The Paget Papers.

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

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 274-275.

Downing St., 17th Oct, 1800.

Sir,—Your several dispatches to No. 13 inclusive have been received and laid before the King.
The embarrassment which you have experienced (as stated in your dispatch No. 13) in consequence of the variation existing between your instructions dated as far as the 22^d Janr^y last, and those subsequently transmitted to Sir Ralph Abercromby relative to the Island of Malta has been in a great measure inevitable ; from the numerous delays and Impediments to which the intercourse of Great Britain with Sicily has been exposed, and from the great delicacy of the subject in question which did not admit of my explaining to you the various changes which have been made in this respect by the new situation in which the Court of Petersburg stands with respect to the present War.*
Since the date of the Instructions which were given to you, the conduct of the Emperor of Russia has been totally repugnant to that system of Concert and active co-operation which formed at once the object and the basis of the arrangement which was in question for the temporary and provisional occupation of Malta. The Russian troops and Ships wherever employed have been withdrawn, the Emperor's forces have in no degree contributed to the reduction of the Island of Malta, nor has he during the present Campaign afforded to the Allies the smallest aid against the common Enemy.
He has even recently adopted measures hostile to the interests of this Court, and, not content with declaring himself by a Memorial presented at Berlin in a state of neutrality as between Great Britain and France, He has taken such steps as must leave it doubtful whether his occupation of the whole, or any part of the Island of Malta, might not, under the influence of his present disposition, be converted to purposes essentially injurious to this Country.
As the former agreement was by these circumstances wholly annulled, and as much the largest proportion of the land forces, and nearly the whole of the Naval force, employed in this arduous Service have been furnished by His Majesty, it has followed of course that the British Colours should be displayed on Forts reduced by His Majesty's exertions and garrisoned by His M^y's troops. You will however explain to the Neapolitan Ministers that it is by no means His Majesty's intention, by this temporary occupation of a Military position during the War to prejudge the question of the future disposition to be made of the Island at the conclusion of a general Peace. . . . .
The establishment either of Russia or France in that fortress might indeed give just cause of jealousy to His Sicilian Majesty, but no similar ground of apprehension could arise respecting Great Britain, which can have no views hostile to the security and independence of Naples.    —I am, &c.

(Signed)             Grenville.

* Having broken with Austria, Paul quarrelled with England, (1) for not consenting in 1799 to join a congress of peace in St. Petersburg; (2) for the bad management of the joint expedition to Hanover, Oct. 1799; (3) for the siege of Malta ; with other minor complaints. He withdrew his troops from Hanover, Nov. 1799; demanded the recall of Whitworth, Feb. 1800, and turned out the charge d'affaires who replaced him in June ; and in April ordered Warontzow to leave the embassy in London. He further opened negotiations with the neutral powers, Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark. The romantic disposition of Paul was deeply touched by Bonaparte's offer of Malta in July. After the peace with Austria, Bonaparte had sent back without exchange 6000 Russian prisoners, re-clothed and furnished with arms, with friendly messages to the Czar. The French and Russian Ministers were brought together at Berlin by Haugwitz, and came to a friendly understanding.

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