Folio 61: Harrington to Rondeay. Herewith HM's instructions for negotiating a defensive...

Folio 61: Harrington to Rondeay. Herewith HM's instructions for negotiating a defensive alliance with Russia. It would have been preferable and quicker if the project would have come from the Czarina. However, it is drawn up in the common terms of all defensive alliances and only the kinds of help are different. HM thinks it easier and more convenient for us to furnish ships and more useful to the Czarina to have a squadron from England for her defence. HM prefers men from Russia rather than ships. HM desires 15,000 men from the Czarina, all infantry, and in return will give a squadron of men of war, carrying 800 guns, that being the computation in our treaty of 1719 with the king of Prussia. Expenses reciprocal so cannot be objected to. Poles, Turks, Persians and Tartars, being excepted, will, HM hopes, cause no difficulty. Title of Empress willingly granted to gratify Czarina in the hope that she will settle this transaction agreeably to HM Inform the Russian ministers of our progress with Denmark, which should be an inducement to them to come speedily into this alliance. Keep this messenger until the treaty is signed and then redespatch him immediately. Dated 1738/9.