No 6.
Turin,
Saturday evening 18th March 1826
My Dear Mother
I came from Lans le Bourg today, and I believe I have time to stay all tomorrow – I cannot undertake a description of the passage of Mt Cenis till I have more leisure; the weather was as fine as possible, the snow extremely deep, the prospect such as you may imagine on a light sunshiny day near the North Pole. – My Carriage runs lightly, & has broken nothing; – Il Cavaliere de S Quintino <1> is not at home this evening – I have heard nothing of the courier Contini.
You will see by the Nos whether you receive all my letters – The last were from Troyes & Chambery. <2> Here is an advertisement from the Turin Gazette. “La nave a vapore il Verbano comincierà il suo regolare servizio sul Lago Maggiore il 15 Marzo – detta nave receve e depone giornalmente i passaggieri à Arona, Angera, Belgirate, Baveno, Isole Borromee, Pallanza, Intra, Laveno, Luino, Canobbio, Locarno, per mezzo di battelli appositamente destinati. La maggior lunghezza del Lago essendo di miglia 40 g da Sesto a Magadino. Dietro le ripetute Sperienze che si sono fatte in presenza di una Commissione nominata del Governo si è accertato che la detta nave percorre 7 miglia all’ora. Per maggior comodo dei passaggieri, detta nave è provista d’un Caffettiere Ristoratore <3> –
Sunday March 19.
M St Quintino called on me this morning & took me to the Museum – He is much discouraged by the want of money to publish its treasures. The Diario di Roma contains the following letter from Ancona
“On the 18th of February the steampacket arrived from Corfu in 2 days & 4 hours, she sailed again on the 20th with a cabinet courier who had arrived from London in nine days –”
This seems to be the vessel’s first trip, as the writer gives a description of the engine, as of a thing quite new to him –
It is curious that Mr Hay should have known nothing of this cabinet courier, & the vessel that was sent to meet him –
I was very fortunate in crossing Mt Cenis yesterday Today the Alps are wrapped in thick clouds
Your Affte Son
H.T.
[address panel:]
Lady E. Feilding
31 Sackville Street
Londra
Notes:
1. Giulio dei Conti Cordero Di San Quintino (1778–1857), Italian Egyptologist. [See Doc. No: 01162].
2. See Doc. No: 01402, and Doc. No: 01404.
3. The steamship the Verbano commences its regular service on Lake Maggiore on 15 March – the said ship picks up and deposits passengers daily at Arona, Belgirate, Baveno, the Borromean Islands, Pallanza, Intra, Laveno, Luino, Cannobio, Locarno, by means of specially assigned boats. The greater length of the Lake extends 40 miles from Sesto to Magadino. After repeated trials which we have made in the presence of a Commissioner nominated by the Government it is certified that the said ship proceeds at 7 miles an hour. For the greater convenience of passengers, said ship is provided with a coffee-shop.