[this is written on the same sheet as a note from Caroline - see Doc. No: 06113]
Palermo
Tuesday 22nd Feby
My dear Henry
I hope all the letters we have sent to England by different opportunities have been received, for there has been no post since the Revolution began<1> & there does not seem any prospect of its being reestablished as yet. We are now waiting in anxious expectation of what Ld Minto<2> will be able to effect for Sicily. They had hoped to have seen him arrive before this & were prepared to give him a most enthusiastic reception – but it appears the K.<3> or perhaps still more his Ministers are still obstinate & will not grant the reasonable demands of Sicily, & of course Ld M. will not come without. Adm. Parker<4> arrived here Wednesday with the Hibernia, Trafalgar & Superb, & Hecate steamers & the Porcupine came in too, so with the Vengeance there were 6 English men of war in the Roads.<5> It was a fine sight, & the streets quite animated with naval uniforms driving & walking about. Ld & Ly Ducie<6> & their daughter were in the Hibernia, & Mr Bridges<7>, who was delighted to see us & shewed us a great many beautiful Talbotypes he has been making. He gave me one of Naples for you but I fear it would spoil in a letter – He made some very nice ones here, & promised me some of our house &c when they were copied which he has not yet had time to do. He spent several weeks on Mt Etna, & as much at Pompei, making views & observations. Captn Corry<8> shewed us those you sent him, wh he prizes most highly. Ld M. not appearing, The Adm. sailed for Naples Sunday morng & we look forward anxiously to see them come back together shortly. The people here are very spirited & determined to hold out manfully if they are denied their just rights – but I hope it will not come to that as we have had fighting enough. They have really behaved admirably, with the single exception of the murder of the 1 birrie,<9> wh horrid as it was, had been provoked by the cruelty & oppression of the police for a series of years – I must go & write for Ld Mt E.<10> who has despatches to send Ld M. He has had a great deal to do in all these affairs & is much trusted both by him, & the people here – & has been the means of doing a great deal of good. Adieu dear Henry if I have time before the Locust<11> sails I will add a line –
God bless you all.
Yr aff sister
Horatia
Notes:
1. Revolution broke out in Palermo on 12 January 1848, the Sicilians rising against the forces of Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies.
2. Elliot Murray, 2nd Earl of Minto (1782–1859), statesman.
3. King Ferdinand II (1810–1859), King of the Two Sicilies; nick-named “King Bomba”, after his preferred method of ruthlessly suppressing insurrections.
4. Sir William Parker (1781–1866), Admiral of the fleet.
5. HMS Hibernia and HMS Trafalgar, 1st rate ships of the line; HMS Superb and HMS Vengeance, 2nd rate ships of the line; HMS Hecate, wooden paddle sloop, steamer; HMS Porcupine. wooden sail and paddlewheel gunboat.
6. Henry George Francis Reynolds-Moreton, 2nd Earl of Ducie (1802-1853) and Elizabeth, née Dutton (d. 1865).
7. Rev George Wilson Bridges (1788–1863), photographer & traveller.
8. Captain, later Rear Admiral, Armar Lowry Corry (1793-1855).
9. Sbirri = police or balliffs. Del Carretto, the oppressive Police Commissioner, had already fled to Marseilles and the Sicilians killed and mutilated a number of police working for the Neapolitan government.
10. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
11. HMS Locust 2nd class steamer, gun vessel.