THE PAGET PAPERS

BERLIN

JULY 1794 TO JANUARY 1795

iETAT. 23

Mr. Paget having been, as stated in the biographical
notice, temporarily attached to Mr. Ewart's Mission at
Berlin at the end of 1791 or beginning of 1792, was
towards the close of the latter year appointed as Secretary
of Legation at St. Petersburg, and at once proceeded to
that post; where he remained until the spring of 1794.

While serving at St. Petersburg, he was fortunate
enough to acquire the warm friendship of his chief, Sir
Charles Whitworth, and to preserve this friendship, as
well as the high opinion of Sir Charles as to his diplomatic
capacity and abilities, as is evinced in the numerous
letters addressed to him by that distinguished diplo¬
matist.

Being in a subordinate position, Mr. Paget was, of
course, engaged in no official correspondence on his own
account during his first residence at Berlin or at St.
Petersburg.

Towards the end of 1793, the Prussians began to show
symptoms of an inclination to back out of their alliance
with Great Britain and the other Powers against France,
and Lord Malmesbury was despatched on a special
mission to Berlin with a view to induce His Prussian
Majesty to fulfil his engagements. It at once became
evident thattheobjectof Prussia was to obtain pecuniary
assistance, without  which, the King frankly informed

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