Equally hard was the treatment of Naples.  In spite of the Czar’s plea that its neutrality might be respected, this kingdom was at once occupied by St. Cyr with troops that held the chief positions on the “heel” of Italy.  This infraction of the Treaty of Florence was to be justified by a proclamation asserting that, as England had retained Malta, the balance of power required that France should hold these positions as long as England held Malta.[266] This action punished the King and Queen of Naples for their supposed subservience to English policy; and, while lightening the burdens of the French exchequer, it compelled England to keep a large fleet in the Mediterranean for the protection of Egypt, and thereby weakened her defensive powers in the Straits of Dover.  To distract his foes, and compel them to extend their lines, was ever Napoleon’s aim both in military and naval strategy; and the occupation of Taranto, together with the naval activity at Toulon and Genoa, left it doubtful whether the great captain determined to strike at London or to resume his eastern adventures.  His previous moves all seemed to point towards Egypt and India; and the Admiralty instructions of May 18th, 1803, to Nelson, reveal the expectation of our Government that the real blow would fall on the Morea and Egypt.  Six weeks later our admiral reported the activity of French intrigues in the Morea, which was doubtless intended to be their halfway house to Egypt—­“when sooner or later, farewell India."[267] Proofs of Napoleon’s designs on the Morea were found by Captain Keats of H.M.S.  “Superb” on a French vessel that he captured, a French corporal having on him a secret letter from an agent at Corfu, dated May 23rd, 1803.  It ended thus: 

“I have every reason to believe that we shall soon have a revolution in the Morea, as we desire.  I have close relations with Crepacchi, and we are in daily correspondence with all the chiefs of the Morea:  we have even provided them with munitions of war."[268]

On the whole, however, it seems probable that Napoleon’s chief aim now was London and not Egypt; but his demonstrations eastwards were so skilfully maintained as to convince both the English Government and Nelson that his real aim was Egypt or Malta.  For this project the French corps d’armee in the “heel” of Italy held a commanding position.  Ships alone were wanting; and these he sought to compel the King of Naples to furnish.  As early as April 20th, 1803, our charge d’affaires at Naples, Mr. a Court, reported that Napoleon was pressing on that Government a French alliance, on the ground that: