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IV. Macartney in Russia, 1765–67

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2011

W. F. Reddaway
W. F. Reddaway
Affiliation:
Fellow of King's College, Cambridge
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Extract

Among the blithe adventurers of the eighteenth century, few sur-passed Macartney in the diversity and value of their public service, and none left a fairer name. Whether he was cajoling the Russian premier, or contending with republican patriots in the Irish Parliament, or defying a tenfold force of French in Grenada, or heartening Madras against Hyder Ali, or driving the Dutch from the coast of Coromandel, or facing the pistol of a soldier to whom as Governor of Bengal he had given the lie, or teaching the court of Pekin the merits of his country, or conspiring with Louis XVIII in Italy, or protecting our conquest at the Cape by threatening to blow up the mutinous Tremendous, he was always the same rare man, unflinching, versatile and incorruptible. When, as a gouty veteran of sixty-two, he turned his house at Chiswick into “the resort of every distinguished character,” the Latin verses in which he reviewed his wanderings contained no more mention of Russia than Europaeque plagas fere visimus omnes. Yet he lived to see the work that he had done there contribute, and that perhaps in no small degree, to the fate of Napoleon and of Europe. In 1806, when he died, the dependent empire had not yet made its most conspicuous effort to dispense with British commercial aid. Tilsit had yet to point the way to Borodino. But the fate of Paul I had already hinted at the attitude of the Russian gentry towards a Tsar who challenged the system which Macartney's treaty had confirmed. One great cause of the retreat from Moscow may be discovered in the Anglo-Russian commercial bargain of 1766.

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Research Article
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Cambridge Historical Journal , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , 1931, pp. 260 - 294
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1931

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References

1 Barrow, , [Some Account of the Public] Life [of the Earl of Macartney], 1, 368, London, 1807.Google Scholar Vol. II consists of extracts from his writings and letters. Of these the most important is an [Account of] Russia [in 1767]. Vol. 1 will be referred to as Life and vol. 11 as Russia.

2 Cp. Pokrovsky, Russkaia istoriia, in, xii passim.

3 To Solms, Fred[eric] II, Pol[itische] Corr[espondenz], XXIII, 487.

4 Bérenger to Praslin, 15 Jan. 1765. [Russian Imperial Historical Society], Sbornik, CXL, 451.

5 Grafton to Macartney, 19 July 1765.

6 Conway to Shirley, 9 Oct. 1767, Sbornik, XII, 311–12.

7 [Public Record Office], S[tate] P[apers], Poland, 91, Wroughton to Sandwich, 30 Jan. 1765.

8 Annual Register for 1772, p. 16.

9 Cp. her Correspondence, ed. Earl of Ilchester, passim and to Mme Bjelke, 1 June O.S. 1773: “J'aime mes alliés naturels, et…j'estime cette nation.” Sbornik, XIII, 342.

10 Cp. Solms to Frederick, 18/29 April 1766, Sbornik, XXII, 439.

11 For the second Earl of Buckinghamshire (1723–93) see Dictionary of National Biography (John Hobart); his Correspondence, 1762–5, ed. A. D. Collyer [Camden Soc. 1900] and Breteuil to Praslin, 9 Jan. 1763, Sbornik, CXL, 141.

12 To Potemkin (1774). Catherine II, Memoirs: E. Boehme, trans. K. Anthony [1927], p. 324.

13 Bérenger to Praslin, 29 Oct. 1764, Sbornik, CXL, 429.

14 S.P. Russia, 76, Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. 1766.

15 S.P. Russia, 75, Grafton to Macartney, 2 Aug. 1765.

16 Gunning to Suffolk (from Moscow), 26 June/7 July 1765, Sbornik, XIX, No. 254.

17 Gunning to Suffolk (from Moscow) 28 July/8 August 1765, Sbornik, XIX, No. 256.

18 Bausset to Praslin, 16 Aug. 1765, Sbornik, CXL, 528, also Fred. II, Pol. Corr. XXIII, 375.

19 To Galitsin, 11 April 1767, Œuvres complètes, XLVII, 307.

20 Cf. Bausset to Praslin, 7 June 1765, Sbornik, CXL, 500. This rumour at least could hardly survive his marriage with Bute's daughter.

21 Cf. Lobkowitz to Kaunitz, 15 Jan. 1765, Sbornik, CIX, 107, and Bausset, Sbornik, CXL, 500, who continues, “Amateur de la vérité, de la liberté et des mœurs de son pays, il les pousse jusqu'à la dureté.”

22 S.P. Russia, 75, Buckingham to Sandwich, 23 Feb. 1765.

23 S.P. Russia, 74, Macartney to Sandwich, 28 Nov. 1764.

24 S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 1/12 May 1767.

25 Guy Dickens, cit. Collyer, Buck[inghamshire] Corr[espondence], I, 57.

26 Cathcart to Weymouth, 19/30 Aug. 1768, Sbornik, XII, 356.

27 Barrow, Life, 1, 6.

28 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 11, 274.

29 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 11, 58.

30 Ibid. 11, 107.

31 Ibid. 11, 62.

32 Ibid. 11, 174.

33 Ibid. II, 231.

34 Ibid. II, 232.

35 Ibid. II, 239.

36 Ibid. 11, 250.

37 Ibid. XIX, 42.

38 E.g. contraband to be limited to munitions. Free ships, free goods and passengers (S.P. Russia, LXXV).

39 Cp. her Instruction [Nakaz], chap, II [in London edn.].

40 J. G. Kohl, Russia [2 vols. ed. 1842], 1, 344.

41 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 23 Aug/3 Sept. 1765.

42 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 11, 222.

43 R. Koser, König Friedrich der Grosse, II, 681 [2te Auflage, Berlin, 1903], concludes that Catherine, for the sake of Prussian co-operation in the Polish election, had been forced by Frederick into an alliance which she did not desire,

44 S.P. Russia, 75, Sandwich to Macartney, 15 March 1765.

45 Collyer, Buck. Corr. II, 128.

46 Count de Ségur, Memoirs, translated by G. G. Shelley [n.d.], 229.

47 A Tariff or Book of Rates translated from the Russ (St Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1767).

48 Collyer, Buck. Corr. II, 274.

49 S.P. Poland, 91, Wroughton to Sandwich, 17 Feb. 1765.

50 Barrow, Russia, II, 33; and S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 5/16 Nov. 1765.

51 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 27 Sept./8 Oct. 1765.

52 Barrow, Russia, 11, 19, 24–6.

53 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 20/31 May 1765 and memorandum enclosed in Consul Swallow's report, do. 8/19 Aug. 1765.

54 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Grafton, 6/17 Nov. 1765, enclosing their letter of thanks.

55 S.P. Russia, 74, Buckingham to Sandwich, 31 Aug. N.S. 1764, and Swallow's report 27 Aug./7 Sept. 1764. S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 6/17 Feb. 1767.

56 Collyer, Buck. Corr. II, 259.

57 Esprit des lots, Bk. xx, Chap. 8.

58 Cp. Anderson, Historical and Chronological Deduction (1787), III, 210, 231. This right had been lost through misconduct.

59 Cp. Breteuil to Praslin, 20 Dec. 1762, Sbornik, CXL, 140, and Rossignol to Louis XV, 24 Dec. 1765, Sbornik, CXL, 599.

60 Ashton, Letters and Memoirs of the Prince de Ligne, p. 171.

61 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, No. 2, 29 March/9 April 1765.

62 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 20/31 May and 24 June/5 July, 1765.

63 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 11, 194.

64 Anderson, Historical and Chronological Deduction, IV, 58.

65 Mémoire raisonnée (to Panin) apud S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 8/19 Aug. 176s.

66 In 1765 the French complained that these almost equalled all others. Sbornik, CXL, 556.

67 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 5/16 Dec. 1766.

68 Barrow, Russia, II, 33.

69 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 1/12 March, 1765.

70 Macartney to Grafton 8/19 Aug. 1765, Sbornik, XII, 210.

71 S.P. Russia, 75, Sandwich to Macartney, 9 April 1765.

72 S.P. Russia, 75, Shirley to Phelps, 18 Feb. O.S. 1765.

73 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 5/16 April 1765.

74 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 14/25 June and 28 June/9 July 1765.

75 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 1, 98.

76 Macartney to Grafton, 4/15 April 1766, Sbornik, XII, 257.

77 Collyer, Buck. Corr. 1, 97.

78 Cathcart to Rochford, 17 March, N.S. 1769, Sbornik, XII, 430.

79 Macartney to Grafton, 4/15 April 1766, Sbornik, XII, 257.

80 Macartney to Sandwich, 1/12 March 1765, Sbornik, XII, 200.

81 Macartney to Sandwich, 9 April N.S., Sbornik, XII, 201.

82 Macartney to Sandwich, 31 May N.S., Sbornik, XII, 204.

83 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 31 May N.S.

84 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 27 May/7 June, 1765.

85 Macartney to Sandwich, 25 June, N.S., Sbornik, XII, 207.

86 Macartney to Sandwich, 18 June, N.S., Sbornik, XII, 205.

87 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 24 June/5 July 1765.

88 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 5/16 July, and Bausset to Praslin, 12 July 1765, Sbornik, CXL, 519.

89 S.P. Russia, 76, Grafton to Macartney, 2 Aug., and Macartney to Grafton, No. 1, 8/19 Aug. 1765.

90 Macartney to Grafton, 19 Aug. N.S., Sbornik, XII, No. 134.

91 Barrow, Life, I, 20.

92 Barrow, Life, I, 19.

93 Macartney to Grafton, 8/19 Aug. 1765, Sbornik, XII, No. 135.

94 Included in S.P. Russia, 75, Sandwich to Macartney, 15 March 1763.

95 Macartney to Grafton, 8/19 Aug. 1765, Sbornik, XII, 20.

96 To Frederick, Sbornik, XXII, 423; cp. Fred. Il, Pol. Corr. XXIV, 289.

97 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 20/31 Oct. 1765.

98 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, No. 1, 8/19 Aug. 1765.

99 S.P. Russia, 76, Grafton to Macartney, 2 Aug. 1765.

100 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 23 Aug./3 Sept. 1765.

101 Macartney to Grafton, 23 Aug./3 Sept., Sbornik, XII, No. 137, and S.P. Russia, 76, Id. to Id. 9/20 Sept., 27 Sept./8 Oct., 7/18 Oct. 1765.

102 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 7/18 Oct. 1765.

103 Mrs Gillespie Smith, Life of Sir R. Murray Keith (1849), I, 250.

104 Sbornik, XII, No. 138.

105 Macartney to Grafton, 16 Nov. N.S. Sbornik, XII, No. 141.

106 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 15/36 Nov. 1765.

107 Macartney to Grafton, 5/16 Nov. 1765, Sbornik, xn, 231 and 237.

108 Grafton to Macartney, 24 Dec. 1765, Sbornik, XII, No. 145.

109 Macartney to Grafton, 6/17 Jan. 1766, Sbornik, XII, No. 146.

110 Barrow, Life, I, 28–9 notes, regarding Lord Northington.

111 Macartney to Grafton, 10/21 Jan. 1766, Sbornik, XII, No. 147.

112 Macartney to Grafton, 11/22 Feb. 1766, Sbornik, XII, No. 148.

113 Solms to Frederick, 14 Feb. N.S. Sbornik, XXII, 438.

114 Macartney to Grafton, 11/22 Feb. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 249.

115 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 6/17 Jan. 1766.

116 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 17/28 Jan. 1766.

117 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 17/28 Jan. and 23 June/4 July 1766. If I rightly conjecture sèche for sage, Catherine deemed the French language “dry and poor” (to Voltaire 14/25 June 1776).

118 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 21 March/I April (Lobkowitz).

119 Cp. Bausset to Choiseul, 27 June 1766, Sbornik, CLXI, 102. Bausset (17 Jan. 1766) advised Praslin that Macartney had spent the fantastic sum of 150,000 roubles (c. £37,500).

120 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 15/26 April 1766.

121 Macartney to Grafton, 14/25 March and 15/26 April 1766, Sbornik, XII, Nos. 150 and 154.

122 S.P. Russia, 75, Macartney to Sandwich, 29 March/9 April 1765.

123 Harrow, Russia, II, 60.

124 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 11/22 Feb. 1766.

125 Barrow, Life, I, 9.

126 Ségur, Memoirs, 214.

127 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 28 April/9 May 1766.

128 Macartney to Grafton, 2/13 May 1766, Sbornik, XII, No. 155.

129 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 9/20 May 1766.

130 Macartney to Conway, 23 June/4 July 1766, enclosing the treaty duly sealed. Sbornik, XII, No. 156.

131 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 25 July/5 Aug.

132 Vzaimnago as against Panin's Sobstvennago. Sbornik, XII, 265.

133 Macartney to Conway, 23 June/4 July, Sbornik, XII, 266.

134 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 23 June/4 July 1766.

135 Barrow, Life, 1, 425–6.

136 Macartney to Conway, 5 Aug.N.S.Sbornik, XII, No. 159, and 12 Aug. 1766, No. 160.

137 Macartney to Conway, 30 Aug. N.S. 1766, Sbornik, XII, No. 161. Cp. Solms to Frederick, 22 Aug.; Fred. II, Pol. Corr. xxv, 213.

138 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 29 July 1766 and 1 Aug. Sbornik, XII, 268.

139 “I should have persevered till I had fulfilled every object of my instructions.” Macartney to William Burke, 4 Sept. 1766, Barrow, Life, I, 414.

140 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 24 Aug./4 Sept. 1766.

141 Macartney to William Burke, 24 Aug./4 Sept., Barrow, Life, 1, 413.

142 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 11/22 Aug. 1766.

143 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 12/23 Sept. 1766 and passim.

144 S.P. Russia, 77, Frederick's conversation with Mitchell, 13 Sept. 1766, and letter to Solms 15 Sept., Fred. II, Pol. Corr. XXV, 219 and 223.

145 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. 1766. S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 1/12 Nov.

146 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. Sbornik, XII, 286.

147 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 26 N0V./7 Dec. 1766.

148 Bausset to Choiseul, 27 Nov. and 5 Dec., Rossignol to Louis XV, 9 Dec, Choiseul to Bausset, 25 Dec Sbornik, CXLI. passim. Lobkowitz to Kaunitz, 21 Nov. and 5 Dec. Sbornik, CIX, 214, 217. “Female chastity indeed seldom long flourishes in a gay court.” (Macartney.) Barrow, Russia, 11, 41.

149 S.P. Russia, 76, Macartney to Grafton, 7/18 Oct. 1765.

150 Macartney to Grafton, 5/16 Nov. Sbornik, XII, 238 and S.P. Russia, 76, 6/17 Dec. 1765.

151 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 25 July 1766.

152 Macartney to Conway, 25 July/s Aug. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 272.

153 Macartney to Conway, 19/30 Aug. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 276.

154 Macartney to Conway, 12/23 Oct. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 279.

155 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 1/12 Nov. 1766.

156 Macartney to Conway, 1/12 Nov. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 281.

157 Macartney to Conway, 26 Nov./7 Dec. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 288.

158 Macartney to Conway, 26 Nov./7 Dec. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 289. Wroughton's despatches (S.P. Poland, 92) from Warsaw describe the unanimity with which a law was adopted against any who ever spoke in favour of the dissidents in the diet. They show Prussia and Russia suppressing a liquor-tax lest Poland should become too powerful.

159 Macartney to Conway, 28 Nov./7 Dec. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 287. Wroughton consistently regarded force as improbable.

160 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 28 Nov./7 Dec. 1766.

161 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 5/16 Dec. 1766.

162 Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. 1766, Sbornik, XII, 284.

163 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. 1766.

164 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, No. 2, 19 Dec. 1766.

165 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, No. 2, 19 Dec. 1766.

166 S.P. Russia, 77, Conway to Macartney, 19 Dec. 1766.

167 S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 26 Jan./6 Feb. 1767. Also apud Barrow, Life, 1, 424.

168 26 Jan./6 Feb. 1766, Sbornik, XXII, 427.

169 2/13 Feb. 1767. Macartney to Conway, Sbornik, XII, 294.

170 Conway to Shirley, 9 Oct. 1767, Sbornik, XII, 315.

171 Barrow, Life, I, 427.

172 S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 22 Dec/2 Jan. 1767.

173 S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 26 Jan./6 Feb. 1767.

174 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Grafton, 11/22 Feb. 1766.

175 Macartney to Conway, 26 Jan./6 Feb. 1767, Sbornik, XII, No. 171.

176 Cf. S.P. Russia, 78, Macartney to Conway, 8/19 May 1767. “Extract,” in Barrow, vol. II, is here cited as Russia.

177 Morley, Voltaire (1873), 290.

178 S.P. Russia, 77, Macartney to Conway, 16/27 Nov. 1766.

179 To Rochford, Sbornik, XIX, 167.