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Ships, nothing is Omitted to make the Harbour safe, and every means are taken
to render it a Commercial Town; Your Brother seized the Opportunity of going
with him and in less than two days set off, notwithstanding all I could do to
dissuade him, representing the Offers which were made to him for entering into
the Service; he hoped to be soon back and flatterd himself to reap greater
advantages from those Offers, by meeting at Chorson a certain Man in power, in
whose hands this Business chiefly lies, but as his going there was not very certain
I advised him to stay, and be ready to strike the Iron whilst hot it is. regardless
to all, he preferr'd to satisfy his curiosity, and went away charging me with
the case of his Things, Books, Chariot, Servants & c, since which, I have received
but One Letter from him, wherein he seems to be well satisfied with his Journey
and does not determine positively the time of his coming back to Petersbourg,
where his Business calls aloud for his return, and what is more, hints about his
going to Constantinople if an Opportunity Offers itself — I can but say that his
abilities are well known here, Offers are already made, nothing but his own neglect
and carelessness can stop his Career.
The Empress is now return'd
from her Journey. and the Man in power
of whom I spoke, instead of going to Chorson, as your Brother expected, was
nominated to conduct the Emperor of Germany from Magniloff to Moscow, and
from thence to this place. The Empress is much pleased with her noble Guest
who in return, regards her as an Object of his most earnest admiration, and
both profess an unfeigned affection for each other; He is a plain Man with a
good natural Sense, eager after knowledge and has a stock of it greater than
Sovereigns possess in general, amongst Us, he is Generous tho' sparing at Home.
their Imperial Highnesses admire much his Character and at the example of the
Empress, are assiduous to shew him all their Cordiality and attention: He is to
leave us on the 8.th or the 9.th of next Month, and I believe is to take his way straight
Home.
I suppose, Sir, by this time you know the destination of our Sea
armament, every One supposed it equipping for the assistance of England, but
the Destination, which the Empress has made in regard to it, has underieved
every Body. She means to protect the Trade only, and to Observe an most perfect
neutrality in regard to the beligerent States.
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Identifier: | JB/539/151/002"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539. |
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1781-02-17 |
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539 |
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151 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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