Star.
London, England, 1811-09-30 00:00:00

SICIL T.

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NUMBER I.
The state of Sicily, and our contract with the C..
vernment, afford the most 'difficult question which,
at this moment the foreign affairs of the British Na-
tion present. By undertaking the defence of that
island, we have incurred obligations of which we were
not aware, but which cannot be honourably cancelled.
because we are able to fulfil them ; and because they

are such, that it would be honourable to fultiL Wes*
the treaty of Defence now to be concluded, it would.

not be such u it stands : nor can it stand such as it

is, without an equal danger of our own rights, and
the rights of the Sicilian people. We have a nume-
rous community of merchants estaLlished in Sicily ;
an army quartered in the fortresses ; and a &et ap.
pointed for the protection of the shores. The condi-
, tion of these merchants, the effects of this army, and

the utility of that fleet, furnish interesting topics, botk
on account of their own particular importance, and
the high concerns which they otherwise necessarily

affect.

I. The quantity of British manufactures consumed
in Sicily, is estimated, by well-informed gentles r
at £.300,000 sterling per annum. Allowing the r w
materials and original cost to us of the articles to Live
been about a fourth part of this sum, the would r*.
main of gain to this couw•try, from our trick with
Sicily, upwards of £300,000, according to the pr
ciple by which nationally the advantages of comma-
cial intercourse are calculated. It will, therefore,

be abundantly liberal to take the value of Sicily
to us in a commercial point of view, as equal
to the amount of the annual subsidy which we pay
to the Court. We do not say this is really the
case ; but, wishing to allow every possible advantage
to the arrogant opinion which the Sicilian Ministry
hold on this subject, it may be expedient to admit this
extreme estimate. To consider the value of our tracts
with Sicily as equal to the subsidy, will produce A
smile ; but, as the Sicilian Government complainant
,the partiality of the British writers, without however,
refuting any of their statements, by granting this ex-
cessive pretention, one point is placed beyond cavil.
11. The subsidy is only an item of our account with
Sicily. The fleet and the army form a much mor;
considerable charge. The whole expence of the fleet
and army is defrayed by us. To the fleet Sicily does
I not contribute to the value of a single rope-yarn ; and
for the support of the army, every thing is purchased
by British money. And such is the state of the island.
that our Commissariat is obliged to hold a contraband
trade with Turkey for corn to supply the troops, and
also to import cattle both from Greece and Sardinia.
A fleet sailed from Messina in May last, to bring
corn from Alexandria, although that trade is contrary
to the public prohibitions of our ally the Sultan. We
are therefore not only at a vast expence for the de-
fence of Sicily, but obliged, in consequence of unclier
taking it, to have recourse to measurei which instil:
the Sovereign of a" powerful empire,"* who in no
one instance ever gave us cause of offence. Sarely
Sicily must be of great value to our cause and into.
rests, or we should not make such important writ
floes—sacrifices of means and principles.
111. Taking the value of our trade w ith Sicily on
the exaggerated estimate, it is evident that the con-
quest of the island by the enemy would be no loss to
our national wealth. If the trade be really not Worth
so much, we should gain by thesonque3, not filly
in a pecuniary point of view, but also in a military.
We should have an increase is our el' p sable bus
of probably not less than 15,000 men. The &et
which protects the coast of Sicily would be fully nil-
' 'Went to blockade it. To our interests, therefore,
Sicily is of no advantage ; and our protection must
be regarded as the overflowing generosity of a great
i nation, called forth by compassion for misfortunes
)41‘. 444's Ctrsulas Uttar Wass usurp; CiaystieJawyk.