Karl Marx - Revelations of the Diplomatic History of the 18th Century

In this volume the text of the book is reproduced from The Free Press collated with the 1899 edition.

Some minor factual inaccuracies are silently corrected.

Chapter 1

MECW: In this chapter Marx quotes letters of the British diplomats in Russia and the account of L. K. Pitt, Chaplain at the English trading station in St. Petersburg, which he discovered at the British Museum in the collection of William Coxe, an English historian and writer.

No. 1.-MR. RONDEAU TO HORACE WALPOLE ^[24]

Petersburg, 17th August, 1736

[This letter relates to the war against Turkey, commenced by the Empress Arm, in 1735; the British diplomatist at St. Petersburg, reporting about his endeavours to induce Russia to conclude peace with the Turks.^[25] The passages omitted are irrelevant.]

“... I heartily wish ... that the Turks could be brought to condescend to make the first step, for this Court seems resolved to hearken to nothing till that is done, to mortify the Porte, that has on all occasions spoken of the Russians with the greatest contempt, which the Czarina and her present Ministers cannot bear. Instead of being obliged to Sir Everard Fawkner and Mr. Calkoen (the former the British, the latter the Dutch Ambassador at Constantinople) for informing them of the good dispositions of the Turks, Count Ostermann will not he persuaded that the Porte is sincere, and seemed very much surprised that they had written to them (the Russian Cabinet) without order of the Yingc and the States-General, or without being desired by the Grand Vizier, and that their letter had not been concerted with the Emperor’s Ministers at Constantinople.... I have shown Count Biron and Count Ostermann the two letters the Grand Vizier has written to the Ying, and at the same time told these gentlemen that as there were in them several hard reflections on this Court, I should not have communicated them, if they had not been to desirous to see them. Count Biron said that was nothing, for they were used to be treated in this manner by the Turks. I desired their Excellencies not to let the Porte know that they had seen these letters, which would sooner aggravate matters than contribute to make them up. ...”

No. 2.-SIR GEORGE MACARTNEY TO THE EARL OF SANDWICH

“St. Petersburgh, Ist-12th March, 1765

“Most Secret [England was