The Paget Papers.

Letter from the Hon. Arthur Paget (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of the two Sicilies) to Lieut.-General Pigot.

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 1.  Pages 265-266.

Palermo, 12th Augst, 1800.

My Dear General,— . . . . I am informed that y^r orders are, in case of the fall of La Vallette, to hoist English Colours only, and this Intelligence has given me, I own to you, both concern & surprize, in as mueh as such an event would not fail to create much uneasiness at this Court, and in rny opinion with reason. I have yet to learn upon what principle this new order of things has been determined, * for it is in direct opposition to the spirit both of Lord Keith's & my own Instructions upon the subject of Malta-which are that the fortresses of Malta shall be garrisoned by the combined forces, & so on, & kept as a deposit in trust for the Ord^r of St. John of Jerusalem, of which order the Emperor of Russia is acknowledged Grand Master. If therefore such an arrangement was agreed upon between the Three Powers, it seems a little hard that La Vallette should be occupied by the British to the Exclusion of the Neapolitans, without any previous declaration or assignment of reason for such an exclusion. I say exclusion because I imagine that if the British Colours are to be hoisted only, it is implied that His Sicilian Majesty's Troops are not to form part of the garrison of La Vallette-& here I cannot help observing that this Court has during the whole Siege contributed handsomely towards the reduction of Malta. I do not mean to pass a panegyric on their military, but such as it is, it has been at the entire disposal of the British Commander, & as to Money & Corn, they have been supplied unreservedly. Under these Circumstances, It appears to me that H.S.M^y. is entitled to the honor & satisfaction of seeing his flag flying in the principal fortress of Malta, in the event of its reduction.
If the British take possession of Malta as a place conquered from the French, and by the right of Conquest hoist their Colours in La Vallette, it must be remembered that the Neapolitans have born their share in the Siege (tho' not to the same extent as ourselves neither in expence, or in armament) and consequently that they have a proportionate right of the same nature. I should therefore be sorry that any thing was done which might give uneasiness or offence to our Ally, who tho' weak, is Sincere. My Idea would be, in the event of either the surrender or reduction of La Vallette, & the other fortresses to hoist English and Neapolitan Colours, and also those of the Ord^r of St. John of Jerusalem. You, my Dear General, will of Course refer to, & abide by the orders of the Commander in Chief; but in case those orders shall be discretionary, I have taken the Liberty of suggesting the above hints from motives which I am sure you will do me the justice to believe are good.

* see letter of Sir C. Whitworth, December 28, 1798. Mr. Paget did not know that in July, when the loss of Malta was imminent, Bonaparte had offered it to Paul, and sent him the sword which Leo X. had given to the Grand Master L'lsle Adam.

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