Folio 139: Finch to Harrington. News from Guy Dickens that Kuoni has passed Berlin....

Folio 139: Finch to Harrington. News from Guy Dickens that Kuoni has passed Berlin. Prince Scerbatov making preparations for his audience, which should allow time for HM to be apprised of great alterations here. Can give no further information on the state of HM's negotiation, and although Count Osterman given fair, ample and prudent opportunity to discuss Mardefeld's proposition he remained silent. Will attempt to obtain it from prime minister. Dresden secretary assures me he has a private message from the Field Marshal informing him that the Prussian minister had pressed for a speedy and categorical answer so that his master might know how he might depend on Russia. This court answered that if king of Prussia thought he had several choices with which to do his business, so had it, and he should not be in such a hurry. By Count Munnich's hints the Prussian proposals seem to be somewhat unacceptable to court of Dresden. Osterman appeared assiduous in court during prime minister's sickness, whose recovery is far from certain. Chetardie has communicated to Osterman the anonymous French reasons for sending their squadron to America. Mardefeld spent 2 hours with Osterman today. Osterman told me that he had reported to the Grand duchess about what passed between us relating to duke of Mecklenburg, and her reply was to recommend on that affair whatever HM should do in that prince's favour. Dated St Petersburg 6 Dec 1740.