Osten's appointment was regarded as a notable accession of strength to Struensee's administration. His knowledge of Russian affairs was unrivalled--a great advantage at this juncture--and Gunning, the English envoy, who had a high opinion of the new foreign minister's abilities, seems to have thought that he would not only restore friendly relations with Russia, but would aid him in bringing about an alliance between England and Denmark. "I think him well qualified for the post he is in," he wrote, "and the only one here capable of retrieving the affairs of this unhappy country."[150] Osten, who had to take office on Struensee's terms, was really desirous of establishing good relations with Russia, and one of his first acts was to write a statesmanlike despatch to St. Petersburg, "with such representations as he hoped would dispel the Empress's scruples regarding the late transactions of this court, would explain all suspicious appearances, and satisfy her Imperial Majesty".[151] [150] Gunning's despatch, Copenhagen, April 4, 1771. [151] _Ibid._, January 1, 1771. Though Osten's despatch was treated with more respect by the court of St. Petersburg than the King of Denmark's [so-called] letter, the Empress refused to be mollified. Her pride had been wounded by the flouting of her representative at Copenhagen, but as her interference in the internal affairs of the Danish court had been quite unwarranted, she could not well ascribe her resentment to the fact that it was no longer permitted. She therefore seized upon Osten's appointment as an excuse for maintaining her irreconcilable attitude, and declared that if the conduct of foreign affairs continued in the hands of that "vile and odious person," she would break the treaty of 1768, and end all negotiations with Denmark. Osten did not heed the Empress's abuse; he knew from experience that her outbursts of passion did not last long, and believed that in time she would take a more reasonable view. But Rantzau and Gahler urged Struensee to anticipate Russia by a declaration of war, and Struensee was half-persuaded, for he knew that at the moment Russia was unprepared. Osten used all his eloquence to convince Struensee of the folly of such a proceeding, which would give offence to England as well, and probably bring the King of Prussia into the quarrel. In this he was ably supported by Falckenskjold, who had great knowledge of Russian affairs, but for a time it seemed that Osten would not succeed. As Gunning wrote: "The hopes I for some time entertained of Mr. Osten gaining a proper ascendency over the Favourite are not greatly raised by the manner in which I see the former is obliged to act. It seems to manifest Mr. Struensee's aim, whom every circumstance deigns to favour, to grasp the whole power of the administration into his own hands, and as his experience in business is of a very short date, so long as Count Osten's knowledge and abilities