Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar12200
from motives of respect for the Courts of London and Vienna : The seventh article promised liberty to all the French who were detained for political opi . nions , and all the Neapolitans suspected of having any connection with those who were imprisoned . At . the solicitation of our agents , some of the peaceful friends to the French'Republic were restored to liberty , but upon the most trivial pretences they were loaded with fresh chains . At length the French , whom commercial affairs alone detained in ihe states of the King of Naples were every day , merely because they were French , pnblickl y insulted , attacked , and even assassinated , aild these attempts remained nnniinishpr !
The third article of the treaty stipulated that' his Majesty , the King of the Two Sicilies , shall observe the most strict neutrality towards all the belligerent powers , and he therefore engages to forbid ,, without distinction , the entry into his ports of all armed vessels belonging to the hostile powers , exceeding the number of four , at least , according to the known laws of neutrality . All ammunition or merchandize , known as contraband , shall be refused to them . ' How has this article , the sense of which is bno means
y ambiguous , been executed ? Forty days after the conclusion ofthe treaty , the English had seven frigates in the port of Naples ; on the gth Thermidor , ( July 27 ) , the fourteen vessels of Admiral Nelson entered in full sail the ports of Augusta ind Syracuse , and in whatever manner this article be interpreted , it is obvious that this was an infraction of it . The Government of Naples thought themselves obliged to justif y this proceeeling by representing that it was not in their power to resist force ; a
contemptible subterfuge , because it did not even attempt resistance , and because the Senate of Syracuse received the English Admiral with honours . About this period too , the 17 th Thermidor , ( August 4 , ) five Portuguese ships of war aud three English ships were received with equal eagerness in the port
of Naples . With respect to the , furnishing of articles forbidden b y this treaty , is it not notorious that immediately after the conclusion ofthe peace , the French attempting to prevent . the English from getting provisions , the Neapolitan Government gave orders to the Governor of Orbitello to hinder them from passing , while he suffered a considerable corps of Emi grants , who were in the service of England , to be disembaiked ? Is it not notorious that the fleet of Admiral Nelson was first victualled in the ports of S ' cilthat
y , on its return afterwards to Naples it received from the arsenal of the King the stores of which it stood in need ? Is it not notorious that long before this epoch , on the 29 th Prairial , ( June 17 ) the whole of the English fleet having appeared before Naples , a brig was detached , which anchored in the port , and two officers , who came from on board it , had a conversation with General Acton and the Queen , in order to secure whatever mi ght be necessary to the
success ot the attack upon the i rench fleet ; that 111 addition to the assistance and the assurance they received from them , pilots were also furnished to clear the Streights of" Messina , a passage which no squadron , without such assistance , would have dared to attempt , anel in consequence of which they hoped to be able to cut off * the French fleet , which were supposed to be yet at Malta ? In a word , is it not clear that nothing that could be injurious to France has been refused by the Court of Naples to our implacable enemies ? If in addition to this theconduct v . hich Naples has directlmanifested
. y towards us be considered , if it be" recollected that in spite of the 4 th article of the treaty , which stipulates , ' that the King of Naples shall be bound to grant , in all his roads and ports , surety and protection to all French merchant-ships however numerous , and to all ships of war which shall hot exceed four ;' several ofthe convoy of the French fleet having been obliged to . anchor in the roads of Sicily , commotions , evidently . excited by the Government of Naples , broke out at Trapai . ii , at Gergonti , and at Messina , in which several of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar12200
from motives of respect for the Courts of London and Vienna : The seventh article promised liberty to all the French who were detained for political opi . nions , and all the Neapolitans suspected of having any connection with those who were imprisoned . At . the solicitation of our agents , some of the peaceful friends to the French'Republic were restored to liberty , but upon the most trivial pretences they were loaded with fresh chains . At length the French , whom commercial affairs alone detained in ihe states of the King of Naples were every day , merely because they were French , pnblickl y insulted , attacked , and even assassinated , aild these attempts remained nnniinishpr !
The third article of the treaty stipulated that' his Majesty , the King of the Two Sicilies , shall observe the most strict neutrality towards all the belligerent powers , and he therefore engages to forbid ,, without distinction , the entry into his ports of all armed vessels belonging to the hostile powers , exceeding the number of four , at least , according to the known laws of neutrality . All ammunition or merchandize , known as contraband , shall be refused to them . ' How has this article , the sense of which is bno means
y ambiguous , been executed ? Forty days after the conclusion ofthe treaty , the English had seven frigates in the port of Naples ; on the gth Thermidor , ( July 27 ) , the fourteen vessels of Admiral Nelson entered in full sail the ports of Augusta ind Syracuse , and in whatever manner this article be interpreted , it is obvious that this was an infraction of it . The Government of Naples thought themselves obliged to justif y this proceeeling by representing that it was not in their power to resist force ; a
contemptible subterfuge , because it did not even attempt resistance , and because the Senate of Syracuse received the English Admiral with honours . About this period too , the 17 th Thermidor , ( August 4 , ) five Portuguese ships of war aud three English ships were received with equal eagerness in the port
of Naples . With respect to the , furnishing of articles forbidden b y this treaty , is it not notorious that immediately after the conclusion ofthe peace , the French attempting to prevent . the English from getting provisions , the Neapolitan Government gave orders to the Governor of Orbitello to hinder them from passing , while he suffered a considerable corps of Emi grants , who were in the service of England , to be disembaiked ? Is it not notorious that the fleet of Admiral Nelson was first victualled in the ports of S ' cilthat
y , on its return afterwards to Naples it received from the arsenal of the King the stores of which it stood in need ? Is it not notorious that long before this epoch , on the 29 th Prairial , ( June 17 ) the whole of the English fleet having appeared before Naples , a brig was detached , which anchored in the port , and two officers , who came from on board it , had a conversation with General Acton and the Queen , in order to secure whatever mi ght be necessary to the
success ot the attack upon the i rench fleet ; that 111 addition to the assistance and the assurance they received from them , pilots were also furnished to clear the Streights of" Messina , a passage which no squadron , without such assistance , would have dared to attempt , anel in consequence of which they hoped to be able to cut off * the French fleet , which were supposed to be yet at Malta ? In a word , is it not clear that nothing that could be injurious to France has been refused by the Court of Naples to our implacable enemies ? If in addition to this theconduct v . hich Naples has directlmanifested
. y towards us be considered , if it be" recollected that in spite of the 4 th article of the treaty , which stipulates , ' that the King of Naples shall be bound to grant , in all his roads and ports , surety and protection to all French merchant-ships however numerous , and to all ships of war which shall hot exceed four ;' several ofthe convoy of the French fleet having been obliged to . anchor in the roads of Sicily , commotions , evidently . excited by the Government of Naples , broke out at Trapai . ii , at Gergonti , and at Messina , in which several of the