I have the honor to be, &c.
FRANCIS DANA.
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
St Petersburg, July 1st, 1783.
Sir,
I do myself the honor to write you by this day's post, merely to let you know, that we have not yet received an account of the conclusion of the definitive treaty of peace, and of course, that I remain in the same state as at the date of my last. Her Imperial Majesty set off last Friday to meet the King of Sweden at Fredericksham, and is expected here again next Friday. The object of this meeting is doubtless such as I have mentioned in my letter of June 17th. The King of Sweden has a well appointed army of more than ten thousand men near his frontiers in Finland, and the Russian army, about their frontiers, is said to be greater. The two Sovereigns have been putting their possessions in that quarter into a better state of defence for some time. Sweden has been engaged in completing the fortress of Sweaborg, near Helsingfors, which is said to be an exceeding strong place.
These preparations do not indicate, certainly, hostile intentions on either part. They are such as common prudence, with the most pacific dispositions, might render indispensable in the present prospect of a war with Turkey. Should this empire prove unsuccessful in that, there is little reason to doubt that Sweden would seize upon such an occasion, to recover the territories which have been conquered from it. Or if the Emperor should take a part in the Turkish war, of which there seems to be much doubt at present, and thereby engage Prussia, France, and perhaps, Spain in it, it is highly probable in that case, that Sweden would not long remain inactive. It cannot now be long before the point will be decided, whether we shall have a general war on the continent of Europe or not.
We shall have a great change in the course of the summer, in the diplomatic corps here. The Minister of Spain has lately gone away, leaving a Chargé d'Affaires. The Ministers of France, Portugal, and Denmark, are about doing the same. The Minister of England will be succeeded by another of the same class, as also the Minister of Naples. Besides these changes, a Minister is coming from the Republic of Venice. France, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden, will be represented here by Chargés d'Affaires, and, if I might offer my opinion upon the matter, when the United States shall have made their commercial treaty with this empire, a Chargé d'Affaires would answer every useful purpose they can have in view at the Court. Every day's experience convinces me, that they cannot decently maintain a Minister of the second class at this Court, under an appointment of £3000 sterling per annum, and that it would be a very useless expense for them, as a Chargé d'Affaires may be well supported upon half that sum. I have not received any letter from you later than ——, nor has the confederation or the constitutions of the several States, which you say you have sent me, and which would be very acceptable to me, ever come to hand, and as you have not mentioned through what channel you sent them, I know not where to apply for them. I have written to Paris and Holland for them in vain.
I have the honor to be, &c.
FRANCIS DANA.