English Translation

f6 -25 _ 1) The trade agreement of 1766 With the takeover of the government by Catherine II comes a huge upswing in Russian foreign policy. Very soon the governments of the other countries realized that a clever and energetic personality had taken the reins and put all their ambition to make Russia the leading great power on the continent. It has achieved, in its long-standing and successful government, that Russia from a purely Eastern European state has become a power that is decisive for the whole of European politics. Also in the Russian-English relations comes a new move: an unconditional striving of Russia for an independent policy, determined only by Russia's wishes. Catherine's first years of government are fulfilled by negotiations between Russia and England for the renewal of the two expired treaties, the alliance agreement of l742, which until 1759, and the trade agreement of 1734, which had been limited until 1749. As since the days of Ivan the Dräuden, the trade contract for England is in the foreground, for Russia the covenant. Following economic concerns, although England has been seeking a renewal of the trade agreement since 19762, it is also prepared to form an alliance, but does not want to be included in Russia's policy of conquest and in no way pledge military support. (T Determined by purely commercial thinking, England is alien to any political system that does not offer it any immediate advantages for its trade. "The keynote to the enthusiastic which sustained the people during their wars with France and Spain for maritime and colonial ascendency was simply trade," says 2) openly the English historian G.B-Hertz. England does not want to accept any far-reaching expenditures for the sake of its objectives, 1) Aleksandrenko, Russkie diplomatiče agenty v Londoně v 18 v.Bd.1, Varžava l897. p.35; Stählin, Geschichte Russ, vol.2, Berlin 1930, p.455, 2)'Hertz, British Imperialism in the Eighteenth Century, London lé08, p.2.