IANS AND AUSTRIANS POSSESS THEMSELVES OF BERLIN.

His adversaries, having been hitherto baffled by his activity and
resolution in their designs upon Silesia, now meditated a scheme, the
execution of which he could not but feel in the most sensible manner.
The Russian army being on its retreat from Silesia, count Czernichew was
sent with a strong detachment into the marche of Brandenburgh; while a
numerous body of Austrians, under Lascy and Brentano, penetrated into
the same country from Saxony, with instructions to join the Russians at
the gates of Berlin. The Prussian general Hulsen, finding himself too
weak to cope with the army of the empire in Misnia, had fallen back to
this capital, where he was joined by the troops under general Werner,
lately returned from Pomerania; but as their forces, after this
junction, did not exceed sixteen thousand men, and the allies advancing
against them amounted to forty thousand, they would not pretend to
oppose the enemy in the open field, nor to defend a city of such extent,
and so imperfectly fortified. Such an attempt would have only exposed
their troops to ruin, without being able to save the capital, which, on
the contrary, would have been the more severely handled, in consequence
of their opposition. They therefore resolved to retire, after having
repulsed the advanced guard of the Russians under Tottleben, which
attacked the gates, and even bombarded the town, before the great armies
appeared. At their approach the Prussian generals retreated, leaving
three weak battalions in the place, in hopes they might be the means
of obtaining some sort of terms for the city. They made no resistance,
however; but on the first summons proposed articles of capitulation,
which being refused, they surrendered themselves prisoners of war. In
favour of the city, the foreign ministers there residing interposed
their mediation with such zeal and success, that tolerable conditions
were obtained. The inhabitants were indulged with the free exercise
of their religion, and an immunity from violence to their persons and
effects. The enemy promised that the Russian irregulars should not
enter the town; and that the king's palace should not be violated. These
articles being ratified, the Austrian and Russian troops entered
the place, where they totally destroyed the magazines, arsenals, and
foundries, with an immense quantity of military stores, and a great
number of cannon and small arms: then they dem