em out. In England, on the
contrary, all was vagueness and indecision. The action of the king
showed only his Hanoverian jealousy of the House of Brandenburg. It was
certain that France, as soon as war broke out in the West, would attack
his Electorate; and George sought help not at Berlin but at St.
Petersburg. He concluded a treaty with Russia, which promised him the
help of a Russian army on the Weser in return for a subsidy. Such a
treaty meant war with Frederick, who had openly announced his refusal to
allow the entry of Russian forces on German soil; and it was vehemently
though fruitlessly opposed by William Pitt. But he had hardly withdrawn
with Grenville and Charles Townshend from the Ministry when Newcastle
himself recoiled from the king's policy. The Russian subsidy was
refused, and Hanoverian interests subordinated to those of England by
the conclusion of the treaty with Frederick of Prussia for which Pitt
had pressed. The new compact simply provided for the neutrality of both
Prussia and Hanover in any contest between England and France. But its
results were far from being as peaceable as its provisions. Russia was
outraged by Frederick's open opposition to her presence in Germany;
France resented his compact with and advances towards England; and Maria
Theresa eagerly seized on the temper of both those powers to draw them
into common action against the Prussian king. With the treaty between
England and Frederick indeed began the Seven Years' War.

[Sidenote: The Seven Years' War.]

No war has had greater results on the history of the world or brought
greater triumphs to England: but few have had more disastrous
beginnings. Newcastle was too weak and ignorant to rule without aid, and
yet too greedy of power to purchase aid by sharing it with more capable
men. His preparations for the gigantic struggle before him may be
guessed from the fact that there were but three regiments fit for
service in England at the opening of 1756. France on the other hand was
quick in her attack. Port Mahon in Minorca, the key of the
Mediterranean, was besieged by the Duke of Richelieu and forced to
capitulate. To complete the shame of England, a fleet sent to its relief
under Admiral Byng fell back before the French. In Germany Frederick
seized Dresden at the outset of the war and forced the Saxon army to
surrender; and in 1757 a victory at Prague made him master for a while
of Bohemia; but his success was transient, and a def