitrance of Denmark.
page 100 note 1 Printed by Dumont, , VIII. ii. 8Google Scholar; copies sent from different courts in the English and French archives. Cf. Droysen, , IV. ii. 254.Google Scholar
page 100 note 2 March 9, o.s., Record Office, Foreign Entrybook 30.
page 101 note 1 E.g. in Craggs's despatches of January 12 and 17, o.s., ibid.
page 101 note 2 March 9, o.s., ibid. And Stanhope wrote to Polwarth at Copenhagen as late as June 22: ‘Your Lordship may with great truth assure them [the Danes] that Lord Carierei has the strictest orders to espouse their concerns with vigour in his negotiations in Sweden, and that Court shall not fail to be regularly informed by us of every transaction there which may in the least affect them, and may further be assured that no peace shall be made without their privity’ (Record Office, S.P. Dom. Entrybook 269.) This, of course, was at a time when an accommodation with Prussia appeared to be impracticable.
page 105 note 1 Craggs wrote to Stanhope, , 06 17Google Scholar, o.s.: ‘The Treaty being broke off, what I write to your Lordship is not very material, but I am extremely glad Mr. Whitworth did go to Berlin, since it not only shows us what we may depend upon from that Court, but shows all the world that the King neglected nothing to be well with them, a point as necessary as any for His Majesty's service at home’ (Record Office, Regencies 73).
page 106 note 1 Among the rest was the news of fortifications being hastily raised on certain islands in the Elbe, islands which Stanhope wished at the bottom of the sea (Droysen, , p. 269).Google Scholar
page 108 note 1 Stanhope wrote home (July 1, o.s., Record Office, Regencies 12): ‘It were extreamly to be wished that Sr John Norris had with him a force sufficient to put himself in the way of the Russes. I am persuaded that, if he had six English ships more than he has, he might barely by shewing himself, without striking a stroak or even declaring himself, entirely defeat all the Czar's designs and save Sweden. By the conversation I have had with Major Finbo, I have reason to believe that Sr Jn. Norris himself is of this opinion. He is extreamly satisfyed with the condition and quality of the ships he has, which are very well manned. And tho' I believe that even with what he has he would disengage himself without much loss from the Czar's fleet, yet the disproportion of their number is so great, that nobody can advise he should put himself in their way. And it would be a great misfortune if for want of some more ships, we should lose the opportunity of awing the Czar, saving Sweden, and by giving peace to the North, of defeating the greatest hope which is now left to Spain, that of forming a strong allyance against us in the North. The Lords Justices will therefore consider, whether, being at present entirely free from all apprehensions at home, any reinforcement may be sent to Sr John Norris.’
page 110 note 1 Second son of the Earl of Nottingham. He succeeded Carteret in Sweden, and was later appointed to the Hague.
page 110 note 2 ‘Not,’ he says, ‘that I shall speak openly against that Court, but only with coldness and indifference, when I hear it mentioned’ (07 3, o.s.).Google Scholar
page 112 note 1 Sunderland, 's invective against Norris (08 4, o.s.Google Scholar, see Mahon) would appear to have been undeserved. Such was the uneasiness about the Danes that Norris was even warned that they might attempt to seize his person.
page 113 note 1 For Frederick William's views and expressions see Droysen, , pp. 273–4–9.Google Scholar
page 115 note 1 Record Office, Treaty Papers 59Google Scholar; the original of the British treaty, ibid.Treaties, 410.Google Scholar
page 115 note 2 Droysen, , p. 277Google Scholar. As a matter of fact the king was a victim to the prevailing epidemic of dysentery, which had invaded the palace.
page 117 note 1 Cp. Sunderland, to Stanhope, , 08 7, o.sGoogle Scholar. (Mahon): ‘I own I have set my heart upon not losing this opportunity of giving a blow to the Czar's fleet, for besides the solid and lasting good, no one thing would be more popular here.’ And Polwarth, , 08 18Google Scholar (Record Office, Denmark 42)Google Scholar: ‘We must look upon the Czar, from what he thinks his intrest, from his views, the sizeur of our merchantships, his late letter to Admiral Norris, and indeed all his management, as undoubtedly an enemy to Britain.’
page 118 note 1 In a similar spirit we find Robethon reporting to General Bothmer Stanhope's opinion that it might be a good thing for Sweden to accept the tsar's terms, for then the king would be in perfect security, whereas in the contrary caie, if he made peace with Sweden alone, he would burden himself with an ally that had no money, ships or troops, and would incur the hostility of Russia and Denmark, and perhaps of Prussia. Peace between Sweden and Russia was therefore not looked upon as a misfortune, seeing that one with Denmark appeared to be impracticable.
page 120 note 1 Originals, Record Office, Treaties 528, 529.Google Scholar
page 121 note 1 Published in Relation véritable du retour de la Flotte Russienne dans les Ports de Revel et de Cronslot, dressée sur des Journaux Authentiques, Revel, 1719Google Scholar; copy with Polwarth's despatches, Record Office, Denmark 42.Google Scholar
page 122 note 1 October 8.
page 123 note 1 September 30.
page 123 note 2 ‘Vous avez risqué de vous commettre pendant le cours de votre négotiation pour le sendee du Public, et le Bon Dieu vous a béni. Je me commets peut-être en vous écrivant ceci, mais je feray de mon mieux pour soutenir tout ce que vous ferez en conséquence.’
page 124 note 1 Enclosure in a private despatch of Stanhope, September 1, Record Office, Regencies 12; also British Museum, Add. MSS. 2815, f. 134.
page 124 note 2 Stanhope, to Polwarth, , 09 19Google Scholar, o.s.; cf. the same, August 16, o.s. (H. O. Regencies 12). Norris was informed on September 25, o.s., that if the Danes continued to molest trade, he must make reprisals (Foreign Entrybook 220).
page 124 note 3 On Frederick's pertinacity, once he had made his resolution, see Holm, , pp. 677Google Scholar, foll.
page 131 note 1 In a long despatch of December 16 from London, Record Office, S.P. Dom. Entrybook 414.
page 131 note 2 Scott, James from Warsaw, , 02 6 and 14, 1720Google Scholar, ibid. Poland 26.
page 133 note 1 This, Carteret wrote, could not be resisted, as the Danes, if the execution were made, by the laws of the empire would be liable to refund the money extorted from Holstein during seven years, at least double the ordinary revenue of some 200,000 crowns a year (February 10 and 11, o.s.). George was accused of instigating the mandate, but repudiated the imputation strongly, and indeed declined to act upon it.
page 133 note 2 Vienna, , 03 16, 1720Google Scholar.