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Petersbourg May 17th O.S. 1780.
The Dutchess of Kingston is about buying an estate in Livonia
of the Prince Potemskin, for which She is to give
upwards of 100,000 pounds sterling. There are about 7,000
slaves to this estate. She is so full of the thought of
having so many subjects to lord it over that the poor
woman is almost out of her senses. [Sambourski by the Prince's
desire goes with her in about a week a to take a
view of the premises.] Before she can purchase an estate
she must have a rank in the country that is a Military
rank. This the Prince can [give her or rather] get for her as
high an one as she pleases. She will then be wanting
orders. She spends 5 or 6 hours at her toilette now:
when she has a ribband and Star to adjust. She
will have no time left for eating & sleeping. As to
the latter indeed she spends very little time in that
way, a nap or two while she is in company seems
to serve her.
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I believe I did not tell you that when
I took gave my letter to her Grace She either did
not or pretended at least not to remember any
thing of Lind. However she invited me to dinner in
on a fixed day some days after the then present.
In the meantime I heard from Mr Foster that
She told him that as an Architect she could
not introduce me into company, partly from
that reason and partly but more from Sir
James's advice ( to whom I told the story)
when the day came I which happened to
be the day I was introduced at Court, I sent
her an excuse not forgetting to tell her
of the engagement which prevented my
waiting on her. Notwithstanding I did not
make another visit to her, the invitation
to her great Bal marque, and I went there
but have not been since, nor do I intend
it.
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Per Monday morning The flat being all
out in the road at Cronstadt about 7
o clock in the evening a smoak was seen
to issue from the midlemost Ship. The
Admiral Greig who saw it from his window
ran instantly to the waterside and went off
onboard. With some difficulty they he made
their his way through the smoak
towards the magazine
or powderroom, in the passage of which
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they he found a large bundle of oakum just
lighted, and the match which was still
burning. They He got it out before it
burst into flames, and by that means saved
the Ship if not the greatest part of the
fleet. It is imagined scarcely with any degree of doubt
that it was done on purpose. Many circumstances
were well chosen for the object of the calculated to favour such a design
perpetrators. The Ship was the midlemost of the fleet.
The wind was very high and in such a
direction that the Ships could not be
separated from each other, and they lied lay
exceedingly close. Something of this kind
has happened before; and last year a Ship
was burnt as Revel. This [is the account
I have from Sir James H] will probably be
talked of in England from a report that circulated
a little here of its being done by
some english sailors and this owing no
doubt to the ill will we are supposed to bear
this country at present for acting upon a plan so perfectly
neutral. His report however
not gain ground. The Admiral examin
every body onboard immediately and has found
one man who is very much suspected.
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I must now tell you a little about what I do and
may do here: but first I beg it may be kept a
perfect secret amongst with respect to every soul but . That it be never
spoken of in company. I may very probably engage
in this service for the purpose chiefly of making
some experiments, and directing & assisting in some
works on the Marine usefull to all countries and
particularly to this and my own. Sir James Harris
not only knows it but assists it and in short proposes
it. I wrote a paper offering such services which
he gave to Prince Potemkin and the answer was
that nothing could be done till the Empress's
return it was indeed but the day before they set
out. Sir James will most likely speak to the
Empress about it also. he had intended it before
but had not an opportunity. Admiral Greig
also wishes it much, and with heart and voice
gives his assistance. There will be an opposition
from a quarter whose offers I have already declined
though I they were to have the
superintendence of all the matters in my way.
I do all by Sir James's advice, and you may
be sure that I shall engage in nothing but
what will be perfectly honourable and also
lucrative, though no fortune to be got
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Identifier: | JB/539/052/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539. |
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1780-05-17 |
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539 |
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052 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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