# The Northern Crisis. Or, Impartial Reflections on the Politics of the Czar/Chapter 1

THE
REASONS
Handed about by
Mynheer Von Stocken, etc.
HERE being no doubt, but most Courts will be surpriz'd that the Descent upon Schonen hath not been put in Execution, notwithstanding the great Preparations made for that purpose; and that all his Czarish Majesty's Troops who were in Germany, were Transported to Zeeland, not without great Trouble and Danger, partly by his own Gallies, and partly by his Danish Majesty’s and other Vessels; and that the said Descent is deferr’d till another time: His Danish Majesty hath therefore, in order to clear himself of all Imputation and Reproach, both now and in future Times, thought fit most graciously to order, that the following true Account of this Affair should be given to all impartial Persons.
Since the Swedes, to the Honour of the Arms of the Allies, and for the Security of the Empire, were, God be thanked, entirely driven out of their German Dominions, there was, according to all the Rules of Policy, and Reasons of War, no other way left, than vigorously to attack the still obstinate King of Sweden in the very Heart of his Countrey, thereby, with God’s Assistance, to force him to a lasting, good and advantageous Peace for the Allies. The King of Denmark and his Czarish Majesty were both of this Opinion, and did, in ​order to put so good a Design in Execution, agree upon an Interview, which at last (notwithstanding his Danish Majesty's Presence, upon the Account of Norway's being invaded, was most necessary in his own Capital, and that the Muscovite Ambassador, M. Dolboronky, had given quite other Assurances) was held at Ham and Horn near Hamburgh, after his Danish Majesty had staid there six Weeks for the Czar. In this Conference it was, on the 3d of June, agreed between both their Majesties, after several Debates, that the Descent upon Schonen should positively be undertaken this Year, and every thing relating to the forwarding the fame was entirely consented to. Hereupon his Danish Majesty made all haste for his Return to his Dominions, and gave Orders to work Day and Night to get his Fleet ready to put to Sea; the Transport-Ships were also gathered from all Parts of his Dominions, both with inexpressible Charges, and great Prejudice to his Subjects Trade. Thus his Majesty (as the Czar himself, upon his Arrival at Copenhagen own'd) did his utmost to provide all Necessaries, and to forward the Descent, upon whose Success every thing depended: It hapned, however, in the mean while, and before the Descent was agreed upon in the Conference at Ham and Horn, that his Danish Majesty was oblig'd to secure his invaded and much oppressed Kingdom of Norway, by sending thither a considerable Squadron out of his Fleet, under the Command of Vice-Admiral Gabel which Squadron could not be recall'd before the Enemy had left that Kingdom, without endangering a great Part thereof; so that out of Necessity the said Vice-Admiral was forced to tarry there till the 12th of July, when his Danish Majesty sent him express Orders to return with all possible speed, Wind and Weather permitting; but this blowing for some time contrary, his being detain'd, and the loss of time could not be attributed but to Providence, who commands the Winds and the Waves, and therefore the Blame thereof cannot be laid to his Danish Majesty. The Swedes were all the while powerful at Sea, and his Czarish Majefsy himself did not think it adviseable that the Remainder of the Danish, in Conjunction with the Men of War then at Copenhagen, should go to convoy the Russian Troops from Rostock, before the above-mentioned Squadron under Vice-Admiral Gabel (whose speedy Return no body wish'd more hear ​tily for than his Danish Majesty) was arrived: This hapning at last in the Month of August, the Confederate Fleet put to Sea, and the Transporting of the said Troops hither to Zeeland was put in Execution, though with a great deal of Trouble and Danger; but it took up so much time, that the Descent could not be ready till September following. Now, when all these Preparations, as well for the Descent, as the Embarking the Armies, were entirely ready, his Danish Majesty assured himself, that the Descent should be made within a few, days, at farthest by the 21st of September. The Russian Generals and Ministers first rais'd some Difficultics to those of Denmark , and afterwards, on the 17th of September, declar’d in an appointed Conference, that his Czarish Majesty considering the present situation of Affairs, was of Opinion, that neither Forage nor Provision could be had in Schonen; and that consequently the Descent was not adviseable to be attempted this Year, but ought to be put off till next Spring. It may easily be imagined how much his Danish Majesty was surprized at this; especially seeing the Czar, if he had alter’d his Opinion, as to this Design so solemnly concerted, might have declared it sooner, and thereby saved his Danish Majesty several Tons of Gold spent upon the necessary Preparations. His Danish Majesty did however, in a Letter dated the 20th of September, amply represent to the Czar, that although the Season was very much advanced, the Descent might nevertheless easily be undertaken with such a superior Force, as to get a Footing in Schonen, where being assured there had been a very plentiful Harvest, he did not doubt but Subsistence might be found, besides, that having an open Communication with his own Countries, it might easily be transported from thence. His Danish Majesty alledged also several weighty Reasons, why the Descent was either to be made this Year, or the Thoughts of making it next Spring entirely be laid aside. Nor did he alone make those moving Remonstrances to the Czar; but his British Majesty’s Minister residing here, as well as Admiral Norris, seconded the fame also in a very pressing manner, and by express Order of the King their Master, endeavouring to bring the Czar into their Opinion, and to perswade him to go on with the Descent; but his Czarish Majesty declared, by his Answer of the 12th of September, that he would adhere ​to the Resolution he had once taken concerning this Delay of making the Descent; but if his Danish M. was resolv’d to venture on the Descent, that he then, according to the Treaty made near Straelfund, would assist him only with the 15 Battalions and 1000 Horse therein stipulated; that next Spring he would comply with every thing else, and neither could nor would declare himfelf further in this Affair. Since then, his Danish Majesty could not without running so great a Hazard, undertake so great a Work only with his own Army and the said 15 Battalions, he desired, in another Letter of the 23d of September, that his Czarish Majesty would be pleased to add 13 Battalions of his Troops, in which case his Danish Majesty would still this Year attempt the Descent: But even this could not be obtained from his Czarish Majesty, who absolutely refus’d it by his Ambassador on the 24th ditto; whereupon his Danish Majesty, in his Letter of the 26th, declar’d to the Czar, that since Things stood thus, he desired none of his Troops, but that they might be all speedily transported out of his Dominions; that so the Transport, whose Freight stood him in 40000 Rixdollars per Month, might be discharged, and his Subjects eased of the intolerable Contributions they now underwent. This he could do no less than agree to; and accordingly all the Russian Troops are already embarked, and intend for certain to go from hence with the first favourable Wind.
It must be left to Providence and ‘Time, to discover what may have induc’d the Czar to a Resolution so prejudicial to the Northern Alliance, and most advantageous to the Common Enemy, It must in the mean time be own’d by the impartial World, that in regard to the abovementioned true Circumstances, it was not his Danish Majesty’s Fault that the Descent was not made this Year,and thereby, if possible, the Way made to a good and speedy Peace,but that it hath been only prevented by the aforesaid his Czarish Majesty’s Resolutions: And it is therefore his Danish Majesty’s most gracious Pleasure, that his Resident, Mynheer Von Stocken, shall, in case any Thing be mention’d contrary hereto, make use of this Account to contradict and refute all the bad Imputations, which these Proceedings might perhaps occafion.”
Written at the German Secretary's Office at Copenhagen, the 10th of Oktober, 1746.