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126 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
‘nances, which will aftonifh the world, as foon as this court has an opportunity of fhevw-
ing its power. I do not believe it wants as much time as Ruffia wanted when it begun
the laft war to be a full match for the Turks. As the revenue of Great Britain was
nearly equal to that of this country, previous to the breaking out of this war, but has
been a little leffened by the lofs of America, Auftria has no rival to fear, even at pre-
fent, but France; but the former is a rifing power, and in fifty years time the two
crowns will be nearly equally ftrong. Though it be true, that Ruffia does contain fome
millions of men more than the Auftrian monarchy, there are amongft the former fe-
veral Kamtfchatdales, Samoides, and Laplanders, who are of little more political eftima-
tion than their cattle. Both powers are making halty ftrides to greatnefs, and in the
next century will probably play the parts which France and England played from the
end of the laft to the middle of this, that is, the quiet and balance of Europe will de-
pend upon them. This court will not fuffer the Ruflian to take one ftep, without taking
the fame, or perhaps two, as was the cafe in the partition of Poland, which I now know
for certain, originated in this country. Ruiflia bore all the expences of the Turkifh,
or to fay better, of the Polifh war ; and when matters came toa divifion, Auftria gained
more than Ruflia and Pruffia together. The Auftrian part of Poland, together with
Bukowina, which was taken from the Turks, is not larger than the fhare which Rufha
had; but it contains more men, and produces at leaft half as much again as the Ruffian
and Pruffian parts put together. According to the beft accounts, the Ruffian part con-
tains only two millions one hundred thoufand, and the Pruffian fix hundred and fifty
thoufand ; whereas in the Auftrian, as I have {tated them, there are two millions eight
hundred thoufand fouls. Befides this larger population, Auftria has likewile the advan-
tage of the very produtive falt-works of Wielitfka, and the greatelt part of Poland is.
dependent upon it for this neceflary of life. ‘The ftrength of Auftria is compact ; but
that of Ruffiais broken. They talk here of a partition of Turkey, as a thing refolved
on by the two Imperial courts, and even the public papers begin to mention it; but I
do not believe it, as it is well known that there wasa plan of the fame kind formed by
the two courts in the year 1730. Should there, however, be any thing in it, and fhould
not our court have a power to conjure the ftorm, this would probably be the laft treaty
of friendfhip between Auftria and Ruffia; for as foon as the Porte fhall be deftroyed,
and the two Chriftian empires have their limits on the berders of the Black Sea, they
mutt of neceflity grow jealous of each other, as with refpeét to trade, and other circum-
ftances, they will be exaétly in the fame fituation as France and Great Britain were in,
with regard to each other.
LETTER XXXVI.
Vienna. .
BY degrees the Emperor begins to fhew a little of the plan which he has fo long kept
concealed in his own breaft. You mutt not expec me to give you a circumftantial ac-
count of the new regulations which have appeared, or will appear in future. I think of
leaving this town next week ; but you will have quicker and more complete intelligence
from the newfpapers, than I can give you on mytravels. Certainly our chafte French
Gazette is not the channel to convey matters of this kind to you; it will indeed inform
you very circumftantially, that the Emperor went one day to church, another day a hunt-
ing, and a third to the concert ; that he let his hand be kiffed, and what coat, or great
coat he wore in one and the other place. You will net hear by thischannel, of the
- Jaws
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