As to West and East Pomerania, this is a good, fertile land. The domains are in better condition than in Prussia, and there is no derelict land, but they can be improved in many respects, and if you re-lease them and improve the economy, the Cameral revenue from the domains in Pomerania can be brought up to 50,000 to 70,000 thalers a year. My successor must employ Göhren, Thile, and Rocho on this and other similar economic tasks. The Pomeranian vassals are as true as gold, they kick up a bit of a row at times [Resonnieren wohl bissweilen], but if my successor says “this is how it is to be and you must make the best of it,” none of them will move against your orders.
As to the New Mark, it is in all respects like Pomerania. There are many improvements to be made in the domains, but the vassals are always complaining, especially those from the Circle of Crossen, but you must not take any notice of the Neumark complaints, for they are mostly groundless, but that is their national habit.
For the Middle and Uker Mark, the vassals are the loyalest of all and whatever you command them, they gladly and readily obey your orders. The domains in the whole Kurmark Chamber are in fairly good condition, but a revision, Amt by Amt, is most necessary, for it would be possible to effect a very big improvement, more than 100,000 thalers. For the forests, you must appoint a commission to go into their condition thoroughly, get rid of all abuses and arrange for a better sales service, so that the Dutch and Hamburg merchants pay better and higher prices than now for the timber. There is much to be done there, and a great deal of fraud is being practiced by the hunters. The vassals of the Altmark are bad, disobedient men who do nothing with a good grace but are obstinate and treat their sovereign right lightly. My successor must keep a very watchful eye on them and not be soft with them, for there are elements among them who take their duties altogether too lightly. When you issue any order, important or trivial, to the Provincial Councillors and the Councillors resist and kick up a shindy and the order is not carried out, you must at once dismiss any Councillors who have not obeyed the order and yourself appoint new ones from the Province – do not let the Knights choose them. This will show them that you mean to be master and that they have to be vassals. The families of Schulenburg, Alvensleben, and Bismarck are the most distinguished and the worst. You must not appoint any native of the Altmark to its Provincial government; send them to Pomerania and Prussia, but not to Magdeburg, for Magdeburg has many connections with the Altmark. The Knesebeck family is a bad one, too. The vassals of Prignitz are much better, the same type as those of the Neumark.
The land and cities of Magdeburg are fine ones. The vassals are like those of the Altmark, but almost worse still. You must not appoint any Magdeburger to the Provincial government of Magdeor Halberstadt, nor to the Altmark; they can be sent to Prussia, Pomerania, Mittelmark, Minden, or Cleves. The domains are in a very good state; improvements are possible, but at the outside they could be made to produce 30,000 to 40,000 thalers more.
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