The Paget Papers.

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

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 309.

From the Hon. A. Paget to Lord Keith.

Palermo, 9th Feby. 1801.

My Dear, Lord,—I inclose you a Copy of the Armistice signed in Germany, a most lamentable monument of the miserable state; of the Austrian Armies. An Armistice has been also concluded in Italy equally disgraceful, by which the French become Masters of Peschiera, Legnago, Verona, Ancona &e. The Austrians, wonderful to be told, keep Mantua. They are behind the Tagliamento. The Country between that River, and I believe the Adige, is to remain unoccupied. An Armistice has been offered to the King of Naples upon condition of dismissing Genl. Acton, of receiving all the Neapolitan Patriots, Emigres, &c.; of delivering up Dolomieu* & Damas & of shutting His Ports to the English. Those are Proposals which, you will imagine, require some modifications, but I apprehend that the French, who have an army of 40,000 men which they can very well detach against Naples, will not listen to much. In this state of Things the English Merchants at Naples are become very clamourous for ships for the Protection of their Property. There is nothing here, & I know not what to do. What can you be doing with all those heavy ships upon that dreadful Coast? would they not be much more serviceably employed for all our interests in these Seas?

* Son of a French marquis, one of the Knights of Malta, and a most distinguished geologist. Driven by a storm on the Neapolitan coast, he was thrown into prison for 21 months, and subjected to the greateat sufferings, in spite of the intercession of various powers. By an article in the French treaty he was set free, March 1801, and given a chair of mineralogy in France. He died in Nov. from the effects of his imprisonment.

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