The Paget Papers.

Letter from Mr T Jackson 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.  Page 307.

Fom Mr. T. Jackson to the Hon. A. Paget.

Rome, 30 Jany. 1801.

My Dear Sir,—I did myself the pleasure of writing to you on Tuesday last ackg. yours of the 15th Inst. and informing you of the Italian Armistice and the other news of the day. The motive of my troubling you now is on an affair which much more nearly regards the immediate interests of our country. The Neapolitan Troops not being included in the Armistice between Generals Bellegarde and Brune a negociation for that purpose is now on foot between Generals Damas and Murat ; the latter is at Florence and there have been several officers going and coming hetween them for some days past. I am not yet acquainted with the basis on which they are treating but I can iniorm you with certainty of the following points.
1°. That the Emperor of Russia is Mediator between France and Naples : a Russian Commissary, called Levarchoff, is arrived here, having passed through the french Army and even resided some days at Florence ; he announced his approach to Genl. Damas, asking Passports & an Escort. The pretext of his going to Naples is to carry the Russian orders to His Sicilian Majesty.
2°. That Naples will have to choose between Russia and England. (N.B.-On this you may fully rely.)
3°. That one of the demands will be shutting the Ports of Naples to the British Flag, and that this demand is supported by the Russian Commissary.
This is all I know of the actual state of this very serious affair, and it is a great deal too much. I do not pretend to foresee how all this will terminate but it is evident that the French can only be prevented by great sacrifices from advancing, and I confess my belief that the sacrifices will be made and that they will advance after all.-Believe me to be most sincerely & faithfully yours,

Thomas Jackson.

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