The Paget Papers.

Letter from the Hon. Arthur Paget (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of the two Sicilies) to Lord Minto.

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 267-269.

Palermo, 29th Augst, 1800.

My Lord,— . . . . I dislike as much as Y^r L^p can, to see this Court meddling as they have done for some time past in the Roman State,* indeed their Conduct in that Country ever since they have been there will not bear examination. I have very often had occasion to make representations upon this subject, as well upon public as private concerns, and of the Latter the Interests of the Albani family recommended by Y^r L^p have not been forgotten, tho' hitherto I have not been successful in their favor. In Considering the respective situations of the Courts of Vienna & Naples, & the mutual interest, particularly on the part of the Latter, they have to live on good terms, I am very much surprized when I think of the persons they have made choice of, to reside at the Court of the other. Not to expatiate upon the Qualities of Mr. Giansanti I will confine myself to acquainting Y^r L^p that the present Austrian Ambassador here, Count Esterhazy, is one of the men I have ever met with, the last calculated to conciliate measures ; he is in the first place singularly disagreeable to Genl Acton, & knowing as I do the reason, I am not in truth surprized at it. It seems also that he enjoys in no way the Confidence of Mr. Thugut with whom, I understand, he has no communication whatever except upon the very commonest subjects. When therefore I think of these Ministers, far from being surprized at the Courts being upon an unfriendly & jealous footing, my astonishment is that they should be upon any footmg at all, good or bad. If the Court of Vienna has cause of Complaints against H.S.M. & vice-versa, who is to adjust the matter ? if Y^r L^p will not do such an act of Friendship at Vienna, & myself the same here.
After what Y^r L^p did me the honor to state to me in Y^r Lett^r of the 16th July respecting the Emperor's wish, in the event of a negociation, that It should be carried on in as simple and uncomplicated a form as possible, I have been exceedingly displeased at finding. that Marquis di Gallo had thought proper to go to Vienna. He is however placed entirely under your orders, and I am promised that if he deviates in the smallest degree from his Instructions that he shall be immediately dismissed the Service. He has written to Genl Actun to say that his stay at Vienna will probably be short, & I trust it may. If however Y^r L^p should judge his presence superfluous, I could, I dare say, succeed in having him removed. There is a Duke S^ta Theodore, Neapolitan Minister in Spain, whom it is intended to send some time hence to Vienna as Minister-what I hear of him is advantageous. I trust that Mr. de Thugut will be satisfied mth the offer made from hence of joining a body of Neapolitans to the Imperial Army. I venture to promise that every other assistance will be given of which they have the means. I do assure you that I work very hard for Austria-it is true that I am at times obliged to talk a little against my conscience, but it is in the hopes of doing good.
Y^r L^p is extremely kind in the advice you give me about myself, but I feel that I am of so very little use here, and my prospect is so small even at any future Period of being of any, that I feel, I own to you, considerably depressed, and what adds much to it, is the circumstance of residing in this most uninteresting corner of the world, from whence I have so little hopes of escaping, unless the Queen's wish for me to be recalled should be attended with success. For myself Palermo, or any other place are alike, but I think our situation here disgraceful. I shall be curious to hear from Y^r L^p upon the subject of the Queen. I dread much from the circumstances of Lady Hamilton being with Her Majesty, whose influence is great, and whose ends are wicked.
A report reached us here a very few days ago that the Grand Turkish fleet under the Command of the Captain Pacha had been destroyed by fire, but it came in so questionable a shape, and from having heard nothing upon so important an event from our Consul at Corfu, I place no credit whatever in it. The conduct of her Sicilian Majesty since her departure from hence, has not given much satisfaction here, & having dragged, as it is termed, Lady Hamilton for whom Epithets are not spared with her to Vienna, is not considered here as very edifying for herself or her Royal Daughters.

* In answer to a letter of Lord Minto, printed in "Life of Sir G. Elliot," iii. 135. Cf. ibid. 100-103.

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