Folio 198: Wich to Carteret. Prince Cerkasskoi informs me of Czarina's having no...

Folio 198: Wich to Carteret. Prince Cerkasskoi informs me of Czarina's having no objection to entering into alliance of mutual defence with HM and was desirous to do everything possible to cultivate union between two crowns, but since her accession had been occupied with internal affairs and had now appointed him the Grand Chancellor the vice chancellor, Senator Prince Golocyn, and Privy Councillor Brevern to examine our treaty. This method insisted on as some malicious people had insinuated to Czarina that our treaty contained something highly prejudicial to her, as Princess Elizabeth. Knowing this to be untrue Czerkassoi wants treaty examined and proved right for his own justification and to efface false impression made on Czarina whose good disposition to enter this alliance with HM would be agreeable to him when he would be informed more precisely of her intentions. The insinuation was that a secret article in this treaty, the Czarina, as Princess Elizabeth, had been excluded from her inheritance to these dominions and the succession guaranteed by HM in the strongest manner to the House of Brunswick. Russia will have so much conspiracy and sedition at home and war with Sweden as to have little time to think of what happens elsewhere. Russian interest maybe to side with Prussia because of suspicion of Swedes in Livonia and perhaps an invasion in Courland but it is difficult to engage Russia to co-operate on the interest of Europe in general. Dated Moscow, 24 June 1742.