XXXIII. 1784. CHAP. lution.. From the commencement of Mr. Pitt's administration, while recovering her internal profperity, fhe refumed her importance among foreign nations. During the remaining portion of our narrative, her interefts became fo interwoven with thofe of continental powers, that the general ftate of Europe must occupy a larger fhare of the history than has been hitherto neceffary. State of foreign powers. Situation and views of Catharine. The emprefs of Ruffia had not been engaged in any great war fince the peace concluded in 1774 with Turkey; fhe nevertheless was actively employed in schemes of external aggrandizement, as well as of internal improvement. Catharine's objects were to extend over Germany, and her more northern vicinity, her influence and power, fo much increased by her acquifitions in Poland; on the other fide to make herself miftrefs of the Turkish empire, through the extent of coaft which the fhould then poffefs on the Euxine and the Mediterranean in addition to her maritime territories in the north, fhe proposed to attain a commercial and naval eminence, proportioned to her territorial power, rapidly increase the value of her immense dominions, and become decidedly superior to every other fovereign. The end was grand, nor were the means ill adapted. At peace herself, she had carefully furveyed the circumstances, fituation, and character of other ftates and princes. As the fupreme obftacle to maritime exaltation would be Britain, the confederacy formed against the mistress of the ocean was confonant to her wifhes, and, without open and direct hoftilities, the endeavoured to promote its fuccefs. This naturally produced a connection between her and XXXIII. 1784. and France, the ancient ally of Turkey, the chief CHAP. object of Catharine's ambition. The fagacious empréfs, penetrating into the characters of other princes, availed herself of either their strength or weakness, and applied to their ruling paffions to gratify her own. The king of Pruffia, fhe well knew, the never could render an inftrument for ef fecting her purposes, though fhe might procure him as a co-adjutor when co-operation with Ruffia fuited his own. She was aware that he would inftantly dive into her defigns, and effectually obftru&t them if they were likely ever remotely to interfere with his interefts. Befides, in her principal scheme, his co-operation could not directly advance her defigns, even if he were fo difpofed. From the fituation and power of his dominions, the emperor would be the most effectual auxiliary; and to his perfonal character, she did not doubt fhe could apply with fuccefs. Jofeph was fond of diftinction, without the means of acquiring it by great and meritorious qualities. Ardently defirous of increasing his power, without folid and vigorous capacity to gratify his favourite paffion, he was one of thofe fecondary characters, bustling, busy, and active, which in all ages and ranks have been efficacious tools, moved and guided by fuperior ability. Jofeph, the well knew, from his power and vicinity, would be a most useful inftrument in her defigns upon Turkey, either of encroachment, which the at the time meditated, or of fubjugation, which though at a more diftant period fhe no less firmly intended. That fhe might the more readily win over Jofeph to fecond her views, in the year 1780 fhe requested Character and projects of the em peror Jo teph. XXXIII. 2784. Catharine courts his alliance, CHAP. requested a perfonal conference; they met at Mohilof, and there Catharine thoroughly confirmed the opinion which she had conceived of his abilities and character, and after having impreffed him with the highest opinion of her own genius and accomplishments, she appeared to make him the repository of her most secret defigns. She represented to him the advantages that would accrue to both empires from a close political union; and the practicability that, by fuch a connection, they might share the fpoils of Turkey, and each acquiring both an extenfive and productive acceffion of dominions contiguous to their respective territories, their concert, when so increased in power, would enable them to direct the affairs of the German empire. Jofeph very readily acceded, both to the expediency of the object, and feasibility of the plan. It was agreed that Catharine fhould return to her capital, and that Jofeph, after making a circuitous tour through the Ruffian provinces, fhould repair to Peterfand a treaty burgh. There they more completely digested their schemes, and a firm alliance was established between the two imperial fovereigns. is concluded. Catharine's invafion of Catharine found that from the late ceffions in the Crimea. Turkey fhe derived great and rapid advantages; her commerce on the Black Sea daily extended its progrefs; the Ruffian veffels paffed the Dardanelles, and went to traffic at Aleppo, at Smyrna, and in the Italian ports. By fo great and increafing benefits, the defire of Catharine was inflamed to extend the kind of poffeffions from which they arofe. The Crimea, fo well known in ancient hiftory and poetry as the Taurica Cherfonefus, the fcene XXXIII. 1784 fcene of exquifite tragedy, is a peninfula which CHAP. projects into the Euxine from the Palus Mœotis, or the sea of Azoff. This country, celebrated for its fertility and commerce, and filled with populous towns and cities, was formerly a dependency upon Turkey, and had been, at the last peace, declared to be a neutral principality, under one of the Tartarian khans, or chieftains. The emprefs ftudiously fomented diffenfions between the ruling prince and his brother, a pretender to the fovereignty, expecting that the former, whom the profeffed to favour and protect, would implore her affiftance, and thus afford a pretext for fending Ruffian troops into the Crimea. The Tartar folicited the affiftance of Catharine, as that ambitious princefs defired. The emprefs, fecure of meeting no interruption from Joseph, and well-knowing the feeblenefs of the Turks, invaded the peninsula with a powerful army, ftill profeffing that her intention was to relieve the khan. She left him the fhadow of power; but taking all the substance to herself, she became abfolute mistress of the Crimea. Having afcertained the fuccefs of the iniquitous invasion, the published one of those ma- that country. nifestoes, in which modern aggreffors and conquerors render due homage in words to that justice and rectitude which THEIR ACTIONS are grófsly violating. In this curious monument of imperial reafoning the affirmed, that her fucceffes in the late war had given her a right to the Crimea, which from her fincere defire of peace fhe had facrificed to the wishes of the Ottoman Porte; that he had proposed the happiness of the Crimeans by procuring to them liberty and independence, under the Seizure of XXXIII. 1784 CHAP. the authority of a chief elected by themselves. But those benevolent wifhes had been grievoufly disappointed revolt and rebellion had arifen; to fupprefs which, and restore tranquillity and happinefs, from the fame philanthropic motives the had been induced, at a very great expence of money and lofs of troops, to interfere, for the beneficent purpose of preventing the recurrence of such evils; and had undertaken, once for all, the firm refolution of terminating the troubles of the Crimea. The measures which he had employed, the manifefto farther affirmed, were alfo intended to perpetuate the peace between Ruffia and the Porte. In this bountiful difplay of virtue, feeking the temporal comforts of its objects, Catharine did not forget. their eternal happiness, and promised her new fubjects a full and free toleration of their religion. The Turks were extremely enraged at this ufurpation of Catharine, but did not at that time conceive themselves strong enough to commence hoftilities. Me fures of internal im Meanwhile the emprefs was engaged in improvprovement. ing her own country, and in connecting herself more closely with Jofeph. In pursuing the former of these objects, fhe promoted manufactures, trade, voyages, and expeditions of discovery; particularly for exploring the refources of thofe dominions which were remote from the metropolis, and not under her own immediate infpection. She endeavoured as much as poffible to facilitate communication between diftant parts of Ruffia, and especially by water conveyance. She had projected to open a naviga tion between the White Sea and the Baltic, by a line of canals which should join the gulph of Fin land, |