y invade the Swedish territories of Finland. The spirit with
which the king of Prussia exerted himself on this occasion, gave
infinite umbrage to the czarina, who, indeed, expressed her resentment,
by treating the minister of Brandenburgh with contemptuous neglect, and
even refused to favour him with an audience till he should be
vested with the character of ambassador. Thus were sewn the seeds of
misunderstanding between those two powers, which, in the sequel, grew
up to the most bitter animosity, and served to inflame those dissensions
which have desolated the fairest provinces of Germany. The remonstrance
of his Prussian majesty, with respect to the troubles of the North,
was couched in such terms as gave dissatisfaction to the court of
Petersburgh. The Russian minister retired from Berlin without the
ceremony of taking leave, and the Prussian ambassador Warendorf was
recalled from the court of the czarina.

PLAN FOR ELECTING THE ARCHDUKE JOSEPH KING OF THE ROMANS.

The attention of his Britannic majesty was not wholly engrossed by the
disputes between Russia and Sweden. He had another object in view, which
more nearly concerned the interests of his German dominions; and had set
on foot two negotiations of the utmost importance to the commerce
and advantage of Great Britain. His first and principal aim was, in
conjunction with the court of Vienna, to take such measures as would
secure the succession of the Imperial dignity to the archduke Joseph,
eldest son and heir to the reigning emperor. As the previous step to
that elevation, it was proposed to elect this young prince king of the
Romans; and for this purpose it was necessary to procure a majority not
only of the electors, but also in the diet of the empire, through which
the proposal must have passed. No stone was left unturned to reconcile
this expedient to the German princes. Subsidies were offered by the
maritime powers of England and the states-general to the electors of
Mentz and Cologn; and a treaty of the same nature was concluded with
the elector of Bavaria, who, in consideration of an annual subsidy,
amounting to forty thousand pounds sterling, two-thirds to be paid
by Britain, and the rest by the states-general, engaged to keep in
readiness a body of six thousand infantry, as auxiliaries to the
maritime powers, though not to act against the emperor or empire; and
to join the interest of his Britannic majesty in the diet, as well as in
the elector