L29/559/17

Harris, St. Petersburg to Grantham (private) The Empress is "persisting in a determination to provoke the Turks - Ignorant still of the first causes which gave rise to the insurrection in Crimea, heedless to the danger which may attend the driving a people like the Turks to desperation, reckoning blindly on the promises of the Emperor, uncertain whether we shall chuse to be as civil to her now as we were on her last war & whether France & Spain not having the same motives will have the same forebearance, with a treasury her own personal expences have exhausted....& with an army not half so strong in the field as on paper" and will rouse "a storm amongst her neighbours which will break on her head". As an Englishman Harris cannot be sorry for this "wild and inconsiderate conduct" which will probably produce a general war favourable to Britain. Harris has seen great many of the King of Prussia's letters in which he contradicts himself more than once on his idea of an alliance with England. Goertz, the Prussian Minister is very eager to "appear intimate" with Harris and to "enjoy my confidence before Cobense (Austrian minister) and as cautious to avoid any appearance of this kind before Verae (French minister)". Harris hears much less on the projected alliance. He feels himself not an impartial judge as he has seen many examples of Potsdam intrigue and duplicity. Repeats his request for recall. Carew should be the man to succeed him.

4, 15 Sep 1782

From: 1782 To: 1782

item

Lucas,
Grantham, Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron,
Harris, James,
Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia,
Goertz,
Cobense,
Verae,
Carew, Pole

political correspondence, ambassador, Foreign Secretary, Turks, Crimean War, actions up to 1815, French, Spanish, Treasury, army, Russians, general royalty, Prussians, letters, Austrians, St.Petersburg, Turkey, Crimea, France, Spain, Prussia, England, Britain, Austria, Potsdam