Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 42. (1992)

BLACK, Jeremy: British policy towards Austria, 1780–1793

BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS AUSTRIA, 1780-93

willing to accept any Austrian infringement of the Imperial constitution9). British ministers hoped for realignments in the European system, produced either by diplomatic disagreements or by domestic changes. George III, who in 1770 had told the Sardinian and Austrian envoys that the efforts of the former to get the latter a good lodging recalled to his mind with pleasure the old system, expressed the hope in

1771 that the replacement of Choiseul by Aiguillon would harm Austro- French relations10). Rochford, concerned about the possibility that Austria would exchange the Austrian Netherlands for Corsica or allow France to occupy the Flemish forts11), nevertheless also hoped that Austria would be driven by improved relations between France, Prussia and Russia, to seek British assistance. Conversely it was suggested in 1772 that co-operation between the eastern powers might weaken the Aus- tro-French alliance. These hopes were deceptive in so far as better An- glo-Austrian relations were concerned, but it is clear that they did not end British aspirations. George III told the Sardinian envoy in October

1772 that he did not think that the Austro-Prussian alliance would last and that he hoped that eventually the old system would reemerge, a system which he declared was his preference as the surest, justest and best for Europe. The Queen repeated these points12).

However, though the alliance of the three partitioning powers did not last it became clear that Britain would not benefit. Keenly observant of the state of Austro-French relations, British ministers soon realised that they had survived French hostility to the First Partition of Poland13) and were reduced to looking forward to the death of Maria Theresa. Stormont, then envoy in Paris, reported in 1774, „The French certainly consider the Emperor as no friend to them.“ Stormont added his hope that Joseph’s ‘reign will restore the old system, the only one in my poor opinion, on which the Liberties of Europe can stand secure. All the rest seems to me patch-work, and the expedient of a day.’ Items favourable to Joseph appeared in the British press. One such, dealing with his lack

9) Haslang, Bavarian envoy in London, to Max III Joseph, 19 Jan. 1770,29 May, 3 June 1772, Baumgarten, Bavarian foreign minister, to Haslang, 16, 30 Ap. 1772, Haslang to Beckers, Palatine foreign minister, 28 Ap. 1772: Hauptstaatsarchiv Munich, Gesandtschaften (hereafter HStA Munich Ges.) London 248, 250.

10) Scarnafls to Charles Emmanuel III, 26 Oct. 1770,23 July 1771: AS Torino LMIng. 76-77.

11) Scarnafis to Charles Emmanuel III, 12 Ap., 2 Aug. 1771: AS Torino LM Ing. 77.

12) Scarnafis to the Sardinian foreign minister, 10 Dec. 1771, Scarnafis to Charles Emmanuel III, 6 Dec. 1771, 5 June, 2 Oct. 1772 AS Torino LM Ing. 77-78; Gamier, French envoy in London, to D’Aiguillon, 9 Oct. 1772: AE Paris CP Angleterre 500 fol. 172.

13) Scarnafis to Charles Emmanuel III, 4 Dec. 1772: AS Torino LM Ing. 78; Haslang to Beckers, 15, 29 Mar. 1774: HStA Munich Ges. London 252.

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