provinces in Poland were to be merged in a Grand Duchy of Warsaw, to
be ruled by the King of Saxony. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw and the
Kingdom of Westphalia in turn would form part of the Confederation of
the Rhine, which became a colossus that swallowed up all Germany
except Prussia and Austria. Danzig would be a free city but occupied by a
French garrison. There would be a huge war indemnity, and French
troops would remain on Prussian soil until it was paid. Finally, Prussia
agreed to join the Continental System and to recognize the kingdoms of
Westphalia, Holland, Naples and the Confederation of the Rhine.
The Treaty of Tilsit brought Napoleon close to total triumph in
Europe. It was a particular blow to Britain because the Baltic was the
primary source of supplies fo r the Royal Navy: the best timber for masts
came from Russia; the best firs fo r ships' decks came from Russia; 90% of
Britain's hemp came from Russia; and the best underwater planking was
provided by Baltic oak. Russia also supplied most of Britain's tallow, half
her linseed, half her pitch, tar and iron. The rest came fr om Sweden,
which was now firmly in the Russian sphere of influence. It was not
surprising that in 18o7-o8 the British were preoccupied with the Baltic
and entertained particular fears about the Russian and Danish navies: the
Royal Navy maintained a large fleet there in the ice-free summer months
and after 18o8 had twenty battleships and thirty-eight frigates on
permanent station. Even though the Royal Navy gained a striking success
in 1807 with the capture of the 69-strong Danish navy (including sixteen
battleships and ten frigates), that year also saw Britain blundering to
disaster in Buenos Aires, Egypt and the Dardanelles. Not surprisingly,
after Tilsit both George III and Canning were in favour of an
accommodation with Napoleon. For a long time he dithered, then turned
down the offer in 1 8o8 just before he launched into his Spanish
adventure.
Tilsit also completed the alienation of Talleyrand fr om the Emperor.
Two opinions are possible on this. On the one hand the treacherous and
venal Talleyrand was now in the pay of Austria and actively involved in
subverting Napoleon's designs. He surreptitiously urged Alexander to
resist Napoleon 'for the good of all Europe' and advised him that the
notables in France were happy with the natural frontiers and wanted no
part of the Emperor's German adventurism. On the other, Talleyrand
had long argued that even the 'natural frontiers' were an insuperable
barrier to peace and that only a return to the 1792 fr ontiers would
guarantee stability in Europe. In any case, he argued, weakening Austria
and Prussia was wrongheaded as it meant destroying Europe's natural
marcin
(Marcin)
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