I resolved to form a connection with some of the mercantile houses which maintained extensive and frequent communications with the Northern States.  I knew that by obtaining their confidence I might gain a knowledge of all that was going on in Russia, Sweden, England, and Austria.  Among the subjects upon which it was desirable to obtain information I included negotations, treaties, military measures—­such as recruiting troops beyond the amount settled for the peace establishment, movements of troops, the formation of camps and magazines, financial operations, the fitting-out of ships, and many other things, which, though not important in themselves, frequently lead to the knowledge of what is important.

I was not inclined to place reliance on all public reports and gossiping stories circulated on the Exchange without close investigation; for I wished to avoid transmitting home as truths what might frequently be mere stock-jobbing inventions.  I was instructed to keep watch on the emigrants, who were exceedingly numerous in Hamburg and its neighbourhood, Mecklenburg, Hanover, Brunswick, and Holstein; but I must observe that my inspection was to extend only to those who were known to be actually engaged in intrigues and plots.

I was also to keep watch on the state of the public mind, and on the journals which frequently give it a wrong direction, and to point out those articles in the journals which I thought censurable.  At first I merely made verbal representations and complaints, but I could not always confine myself to this course.  I received such distinct and positive orders that, in spite of myself, inspection was speedily converted into oppression.  Complaints against the journals filled one-fourth of my despatches.

As the Emperor wished to be made acquainted with all that was printed against him, I sent to Paris, in May 1805, and consequently a very few days after my arrival in Hamburg, a pamphlet by the celebrated Kotzebue, entitled ‘Recollections of my Journey to Naples and Rome’.  This publication, which was printed at Berlin, was full of indecorous attacks and odious allusions on the Emperor.

I was informed at that time, through a certain channel, that the Emperor Alexander had solicited General Moreau to enter his service, and take the command of the Russian infantry.  He offered him 12,000 roubles to defray his travelling expenses.  At a subsequent period Moreau unfortunately accepted these offers, and died in the enemy’s ranks.

On the 27th of June M. Bouligny arrived at Hamburg.  He was appointed to supersede M. d’Ocariz at Stockholm.  The latter minister had left Hamburg on the 11th of June for Constantinople, where he did not expect to stay three months.  I had several long conversations with him before his departure, and he did not appear to be satisfied with his destination.  We frequently spoke of the King of Sweden, whose conduct M. d’Ocariz blamed.  He was, he said, a