conduct, the Directory did not oppose the taking poffeffion of the duchy of Benevento; they offered their mediation to deliver the king of Naples from the feudal pretenfions of Rome. They fent to Naples a new ambassador (M. Garat), furnished with the most amicable and conciliatory powers, and were anxious to give fatisfaction to his Sicilian majesty refpecting the object of Buonaparte's expedition. In return, the fleet of admiral Nelson was honorably received at Syracufe, and was revictualled in that port. It even received stores from the arsenal of the king, pilots to clear the Straits of Meffina, and whatever was neceffary to secure the fuccefs of the attack against the French. If too we recollect the inconceivable joy which was manifested at Naples on the fight of the English fleet, the public honors which the court itself lavished on admiral Nelfon, in going out to welcome him, his triumphal entry, the large rewards granted to the meffenger who brought the first account of this victory, and the illuminations and rejoicings which took place on this occafion ;---if it be remembered that, from the time of this victory, the audacity of the Neapolitan government has known no bounds ;---if all these circumstances are confidered, it must be allowed that more hostile fentiments were never manifested on one fide, nor more patience fhown on the other. The guilt of the Sardinian government, as an accomplice with Naples, is manifeft from a thousand circumftances ;---its fentiments, its language, and, even its actions, in proportion to its means, have been the fame; and its artifice and hypocrify exactly resemble that of Naples. In fact, they have never ceased to make war in every way which their imbecility and their cowardice fuffered them to put into execution. The Piedmontese troops marched towards Loana at the fame moment in which the Neapolitan army attacked the French ;---and in the fame moment also it was that the Sardinian government dared to require the evacuation of the citadel, and the diminution of the French troops in Piedmont."

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Of the inimical disposition of the king of Sardinia, with respect to France, there can exift no poffibility of doubt; but the indications of that difpofition, as ftated at length in this manifefto, though strong, were perhaps not altogether fuch as would justify the declaration of open hostility on the part of the Directory. The king of Sardinia appears to have been a man very inconftant in his designs, and inconfiftent in his conduct. He had done enough to give great and just offence to a proud and potent enemy, without poffeffing either strength or courage to abide the confequences. On the entrance of the French troops into Piedmont, in the month of December, without any attempt at refiftance, or appearance of coercion, he figned an act of abdication, and furrendered his whole country into the hands of the French. The Piedmontefe troops, agreeably to the terms of the act, immediately adopted the French colours, and became a component part of the French army in Italy.

Whatever may have been the secret defign of the Directory refpecting Piedmont, they certainly were far from wishing to break with the government of Naples. They had even paid affiduous court to that government when it was manifeftly in their power to attack that kingdom with every advantage. The reafon is clear. The remote fituation of Naples made it both inconvenient and hazardous for France to carry on a war with that corrupt and debilitated ftate for any length of time. Conquefts made there could not be permanent, nor could they be useful while they were retained. The misfortunes of the reigns of Charles VIII. and Louis XII. were not yet forgotten. The policy of the Directory therefore, as of their predeceffors in power, the legiflative and conventional affemblies, had, in relation to Naples, been that of exemplary mildnefs and moderation. But the late deliberate and unprovoked aggreffion of the weak, rafh, and mifguided fovereign of the Sicilies awakened all the republican refentment and energy; and the mani

fefto

fefto denounced, that this court, too long fpared, would at length receive the reward of its demerits.

The main body of the Neapolitan army entered Rome without oppofition on the 29th of November, whilft the combined fleets of England and Naples took poffeffion of the port of Leghorn. The French, unable to make any refiftance to fo immenfe a fuperiority of numbers, had retreated towards Civita-Caftellana, leaving a garrifon in the caftle of St. Angelo. During the occupation of Rome by the king of Naples, different detachments of the Neapolitan army had been defeated by the French generals Lemoine and Rufca; and reinforcements now arriving from all parts, a general attack upon the Sicilians took place throughout their whole line of pofts. In the various combats which enfued, the army of Naples fuffered immenfe lofs---12,000 prifoners falling into the hands of the French, and 100 pieces of cannon. His Sicilian majesty now evacuated Rome with the greatest precipitation, and was purfued with equal vigor by the French. On the 31st of December, an armiftice, limited or illimited, was offered by general Mack, in a letter written from Capua, on pretext of the severity of the weather and badnefs of the roads. General Championet returned for aufwer, "that as his army had so far overcome the difficulties both of the way and the weather, he should not halt till he made his entrance into Naples."

Soon after this interchange of meffages, the strong poft of Gaeta was taken, containing immenfe magazines and ftores of every kind ;--another body of troops, under general Duhefme, which had forced its way with great refolution and fuccefs along the line of the Adriatic coaft through 2 country interfected with rivers, and guarded by troops which might have difputed every step, gaining a complete victory on the banks of the Vomano, and taking poffeffion of the important maritime fortrefs of Pefcara. The king of the Sicilies, with the royal family, accompanied by the Auftrian, Ruffian, and British ambaladors, had embarked

on

on board the British ships in the harbour on the eve of the 1st of January, 1799, and been safely landed at Palermo. On the 21st Capua was furrendered to the French; and the Neapolitan army, being now completely diforganized, and the city and kingdom of Naples in a state of absolute anarchy, general Mack, against whom the popular rage was chiefly directed, thought proper to furrender himself prisoner to general Championet. Nothing now remained but the conqueft of the metropolis-the citadel of St. Elmo having been already fecured by the patriots: and the fummons to surrender being rejected, every thing was prepared for the affault, which took place on the night of the 23d of January. The city, although deferted by all who had any real interest in its fafety, was defended with astonishing refolution and bravery for many hours by the Lazaroni. The combat lafted till after the dawn of day, when the paffages to the Caftel Nuovo, and the Fort del Camine, being forced by the bayonet, liberal terms were offered to these poor wretches, now nearly furrounded, by the French general, who declared at the fame time his high respect for St. Januarius. A fhout of acclamation fucceeded; and the Lazaroni immediately laid down their arms, protesting that they were friends of liberty and the French, and wondering how they could have been so long deceived. The day fucceeding the ceffation of hoftilities, the army of Rome was proclaimed the army of Naples, and this was immediately followed by another proclamation for establishing a provisional government in the NEAPOLITAN REPUBLIC.

To conclude the hiftory of this memorable year, it is neceffary to obferve, that on the 18th of December, at the moment probably of exultation on receiving the triumphant intelligence of the march of the Sicilians into Rome, a provifional treaty was figned at St. Petersburg between the emperor Paul and the king of Great Britain, conformably to the tenor of which the two high contracting powers engage

gage" to employ all their endeavours to induce the king of Pruffia to take an active part against the common enemy. Immediately, on his Prussian majesty's consenting to this measure, his Imperial majesty of all the Ruffias is ready to afford him a fuccour of land forces; and he deftines, for that purpose, 45,000 men, infantry and cavalry, with the neceffary artillery. In confideration of this service, his Britannic majefty engages to furnish his majesty the emperor a fubfidy of 75,000 /. fterling per month, from the day on which the Ruffian troops fhall have paffed the frontier Also another fubfidy of 37,500l. per month for extra charges during all the time that the said troops shall be employed by virtue of this treaty: Alfo the further sum of 225,000 1. in three months, to expedite the march of the troops to be employed in the good caufe. And even previous to the termination of the negotiation with Pruffia, the emperor magnanimously promises that the faid troops fhall be put upon such a footing, that, agreeably to the ftipulations of the treaty, they may immediately be employed wherever the utility of the common cause shall require." -The firmness of the king of Pruffia, in refifting this overture, together with the mild and guarded terms in which he expreffed his refusal, so as not merely to avoid offence, but to maintain as ftrict a friendship with the courts of Ruffia and Great Britain after as before this embarraffing propofition was made to him, established his reputation as a wife and discerning statesman-fully justifying the high and fanguine hopes which his renowned predeceffor Frederic the Great is known to have entertained refpecting him.

Thus, by the profligate ambition and prefumption of the French Directory on the one part, and the pride,. folly, and mifchievous activity of the British administration on the other, was a war, which appeared well nigh terminated, recommenced with additional fury-feeming

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