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COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 777
that His Majefty would find there an afylum, where the Emprefs’s troops could not
penetrate, and from whence he might, in cafe of extreme neceflity, efcape by fea to his
dominions in Holftein. In confequence of this reprefentation, the Emperor ordered
the Holftein troops, who were on their march to Peterhof, to return to. Oranienbaum ;
but, by an unaccountable fatality, protracted his departure till near midnight. On his
arrival at the harbour, the imperial boat was refufed admittance by the centinels, who
objected to the latenefs of the hour; and when it was reprefented to them that the Em-
peror was on board, they {till perfifted in their refufal, and threatened to fire from the
batteries if the yeflel did not inftantly retire.
This unexpected reception was occafioned by the follwing circumftances. General
Devier, on his arrival at Cronftadt, took the command of the fortrefs; perceiving that
the garrifon had no knowledge of the revolution, he was unwilling to give alarm by
{preading the report, and thought it more advifable to wait for the Emperor’s appear-
ance before he attempted to fecure the fidelity of the garrifon, or iflued orders hoftile to
the party of the Emprefs. During this interval, admiral Taliezen came to Cronftadt ;
he was difpatched from Peterfburgh by the Emprefs, who had forgotten, in the firft”
hurry of the revolution, to fecure that important fortrefs; and was now fent, if not too
late*, for that purpofe. Being admitted without oppofition, and perceiving the fitu-
ation of affairs, he inftantly commanded the arreft of General Devier, which was in-
{tantly obeyed ; the marines and failors being more inclined to execute the orders of an
admiral than thofe of a general. Having fecured the general’s perfon, he announced
to the garrifon the revolution at Peterfburgh: the Emperor, he faid, is depofed; the
army and fenate have declared for Catharine, and all oppofition will be fruitlefs and
dangerous. Thefe arguments, joined toa large quantity of {pirituous liquors, produced
the defired effe& ; and Catharine was proclaimed Emprefs. Thus a place of fo much
importance as to have delayed, if not prevented, the final fuccefs of the infurrection, was
feized by admiral Taliezen without oppofition. — ”
On this difappointment, Peter’s only remaining refource was to crowd fait for the’
Gulf of Bothnia, and feek an afylum in Sweden; from whence he might penetrate to
his army in Pomerania, or to his dominions in Holftein. But it was the fate of the
unfortunate monarch to act no decifive part in this important crifist: {till flattering
* Confidering the great importance of Cronftadt, this negleét feems hardly credible; but I was informed
from very good authority, that fo late as ten in the morning no ftep had been taken at Peterfburgh towards
obtaining pofleflion of that fortrefs. About that time a private perfon mentioned it by chance to one of
the principal infurgents, who, without delay, acquainted the Emprefs. She, confcious of its great import-
ance, immediatcly difpatched admiral Taliezen. It was pait eleven before he left Peterfburgh, and as he
went by water, the diftance being twenty miles, it muft have been pat three before he arrived at Cronitadt.
The diftance from Peterhof to the fame place being only fix miles, the Emperor might have arrived there
long before Taliezen.
+ A note from the Earl of Buckinghamfhire to the Earl of Hardwicke, will thew that the misfortunes
of the Emperor, arofe from his want of refolution as well as from treachery. /
April 16, 1766.
Many ladies, fome of whom were wives to perfons engaged in the confpiracy, attended the Emperor to
Cronitadt, and their tears and terrors added to his irrefolution. I have had account of what pafled frem
almoft all of them, and they were too much frightened to be confiftent in their relations. In two points
_ they allagreed, his timidity, and the reproaches made him by his miftrefs, for not having followed her ad-
vice, and prevented all mifchief by confining the Emprefs. One expreffion they in general fay fhe made
ufe of. Thou fool, (Durach) had you complied with my requeft, and fhut up this bad woman, the ruin
of this day had never fallen upon us.”? Panin and Villebois were the only men of confequence amongit
them ; for, notwithitanding all the aflertions to the contrary, I know the Hetman did rot engage in the
defign till the morning it took effect, and even then he was not without difficulty perfuaded to aét the part
he did.
VoL. VI. 5c himfelf
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