584 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



most prejudicial influence from 

 the shutting of the continental 

 ports, whicii was represented as 

 one of the means for obtaining a 

 general peace. The annexation of 

 the Hanse Towns and contiguous 

 provinces to the French empire, 

 became afterwards a most heavy 

 burthen, with regard to the com- 

 mercial intercourse with Germany. 

 Its effects extended even to lite- 

 rary connections. Earnest pro- 

 fessions, which were frequently 

 renewed, had given hopes that 

 these obstacles, which were so 

 directly contrary to the good un- 

 derstanding which his Majesty did 

 all in his power to remain in with 

 the French goverment, would 

 have been removed, but these 

 hopes always remained unfulfilled. 

 Whilst the French army was re- 

 treating in the winter between 

 1812 and 1813, the imperial 

 troops, which, according to a 

 particular agreement, were to have 

 remained for the protection of the 

 frontiers of Holstein, were drawn 

 away. As the French government 

 had at the same time declared its 

 intention of entering into negocia- 

 tions for peace with all its ene- 

 mies, the King deemed it import- 

 ant for him to make overtures of 

 peace to Great Britain. The 

 alliance with France was now be- 

 come of no utility. The King 

 would willingly have prevented the 

 cities of Hamburgh and Lubeck 

 from again falling ihto the hands 

 of the French, in order to keep 

 the war from his own frontiers, 

 and save from destruction those 

 cities whose mterests stood in such 

 direct connection with those of 

 his subjects ; but his Majesty was 

 obliged to desist from the prosecu- 

 tion of this plan : his interests, 



therefore, required that he should- 

 accept the offer made him, of re- 

 newing the alliance with France, 

 and to give it a larger extension, 

 in order to assure him of a power- 

 ful assistance against those sove- 

 reigns who had not hesitated to 

 declare that they would support 

 the demands of Sweden, which 

 were so inimical to the integrity of 

 his States. 



The King, on his part, consci- 

 entiously performed the stipula- 

 tions of the treaty. Whilst his 

 auxiliary troops were fighting by 

 the side of the French, they re- 

 cieved only a part of the pay, 

 which, according to the agree- 

 ment, was their due ; and his Ma- 

 jesty's subjects suffered a conside- 

 rable loss, as well by the embargo 

 laid on iheir property, which was 

 deposited in the cities of Lubeck 

 and Hamburgh, of which the 

 French government took to itself 

 the privilege of disposal, as by 

 taking away the funds of the Bank 

 in the last-mentioned city. The 

 promises of restoration given, in 

 consequence of the complaints 

 thereon made, remained, equally 

 with the reclamations made on 

 the subject, without effect. 



It was assured by the treaty, 

 that 20,000 men should be in rea- 

 diness, tb protect the Duchies and 

 Jutland ; but Marshal d'Eckmuhl 

 quitted the position which covered 

 those provinces, and retreated with 

 all the troops under his command 

 to Hamburgh, leaving the King's 

 troops to their fate, and who were 

 not able to withstand the superior 

 force which was moving forward 

 to effect an entrance into the coun- 

 try. The enemy's irruption into 

 the Duchiies, together tvith the 

 loss of the fortresses, was followed 



