“Palermo, Feb. 11, 1799.

     “MY DEAR SIR,

“I have to thank your excellency for the honour of your letter; and for sending, for my perusal, the report of various officers on the situation of this island, and of it’s means of defence.  Respecting an invasion of the French, in propria persona, I own, I have no alarms; for, if this island is true to itself, no harm can happen:  but, I own my fears, that revolutionary principles may be sown here; and, the seasons being propitious to the growth, will produce fruit.  If the emperor will not move, and save—­(himself, for his throne must fall if the late measures of his councils are persisted in)—­the good King, Queen, and Family of Naples, in the possession of their kingdoms; we may lament, but what must follow is certain.  Having thus openly declared my general opinion, it is perfectly proper, no doubt, to be prepared for defence; and, if Calabria is occupied by the French, the first object is the preservation of Messina and the Torre del Faro.  As to the other ports of the island, if the inhabitants are loyal, the French may be defied; they will not venture their carcases.  But, indeed, my dear Sir, it is on the fidelity of the islanders we must depend for it’s defence.  When Captain Troubridge returns from Egypt, I shall have the power of having more ships on the east coast:  as to Palermo, it shall never be without a proper defence in shipping from all attacks by sea; that is, from what the French have at present in the Mediterranean.  In all other things, I beg that your excellency will have the goodness to assure his Sicilian Majesty, that nothing shall be wanting, on my part, for the defence of his kingdoms, and whatever can administer to his comforts; and I beg your excellency will believe with what great respect I am your most faithful and obedient servant,

     “Nelson.”

The safety of Messina appearing to be the first object for the preservation of Sicily from the French, five hundred troops were immediately ordered thither by the Portuguese ships; and his lordship also urged his Excellency, the Vice-Admiral Theodore Uschakoff, who commanded the Russian fleet then before Corfu, to send as many ships and troops as possible to Messina, for the promotion of the common cause, and the good of his Sicilian Majesty in particular.

On the same day, February 15, his lordship wrote also to his Excellency Abdul Cadir Bek, Vice-Admiral of the Turkish fleet, likewise at Corfu, with a similar request for ships and troops.  “Your excellency, without doubt,” writes his lordship, “has heard of the melancholy news from Naples.  The French, not content with having, by perfidy, declared Naples a republic, have forced a great part of Calabria to erect a Tree of Terror, which these unbelievers call of Liberty; and their emissaries are sowing the seeds of anarchy into this island, particularly at Messina.”  His lordship adds, that as he has several ships in Egypt, for the Grand Signior, he earnestly requests such Turkish ships and troops as can be spared, to prevent Messina’s falling into the hands of the French.