Of Etats-rath Willebrandt it was alleged that he had been so simple and bold as to wish to reform the Admiralty College, without having gained a proper insight of the administration of the navy, much less of the difference in the business of the department during peace and war, as he had solely obeyed the order given him to establish the Admiralty College after the pattern of that of the Generalty. The commissioners, it is true, declared that it was not within their competence to judge the value of a plan which in any case had been approved by his Majesty, and for this reason did not dare to express dissatisfaction with it. Still they thought themselves at liberty to state that which the result proved, that a portion of the plan, owing to Willebrandt's ignorance, produced irregularity and inconveniences, which could only be prevented by alterations and fresh expenses for the king's treasury. After this, an allusion was made to the affair with the enrolled sailors, who marched on Hirschholm in 1771. Willebrandt's offence, therefore—the report went on to say—consisted in his having undertaken to reform things of which he had no thorough knowledge, and he thus produced scenes which might easily have had dangerous consequences. It was not mentioned in the report, however, that the king had given him this order, that Count Haxthausen took part in it, and that both, when they drew up the plan, expressly requested that the new scheme might be previously examined by professional men.
Professor Berger, the physician in ordinary, also appeared to the commission to have committed an offence. It was true that all the medicines found in his house proved to be innocuous; there was no proof that the steel cure attempted on his Majesty was improper; in the matter of the rearing of the crown prince he had not agreed in all points with Struensee, but rather had been the cause that warmer clothing and better food were granted his royal highness toward the close: it was also true that he expressed his anger at Struensee having acquired a power which he considered prejudicial to the nation; but he had given serious offence by concurring with Struensee, and giving his advice and propositions in reforms of which he probably knew nothing, more especially in things which did not concern his trade as physician, or the res literariæ generally. As a proof of this, it was alleged that he had proposed some persons to fill the places of the dismissed members of the magistracy, and that Struensee requested him to mention a person who would be suitable for the chief post in the navy yards. Still the commission would not venture to judge of the use or disadvantage of such propositions, as the papers found on the accused and the other prisoners, on which their argument must be founded, contained no information about them.
This was everything that could be brought against a professional man, who, in spite of his zealous attention to the king's health, and his well-earned reputation, was dragged to the fortress, and, like a murderer, prohibited the use of knife and fork, and was not allowed to shave himself, or sleep on his own mattress.
If the conduct of the commission had hitherto retained a varnish of justice, the royal resolution, minuted by Councillor of Conference Schumacher, and issued on May 18, was a strange proof of tyranny, which smote truth on the face with open falsehoods. For it was stated in this resolution, that the persons who had been guilty of the "smallest crimes" should be punished in the following way:—
Frau von Gähler would be set at liberty, but must refrain from appearing at court so long as her husband's affair was not concluded.
Rear-Admiral Hansen and Lieutenant Aboe would be discharged from arrest, and report themselves to the Admiralty College, where they would learn the king's commands with respect to them.
Legations-rath Sturtz would also be released from arrest, and ordered to proceed to Holstein. He would retain his pension of 500 dollars, which had been granted him by the royal resolution of January 26, but must expend it away from the court.
Etats-rath Willebrandt, after being discharged, would proceed to one of the small towns in Seeland, where an annual pension of 300 dollars would be paid him.
Professor Berger, lastly, after being set at liberty, would go to Aalborg, in northern Jütland, where a pension of 300 dollars would be paid him, until a post of provincial surgeon became vacant in Jütland.