1720.

which the Czar gave to the Nobility and Gentry for that and the two following Days, and in which the Mock-Czar and the Mock-Patriarch performed their Parts, according to their different Characters. There was likewife a Medal ftruck on Account of this Victory, on one Side of which was the Buft of his Czarifh Majefty, and on the Reverse the Reprefentation of a Naval Fight, and this Infcription: Prudence and Valour furmount all Obstacles. His Majefty alfo, to encourage his Subjects in doing their Duty, when the like Opportunities offered, made a Prefent to Prince Galiczin of a Sword fet with Diamonds, valued at thirty thousand Florins, and diftributed a Sum of Money to the fame Amount among thofe Officers and Soldiers who had fignalized their Valour.

The Land Forces remained not inactive this while Prince Galiczin had in vain attempted an Invafion in Sweden as foon as the Froft broke, and advanced with his Gallies as far as Aland, from whence he fent Brigadier Famerdins, who came back without doing any thing, being prevented from paffing the BothnickGulph by the Ice: However, this Expedition was not altogether ufelefs, fince it drew on that Side all the Attention of the Enemy, and thereby favoured the Execution of another Defign, with which the Prince charged Brigadier Mengden, who embarked at Wafa, on the Gallies, with about five thousand Men, with whom he failed directly for the new Town of Uma in Lapland. At his Approach the Swedes immediately retired, and the Coffacks, who firft landed, took four Officers and feveral Soldiers, that were in an advanced Poft, Prifoners.

The

The Ravages

The Ruffians afterwards fet fire to the new 1720. Town, in which there were several Magazines, and, penetrating into the Country on both Sides, of the Ruffians burnt and destroyed two Gentlemen's Country- in Sweden. Seats; forty-one Villages, containing above a thousand Houses; seventeen Mills, one hundred and thirteen Magazines, and other Buildings. After this Expedition, the Detachment returned to Wafa, loaded with Spoil, and without fuffering the leaft Lofs. The Swedes on their Side, made a Defcent on the Ifle of Nargen, but did no great Damage there.

During these Hoftilities his Czarifh Majefty, The Czar to return the Compliment he had received from fends an Erthe King of Sweden, named Adjutant-General voy to Sweden, to congratulate Romanzoff to go to Stockholm, to felicitate his Majesty on that Prince on his Acceffion to the Throne, his Acceffion and to let him know how true an Efteem he to the Throne; had always had for his Perfon, and how earneftly he defired to find in him the fame Inclination to Peace that he had himself. Befides this Commiffion, he had Orders, if he found a favourable Opportunity, to propofe an Exchange of Prifoners, and a Sufpenfion of Arms for the Winter Seafon.

This Envoy was received at Stockholm with as much Splendor as that of his Swedish Majesty at Petersburgh: When he had delivered his Commiffion, he was answered in the most gracious Terms; he afterwards made the particular Pro- who makes pofitions with which he was charged to Count fome Propof.ls Horn, Prefident of the Chancery; but without for a SufpenSuccefs; for the Count anfwered him, that the and and ExKing could not confent to an Exchange of change of Pri Prisoners, at least till a Cartel was fettled both foners, for the prefent and for the Time to come, upon which are rejected;

R 4

which

fion of Arms,

1720.

which he had no Inftructions: As to the Sufpenfion of Arms, the Swedes thought it needlefs, fince the Winter always put a Stop, as the Count faid, to all Hoftilities in the North; but certainly in this he was much mistaken, for how often has it been seen that the Ruffians and Swedes took Advantage of the Ice; the first to pass the Bothnick Gulph, the other to cross the Sound. The Swedish Minister added, that even if the Armistice required should be agreed to, it would be of no Ufe till the Preliminaries of Peace were fettled. Romanzoff had no Inftructions to go fo far, but answered wifely that the Armistice might not only give Room for Overtures of Peace, but even terminate that great Work; adding, that another Means to contribute towards it would be to re-eftablish a Correfpondence of Letters directly between Ruffia and Sweden; but he fucceeded no better in this laft Propofition than in the two former, which plainly fhewed how little Inclination that Court had for Peace, fince it refufed fo obftinately to enter into any Measures that might conduce to it. Nevertheless, M. Romanzoff had all imaginable Refpect fhewn to him, and as the Czar had kept M. Wirtemberg fome Time at Petersburgh, carrying him with him wherever the Court went, the fame Honours were done in Sweden to M. Romanzoff, who alalways made one in the Court Parties of Pleafure.

The Seafon of the Year now forced Admiral Norris to think of leaving the Baltick, where it may be faid he had done much by fuffering the Ruffians to do nothing. His Czarish Majefty, who did not doubt, on one Side, but

1720.

parations for

this Fleet would return the Year following, and who was convinced, on the other, by the Conduct of the Court of Sweden, that they were to be couftrained to fue for that Peace, which they rejected when offered to them, employed the reft of the Year in making Preparations Upon which for a decifive Campaign; and that he might the Czar con⚫ have the lefs to fear from the British Fleet, he tinues his Preendeavoured, above all Things, to augment his the War, Marine, and put himself in a Condition of facing his Enemies; for which Reason he put upon the Stocks at once eight or ten Ships of the Line, of fixty or eighty Guns each; and was fo vigilant in feeing the Work carried on, that they were all ready and fit for Service the next Summer; but, as we fhall fee by what follows, there was no need of them.

tage of his

This was not the only Care which employed and then turns the Mind of the Czar, who, being perfuaded his Thoughts that the War could not laft long, turned to other Affairs his Thoughts on making Discoveries on the for the AdvanCoaft of the Tartarian-Sea; on establishing a Empire. good Understanding with the Emperor of China, and above all, on bringing to Perfection the Discoveries and Works began in the Mines of Siberia. Those whom he employed in thefe Works were able to affure his Majefty, that he had many and very rich Mines of Gold, Silver, Copper, and Lead in his Dominions, and by the Affays that had been made of the Ores, it was demonftrable that thirty or forty per Cent. Profit might be made by them. His Czarish Majefty made very wife and prudent Regulations for carrying on thefe Works, and fent for able Workmen from England, Hungary, and Sweden, to be employed in them.

The

1720.

Is again afflicted with

the Cholick, but recovers.

The Czar was again, at the Clofe of this Year, as in the laft, attacked with a violent Fit of the Cholick, which made his Life almoft defpaired of; but Heaven ftill preserved him to accomplish the great Work of Peace, to confirm his Conquefts, and farther to establish the ufeful Regulations he had made in his Empire.

M. Stamke, the Minister of the Duke of Holftein, had been fome Time at Petersburgh: This Prince being Son of the eldest Sister of the late King of Sweden, [Charles XII.] pretended a Right to the Crown preferably to the Princefs Ulrica, who was the younger Sifter; but befide a Law which took from him all Claim to it, on Account of his Mother's having married a foreign Prince, the States of Sweden had refumed their antient Right of electing their Kings, by which that of Hereditary Succeffion was abolifhed; but the Duke of Holftein did not care to fubmit to this, yet faw himself fet at a ftill greater Distance from the Throne, by the Ceffion which the Queen had made of the Crown to the Prince of Heffe, her Husband: Nevertheless, he had a Party in Sweden, of whofe good Difpofitions towards him. he was willing to take Advantage, but had not Strength enough to afford them much Affiftance himself; and on the other Hand, the King of Denmark had just taken from him the Dutchy of Slefwick, which was guaranty'd to him by the King of England. In this Embarraffment he was advised to have Recourfe to the Czar, who was the Enemy of Sweden, had but little Reafon to be pleafed with the King of Denmark, as he had lately made a feparate Peace