his views, but the ambassadors were held back by Carmarthen. The
cabinet, Harris declared, was wholly occupied by domestic matters.[200]

In May, 1785, it was evident that Austria was in accord with France, and
the cabinet inquired what Frederick's intentions were, hoping that his
desire that England would join in preventing the Bavarian exchange would
induce him to oppose the ambitious designs of France, and to form a
union of defence.[201] Frederick spoke freely to Ewart with reference
to the Bavarian exchange, but would promise nothing as regards
Holland.[202] The cabinet then made proposals to Catherine on the basis
of her detaching Austria from France, and the formation of a triple
alliance between England and the two imperial courts for the maintenance
of peace.[203] Catherine replied that she would only agree on condition
that England would not assent to the Furstenbund, which was a menace to
her Austrian ally. Her demand was peremptory and threatening. George
stood firm. The Furstenbund, he wrote to Pitt, concerned his "electoral
capacity," it was a matter of Hanoverian, not of English, politics; he
had already ratified it, and would not retreat.[204] A communication
from the Prussian ambassador led the cabinet in September to send Lord
Cornwallis to Frederick to ascertain his intentions. Frederick declared
that the agreement between himself and England to check France would
mean a general war in which England would have to meet the fleets of
France, Spain, Holland, and perhaps Russia; and he would have on his
hands the armies of France, Austria, and Russia; and that "though such a
contest had been maintained, it was not a game to play often".[205] He
was old and ill, and would not interfere. The action of France in
negotiating the treaty of Fontainebleau strengthened the French party in
Holland; the stadholder was forced to quit the Hague, but was supported
by some of the other provinces. Frederick the Great died on August 17,
1786. The fortunes of the Orange party were at low ebb. France supplied
the patriots with money; free corps were acting on their side; the
stadholder was suspended from his office, and French agents advocated
its abolition. It seemed as though Holland would become mistress of the
Dutch republic and France the ruler of Holland.

[Sidenote: _THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE._]

The new Prussian king, Frederick William II., the brother of the
Princess of Orange, deserted the purely German policy of Fr