s great and
numerous distresses, it will be proper now to take a view of the several
transactions of his enemies, as well during his stay in Bohemia, as from
the time of his leaving it, down to that which we are now speaking of.

A RUSSIAN FLEET BLOCKS UP THE PRUSSIAN PORTS IN THE BALTIC.

Whilst the king of Prussia was in Bohemia, the empress of Russia ordered
notice to be given to all masters of ships, that if any of them
were found assisting the Prussians, by the transportation of troops,
artillery, and ammunition, they should be condemned as legal prizes;
and her fleet, consisting of fifteen men of war and frigates, with two
bomb-ketches, was sent to block up the Prussian ports in the Baltic,
where it took several ships of that nation, which were employed in
carrying provisions and merchandise from one port to another. One of
these ships of war appearing before Memel, a town of Poland, but subject
to Prussia, the commandant sent an officer to the captain, to know
whether he came as a friend or an enemy? to which interrogation the
Russian captain replied, that, notwithstanding the dispositions of
the empress of both the Russias were sufficiently known, yet he would
further explain them, by declaring that his orders, and those of the
other Russian commanders, were, in conformity to the laws of war, to
seize on all the Prussian vessels they met with on their cruise. Upon
which the commandant of Memel immediately gave orders for pointing the
cannon to fire upon all Russian ships that should approach that place.

The land-forces of the Russians had now lingered on their march upwards
of six months; and it was pretty generally doubted, by those who were
supposed to have the best intelligence, whether they ever were designed
really to pass into the Prussian territories, not only on account of
their long stay on the borders of Lithuania, but also because several of
their cossacks had been severely punished for plundering the waggons of
some Prussian peasants upon the frontiers of Courland, and the damage of
the peasants compensated with money, though general Apraxin's army was
at the same time greatly distressed by the want of provisions; when, on
a sudden, they quickened their motions, and showed they were in earnest,
determined to accomplish the ruin of Prussia. Their first act of
hostility was the attack of Memel, which surrendered: and, by the
articles of capitulation, it was agreed that the garrison should march