The Paget Papers.

Letter from Sir Charles Whitworth (British Ambassador to St Petersburg) to the Hon. Arthur Paget (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Elector of Bavaria).

Source: Paget, Right Hon. Sir Augustus B. Paget, G.C.B. The Paget Papers, Diplomatic and other Correspondence of the Right Hon Sir A. Paget. G.C.B., 1794-1807, 2 Vols. Longmans, Green and Co. New York 1896. Vol I. Page 144.

St Petersburg, 28th December 1798.

I fear that at this moment we shall not here be very popular with you-you have I daresay been as much bored where you are as I have been here with the affairs of the Order of Malta.You know how we have proceeded against the late Grand Master Hompesch and that we have kicked him downstairs and got into his place. I confess for my own part I am decidedly an anti-Hompesch, and I think the Order, in gaining such a support as the Emperor of Russia, at a moment when every Government where it has possessions considered the game as up, and its property as lawful pillage, has made no bad bargain. The Court of Munich appears to think otherwise, and in consequence of certain remonstrances fomented by the brother of Hompesch*, and a certain Bishop of Chersonese, who perhaps is your intimate friend, the whole Bavarian tongue is cut out, and the Bavarian Minister ordered to leave this Court, as, is the Russian Chargé d'Affaires that of Munich — so much for the order of Malta, about which you see we are in earnest. That you may know, however, how much we interest ourselves m the business, it is necessary that I should tell you that we sit, I mean our Court, in concert. with this on every thing relating to the interests of the Order, and of the Island, if ever it falls into our hands. It is then intended to re-establish the Order, with such changes as arise naturally from the change of circumstances. We shall probably make a part in its reorganisation, and that for the purpose of securing to ourselves a share of the advantages arising from its situation in a commercial point of view. It is possible that you may have had instructions from home upon this subject, if not, it is well you should know that with regard to the re-establishment of the Order, and to the mode of doing it, we act in concert with this Court. It is true that by my last letter the nomination of the Emperor to the charge of Grand Master was not known, but there can be no doubt that it will be readily acquiesced in, for I think the Court of Munich, if it had been wise, should have done the same.
I send this to Vienna by a Neapolitan Messenger, the first which your old friend the Duke has sent for these ten years, who carries with him the news of the want of ten thousand Russians for Italy †. The manly and vigorous measures of the K. of Naples‡ have been duly appreciated here, and the Emperor has not hesitated a moment in sending, this body of troops to his assistance. They will have a march of about 1300 Versts across Moldavia, Walachia, & Croatia to Zara on the borders of the Adriatick, over which they will pass to Ancona, or wherever it may be necessary. It is supposed they can easily perform this march m about ten weeks. It is a Gen^l Herman, whom you do not remember, who commands them, and a very good man he is. Twenty thousand Russians are already in your part of the world, and I have the best reason to hope that the Emperor will not stop here, so that I trust you will join with me in singing his praises, as indeed we have every reason to do. It is devoutly to be wished that the two great German Powers were as hearty as this, and I think we should soon settle the business — this is what we are endeavouring to effect — I mean the uniting the C^ts of Vienna and Berlin, and perhaps with a better prospect than at any former period.
As for myself I am going on pretty near as you left me. I am as you may suppose after so many years become perfectly habituated to Petersburg, but not so much as to have lost my taste for England: I am, as usual, thinking of taking a trip there, as soon as circumstances will permit, but God knows when that will be. In the meantime I continue to go on tolerably well, with a good house (that of Schuvaloff upon the Moika), a good increase of salary, and always a little in love.
Your old friends are I think pretty nearly in Statu quo — the 1st, Michel has very wisely discarded Choiseul and taken a young Pole in his place, who seems much better adapted for the business. Michel consoles himself with his bottle — they continue always good friends, she allows him to drink, and he permits her to amuse herself in her way — the Dolgoroukis, Zagustzkys and the coy beau of —— &c., are all as you left them.

God bless you, my dear Paget, let me hear from you sometimes and be assured of the real regard with which I am, &c.,

(Signed) Chas. Whitworth.

FOOTNOTES.
* Minister Baron de Hompesch of the Bavarian Court. Brother to Ferdinand Hompesch Grand Master of the Knights of Malta.
† Russia bound herself in 1798 to become the protector of Naples and Piedmont.
‡ An army was assembled on the frontiers of the Roman States to confront the French under Championnet.

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