will make himself acquainted as secretly as possible with the success of that minister’s negotiations for the troops with which England is to be supplied, and with the number of troops that Russia has actually at command; with the condition of her fleets, her ships and galleys; with the state of her finance, commerce, and the disposition of the nation towards the present ministry; the degree of Count Bestoujeff’s influence; that of Count Woronzoff; of the Empress’ favourites, whether in affairs of State or in the pursuit of pleasure; their probable influence on ministers; the concord or jealousy that exists amongst ministers, and their bearing towards the favourites; with the fate of Prince Ivan, the late Tzar, and of the Duke of Brunswick, his father; the affection of the nation towards the Grand Duke of Russia, and especially since the birth of his son; whether Prince Ivan has secret partisans, and if they are supported by England; the desire of the Russians to live in peace, and of their disinclination for war, more especially in Germany; the views of Russia in regard to Poland, for the present, and in whatsoever eventuality in the future; with her projects on Sweden; with the impression produced by the death of the Sultan Mahmoud, and Osman’s accession to the throne; with her conduct in regard to the Porte; with the causes that have led to the recall from the Ukraine of Count Razoumoffsky, hetman of Cossacks; with what is thought of the loyalty of those people, and the manner in which they are treated by the Court of Petersburg; with the Empress’ sentiments towards France, and those with which she is in all probability inspired by her ministry, to prevent her from renewing correspondence with his Majesty; with the factions by which the Court may be divided; with those of her subjects, male or female, in whom the Empress is able to confide; with her sentiments and those of her ministers towards the Courts of Vienna and London; with all, in short, that can be of interest to his Majesty’s service, and satisfy his curiosity. He will obtain all this information so far as such an uncommunicative country will allow him to. He will take notes on all these subjects to serve for a memoir which he will draw up, and send to France only after he will have quitted Russia, unless the Swedish minister at Petersburg, who will receive instructions to forward despatches to Stockholm by courier, should send any to Sweden. He must never risk anything through the ordinary post except notice of his arrival, and a report of the progress he is making in obtaining information as required above; and to do this he must employ, in a few words, figurative language, agreed upon beforehand, and send his letters to addresses with which he will be furnished.