So that Friedrich's Proposal is grasped at; and after a little manipulation, the thing is actually concluded.
By no means much manipulation, both parties being willing.

There was uncommonly rapid surgery of any little difficulties and discrepancies; rapid closure, instant salutary stitching together of that long unhealable Privateer Controversy, as the main item: "20,000 pounds allowed to Prussia for Prussian damages; and to England, from the other side, the remainder of Silesiau Debt, painfully outstanding for two or three years back, is to be paid off at once;"-- and in this way such "NEUTRALITY CONVENTION OF PRUSSIA WITH ENGLAND" comes forth as a Practical Fact upon mankind.

Done at Westminster, 16th January, 1756.
The stepping-stone, as it proved, to a closer Treaty of the same date next Year; of which we shall hear a great deal.

The stepping-stone, in fact, to many large things;--and to the ruin of our late "Russian-Subsidy Treaty" (Hanbury's masterpiece), for one small thing.
"That is a Treaty signed, sure enough," answer they of St.James's; "and we will be handsome about it to her Czarish Majesty; but as to RATIFYING it, in its present form,--of course, never!" What a clap of thunder to Excellency Hanbury; his masterpiece found suddenly a superfluity, an incommodity! The Orthodox English course now is, "No foreign soldiers at all to be allowed in Germany;" and there are the 55,000 tramping on with such alacrity.

"We cannot ratify that Treaty, Excellency Hanbury," writes the Majesty's Ministry, in a tone not of gratitude: "you must turn it some other way!" A terrible blow to Hanbury, who had been expecting gratitude without end.