d
Russia ought then to have nearly half a million of men on foot.[748]

* * * * *

Pitt's eagerness to receive news from Harrowby appears in the closing
phrases of his letter of 29th November to that envoy: "We are counting
moments till we hear in what state you found things on your arrival [at
Berlin], and what has been Haugwitz's reception at the French
headquarters." Again, on 5th December, he sent off to him a letter,
which as being the last of any importance written by him at Downing
Street, must be given in full:

Downing St. _Dec. 5th, 1805_.

DEAR HARROWBY,

I am grieved to hear by your letter of the 24th that you had
been so much persecuted by headaches, and that you had allowed
the secret article of Potsdam [_sic_] to give you so much
uneasiness. You must I am sure be satisfied that the way in
which you have treated it is _the best possible_, because it
gives no hopes of the thing being consented to, and at the same
time avoids the necessity of any formal and official negative.
The great object I think is that Prussia should if possible,
decide on the result of Ct Haugwitz's mission, without giving
to the evil councillors of the King of Prussia the advantage of
stating to him that this object is precluded for ever. At the
same time we cannot in good faith give the least assurance that
it is likely to be ever attainable. Woronzow [Vorontzoff] who
has been in town for ten days but is gone again, writes to
Alopeus that he has received from him the _memoire raisonne_ on
the exchange of Hanover, but cannot present it to us till he has
orders to do so from his own Court. We are therefore supposed to
know nothing more of the matter.

On the whole state of things, you will perhaps be angry with me
for saying that my hopes are still sanguine. I think I see great
chance of Prussia agreeing to co-operate either for a definite
object or a limited time, in return for subsidies and for our
assurance (which you know to be a very sincere one) of wishing
to procure for them important acquisitions. The question of
Hanover may I think be left aloof. As to plans of operations, it
is almost idle to say anything. But you will have seen that we
think the first and _essential_ point is to act (as Prussia
seems to intend) with a force s