Add MS 6817

Volume XIV of the papers of Mr. Andrew Mitchell. Subsequently Sir Andrew Mitchell.

Despatches from Mr. Pitt and the Earl of Holderness [Robert Darcy] to Mr. Mitchell from January to December 1759.

1, part 1. Letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. Mitchell. (Most Secret). In the absence of Lord Holderness (who is gone to Bath for the recovery of his health) Mr. Pitt acknowledges the receipt of Mr. Mitchell’s despatches, and encloses the King [George II]’s answer to the King of Prussia [Frederick II, alias Frederick the Great]’s letter. Copies are also included of the despatches to St. Petersburg and Warsaw, from which the King of Prussia is to be informed of the steps taken by the King for disuniting the allies of Vienna and Versailles. Application made by the Elector to the King, to interpose his good offices with the King of Prussia, in favour of the Royal and Electoral family at Dresden, and to obtain permission for them to retire to Munich and Warsaw, which is recommended to His Prussian Majesty’s consideration. (In cypher).

i. (Enclosed). Copy of a most secret letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. Keith. Intelligence concerning the state and inclination of the Russian troops, and the interior of the Court of St. Petersburg. Mr. Keith is directed to gain over, if possible, Monsieur d’Alsiyeu, Councillor of State to the Empress Queen [Maria Theresa]. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 2 January 1759. (folio 5)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Lord Stormont [David Murray]. His Lordship is recommended to be watchful to obtain all further lights on the information previously communicated by him. The inclinations of the Court of Warsaw towards an accommodation with the King of Prussia to be sounded, and if they are favourable, the King’s services with the King of Prussia are to be offered. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 2 January 1759. (folio 11)

1, part 2. Letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. Mitchell. (Separate). Information received of the intention of the army of Soubise marching through Hesse, and joining the Swedes. Proposal to be made to the King of Prussia of jointly forming a separate body of troops on the side of Hesse. Dated Whitehall, 2 January 1759. (folio 14)

2. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Return of his Lordship from Bath, and acknowledgement of the receipt of letters from Mr. Mitchell. Dated Whitehall, 23 January 1759. (folio 17)

3. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. The King is willing to renew the proposals to Russia for an accommodation, and wishes the King of Prussia to join in them. Dated Whitehall, 13 February 1759. (folio 19)

i. (Enclosed). Extract of a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Holderness. Relative to some hints dropped, on the willingness of Russia to make peace. Dated St. Petersburg, 5 January 1759. (folio 21)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Keith. Mr Keith is to execute such directions as he may receive from the King of Prussia, touching any pacific overtures between the Courts of Berlin and St. Petersburg. The King offers a subsidy to the latter for two years, in order to obtain this desirable end. Dated Whitehall, 13 February 1759. (folio 23)

4. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. A compliment is to be made in the King’s name to the Hereditary Prince of Hesse [William VIII?], for the assurances given by him to maintain the engagements between the King and the Landgrave. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 20 February 1759. (folio 25)

5. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Receipt of despatches. Congratulations on the successful opening of the campaign. Dated Whitehall, 23 March 1759. (folio 27)

6. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Languishing state of the King of Spain [Ferdinand VI]. Dated Whitehall, 10 April 1759. (folio 29)

7. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. (Secret). Memorial presented by M. de Knyphausen, relating to the state of Italy. M. de Knyphausen has written to M. de Cocceji at Turin, to explain the King’s sentiments on the situation of affairs in the south. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 24 April 1759. (folio 31)

i. (Enclosed). Extract from secret instructions, dated Breslau, 14 March 1759. Presented to the English Ministers at London, 4 April 1759. (In cypher). (folio 33)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Baron Knyphausen to M. Cocceji. Sentiments of the British Minister on the situation of affairs in Italy. (In cypher). Dated London, 20 April 1759. (folio 37)

8. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Receipt of dispatches from Mr. Mitchell. News from Guadeloupe. Dated Whitehall, 8 May 1759. (folio 41)

i. (Enclosed). Intelligence from Guadeloupe. Capture of Fort Louis. Dated Whitehall, 6 May 1759. (folio 43)

9. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Receipt of letters acknowledged. Rendezvous of Sir Edward Hawke’s fleet in the channel. Dated Whitehall, 15 May 1759. (folio 45)

10. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Enclosing letters to and from Mr. Porter, to be communicated with the King of Prussia. Important news expected from America. France still continues to threaten England with an invasion. Dated Whitehall, 29 May 1759. (folio 47)

i. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Porter to Mr. Pitt. The Porte is exasperated against the French, and requires a guarantee, or to come into triple alliance. Dated Constantinople, 5 April 1759. (folio 49)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. Porter. (Most Secret). Directions are sent to induce the Porte to act, without the intervention of negotiation or guarantee. Mr. Porter is ordered to cooperate with the King of Prussia’s agent, and also authorised to employ a considerable sum of money to engage the port to act in the manner proposed. Dated Whitehall, 25 May 1759. (folio 51)

11. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Instructions sent to Mr. Porter. Dispatches received by the Prussian Ministers in London, on the subject of the guarantee, and arguments against it. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 12 June 1759. (folio 55)

i. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. Porter. (Most Secret). The King authorises Mr. Porter to make a verbal declaration, that in case of a treaty between the Ottoman Porte and the King of Prussia, the King will employ his good offices with his Prussian Majesty for the performance of all the stipulations entered into. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 12 June 1759. (folio 57)

12. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Satisfaction of the King at the success of General Wedel against the Russians. Colonel Barrington is returned to England, with part of the troops employed on the West India expedition. Surrender of some of the smaller settlements. Dated Whitehall, 7 August 1759. (folio 61)

13. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Capture of the Fort of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by General Amherst, and the reduction of Niagara. Dated Whitehall, 11 September 1759. (folio 63)

i. (Enclosed). Copy of His Majesty’s letter to the King of Prussia, notifying the death of the Princess Elizabeth Caroline. Dated Kensington, 11 September 1759. (folio 65)

14. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Respecting the miscarriage of correspondence. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 2 October 1759. (folio 67)

15. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. A despatch to Mr. Keith is concerting with Baron Knyphausen. Congratulations on the success of Prince Henry in Saxony. (In cypher). Dated Whitehall, 10 October 1759. (folio 69)

16. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Enclosing a Gazette, giving an account of the two naval actions in the East Indies, and the defence of Madras. Dated Whitehall, 12 October 1759. (folio 71)

17. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Enclosing a gazette containing an account of the operations in America. News of the surrender of Quebec. Dated Whitehall, 16 October 1759. (folio 73)

18. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Enclosing a gazette with the particulars of the surrender of Quebec. Dated Whitehall, 19 October 1759. (folio 75)

19. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Satisfaction of the King at the proceedings of the army under Prince Henry. Dated Whitehall, 23 October 1759. (folio 77)

20. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. The King bestows on Mr. Mitchell the additional character of Plenipotentiary, with the usual augmentation of £3 a day. Dated Whitehall, 6 November 1759. (folio 79)

21. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Opening of Parliament by Commission. Dated Whitehall, 10 November 1759. (folio 81)

i. (Enclosed). The speech of the Lords commissioners to Parliament. (Printed). (folio 83)

ii. (Enclosed). Resolution of the House of Lords. 13 November 1759. (folio 85)

iii. (Enclosed). Resolution of the House of Commons. 13 November 1759. (folio 87)22. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Transactions at the Court of Russia and insinuations thrown out by the Swedish Minister at Copenhagen to Sir John Goodricke. Dated Whitehall, 20 November 1759. (folio 91)

i. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Holderness. Conversation held with the Chancellor Woronzow on the late victory of the Russians, and disposition towards a peace. Rewards given to the General Officers in the battle. Dated St. Petersburg, 24 August-4 September 1759. (folio 94)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Holderness. Another conversation with the Chancellor. The Russian Court by no means satisfied with Count Daun’s proceedings. General behaviour of the Austrians. Promotions and rewards. The Russian fleet comes back to Kronstadt. Dated St, Petersburg, 14-25 September 1759. (folio 96)

iii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Keith. The King is anxious the King of Prussia should take advantage of the conversation held with the Chancellor, to pave the way to a reconciliation with Russia. Projects of the Court of France in relation to Poland, and sentiments of the Duke de Choiseul [Étienne François] on the late Russian victory. Dated Whitehall, 9 October 1759. (folio 98)

iv. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Sir John Goodricke to the Earl of Holderness. Conversation held with the Swedish Minister on the subject of peace. Dated Copenhagen, 25 September 1759. (folio 101)

v. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Sir John Goodricke to the Earl of Holderness. (Most Secret). Proposal of France to Sweden for invading Great Britain, which is rejected. Dated Copenhagen, 29 September 1759. (folio 104)

vi. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from the Earl of Holderness to Sir John Goodricke. It is His Majesty’s pleasure the intercourse with the Swedish Minister should be encouraged and cultivated, with the view of detaching Sweden, and perhaps Russia, from France. Dated Whitehall, 9 October 1759. (folio 106)

vii. (Enclosed). Extract of a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Holderness. The dissatisfaction between the Courts of St. Petersburg and Vienna seems to increase. Dated St. Petersburg, 15-26 October 1759. (folio 109)

viii. (Enclosed). Extract of a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Holderness. Sentiments of Count Woronzow on the behaviour of the Austrians, and disposition towards a peace. Dated St. Petersburg, 15 October 1759. (folio 111)

23. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. (Most Secret). Proposal made to His Majesty by the Prussian Minister of a congress to treat of a general peace, in case the present campaign should close favourably. Conferences held by the English and Prussian Ministers on the subject. It is determined that the declaration should be intrusted to Prince Louis of Brunswick, to deliver to the Ministers Resident at The Hague. A subsidiary treaty with the King of Prussia, on the same terms as previously, has been signed, as also the separate article of the treaty with the Landgrave of Hesse [William VIII] for an extraordinary body of troops. Dated Whitehall, 20 November 1759. (folio 113)

i. (Enclosed). À Kensington, 26 September 1759. Copy of a Protocolle of a conference between some of His Majesty’s servants and the Prussian Ministers. (folio 115)

ii. (Enclosed). À Londres, 29 October 1759. Copy of a Protocolle of a conference between some of His Majesty’s servants and the Prussian Ministers. (folio 117)

iii. (Enclosed). Projet de la Declaration à faire, au nom et de la part des Cours D’Angleterre et de Prusse. Le 20 Juillet 1759. (folio 124)

iv. (Enclosed). Extrait de la Lettre de S.A.S. le Prince Louis de Brunswic au Comte de Holderness. His Highness accepts the offer to charge himself with the declarations of the Courts of England and Prussia. Dated The Hague, 6 November 1759. (folio 126)

v. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Keith. His Majesty and the King of Prussia intend to offer peace to their enemies. Mr. Keith is instructed to convey a copy of the declaration to the Chancellor to be laid before the Empress [Elizabeth]. Dated Whitehall, 2 November 1759. (folio 128)

24. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Enclosing a gazette, with the particulars of Sir Edward Hawke’s advantage over the French fleet. Dated Whitehall, 30 November 1759. (folio 131)

25. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. Congratulations on the success of the Hereditary Prince against the troops of Württemberg. General naval Intelligence. Completion of the load for the year 1760. Dated Whitehall, 14 December 1759. (folio 133)

26. Letter from the Earl of Holderness to Mr. Mitchell. His Majesty impatiently waits for news of the Denouement of the campaign in Saxony. Memorial presented by the Spanish Minister, and answer to it. Dated Whitehall, 21 December 1759. (folio 135)

i. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. d’Abreu to Mr. Pitt. Arrival of the King of Spain [Charles III] in his dominions. His Spanish Majesty’s anxiety to see a peace re-established between England and France. Dated London, 5 December 1759. (folio 137)

ii. (Enclosed). Copy of a letter from Mr. Pitt to Mr. D’abreu. Satisfaction of the King at the entry of His Catholic Majesty, and sentiments on the war in America with regard to equilibrium of power. Dated Whitehall, 13 December 1759. (folio 140)

iii. (Enclosed). Extract of a letter from Mr. Pitt to the Earl of Bristol [George Hervey]. Substance of a conversation held with the Prince San Severino, previous to the death of the King of Spain [Ferdinand VI], on the readiness of the King of Naples [Charles VII, later Charles III of Spain] to mediate peace between England and France. The same insinuations have been repeated after the news of His Catholic Majesty’s death had arrived. Dated Whitehall, 14 September 1759. (folio 144)

iv. (Enclosed). Extract of a letter from M. Pitt to the Earl of Bristol. Memorial of M. D’abreu, and his Majesty’s answer. His Lordship is directed to be extremely attentive to discover the extent of the French influence at the Court of Madrid. Dated Whitehall, 14 December 1759. (folio 147)

v. (Enclosed). Copie de la note separée que le Duc Louis de Brunswic a écrite an presence du Comte d’affry, et que Celui ci lui a dicteé de la Lettre du Duc de Choiseul. It appears singular, the declaration of England and France should not have been also communicated to Sweden, an omission France will supply. Dated The Hague, 4 December 1759. (folio 150)

vi. (Enclosed). Copie de la note que le Duc Louis de Brunswic a écrite en presence de l’Ambassadeur de France. The Court of France will consult with the allies the answer they shall return to the Declaration. Dated The Hague, 4 December 1759. (folio 152)