1768
THE BEDFORD WHIGS
383
present situation of affairs. I told him that if England should interfere and a war with France be the consequence, the English Ministry would no doubt be glad to know with what force he could act in the common cause. He said, he could arm between 30,000 and 40,000 men on the island, besides about 4000 at sea. I mentioned to him that I had seen a chart of Corsica taken from a Genoese survey in 1736, with a list annexed of the inhabitants in the different districts amounting in all to no more than 116,000, which according to the common computation of one-fifth, could not give more than 23,000 fit to bear arms. He replied, he believed the Genoese estimate to have been pretty exact at the time, but that since that, the population was greatly increased and many families returned to the country who were then scattered abroad. That there was no exemptions of rank in their militia, few men altogether useless from age, and that even their boys were of service by the time they were able to bear a gun, in fine, that he could undertake positively to act with 30,000 men. I then observed that, although it was never the spirit of the English nation to endeavour to bridle the people she came to protect, yet it was natural to suppose some towns would be expected to be put in her hand, as ports for fleets and markets for her trade; he said, in the way of absolute property, nothing of that sort could ever be granted, but as to garrisoning certain towns, that would offer no difficulty he believed. "But," says he, "there will be little occasion for this; England has a nobler part to play, she has only to declare herself the protector of the Corsican nation, and France must give way. When she sets forth new claims in America, she meets the jealousy of all Europe, whether her cause be just or no. But in this she would have all Europe to support her, even the Princes of the Bourbon family would wish her success.[1] She has only to say, she asks nothing for herself, but since the Genoese keep Corsica, let it be free, let the fortifications be demolished, and the ports laid open to all nations. It is plain that Genoa cannot put France in possession of Corsica, so that the latter must trust to conquest alone. When England formerly had reduced Bastia and St. Fiorenzo, and abandoned them afterwards,[2] she surely meant it in favour of the Genoese, not to be given away to the French." A language of this sort, Paoli said, would put England in a glorious point of view, and would certainly have its full effect. He assured me there is a secret Article in the Treaty which he heard from a noble Genoese, and which he affirms to be as certain as the Treaty itself, which stipulates that in case England should intermeddle seriously in the
