Nederlandse historische bronnen 10

[p. 148]

15

Hague, 12th December 1730 NS

My Dear Lord, Being just now inform'd that the courier is ready, I have barely time to lett you know that he carrys to monsieur Van Hoey⁵⁵, and Hugronie, the same orders, that you have receiv'd from the Duke of Newcastle concerning the answer to be given to mr. de Castellar⁵⁶; I had communicated your instructions to the Pensionary and Greffier, in confidence upon which they form'd these for their ministers excepting in that particular of obliging the King of Prussia to declare him self, which they think may have some ill effects but can have no good ones⁵⁷. As messrs. Van Hoey and Hugronie, are not inform'd that their instructions were form'd upon yours, and as nobody knows it here but the pensionary I desire you will not seem to know it either. Monsieur Fenelon has daily conferences here in which he presses for a generall and bloody warr, declaring his Court to be determin'd to act effectually; which nobody here believes⁵⁸, unless it be in Flanders where they don't desire to see one⁵⁹. He desires to concert a plan of operations here; but when they ask him any questions about it, he appears to have no instructions at all. His single view seems to be to gett them to say something or other here, which France may make a meritorious use of with Spain, but they are sufficiently aware of and guarded against it⁶⁰. I am, My Dear Lord - - -

55 Dutch envoy in Paris.

56 Castellar had presented an ultimatum demanding action.

57 Anglo-Prussian relations had deteriorated following the attempted escape of Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, in which Frederick William I suspected, correctly, British connivance, Baron Seckendorf, Austrian envoy in Berlin, to Ferdinand Albrecht of Brunswick-Bevern, 23 Sept., 5, 14, 23 0ct., 4, 14 Nov., Frederick William I of Prussia to Ferdinand Albrecht, 14 0ct. 1730, Wolfenbüttel, Staatsarchiv, 1 Alt 22, num. 585 (e) and 532.

58 ‘Short Abstract of what has past about ye Treaty of Equilibre’, anon. memorandum drawn up in summer of 1730, PRO, num. 103/113; Newcastle to Harrington and Poyntz, 14 Ap. 1730 OS, BL, Add., num. 32766, f. 446.

59 Harrington and Poyntz to Newcastle, 25 Mar. 1730, BL, Add., num. 32766, f. 59-60; Harrington to Chesterfield, 20 Nov. 1730 OS, PRO, num. 84/309, f. 31.

60 There is no mention in this letter of the secret Anglo-Austrian negotiations Chesterfield was involved in; Waldegrave was kept in ignorance of this negotiation.