Secondly In Ordaining The Assassination Of Prince Ivan, For Which
The Perpetrators Have Been So Liberally Rewarded; It Even Seems
Determined To Shorten The Life Of Her Own Son, The Only Surviving
Rival From Whom She Had Any Thing To Fear.
The Genoese have now thrown themselves into the arms of France
for protection:
I know not whether it would not have been a
greater mark of sagacity to cultivate the friendship of England,
with which they carry on an advantageous commerce. While the
English are masters of the Mediterranean, they will always have
it in their power to do incredible damage all along the Riviera,
to ruin the Genoese trade by sea, and even to annoy the capital;
for notwithstanding all the pains they have taken to fortify the
mole and the city, I am greatly deceived if it is not still
exposed to the danger, not only of a bombardment, but even of a
cannonade. I am even sanguine enough to think a resolute
commander might, with a strong squadron, sail directly into the
harbour, without sustaining much damage, notwithstanding all the
cannon of the place, which are said to amount to near five
hundred. I have seen a cannonade of above four hundred pieces of
artillery, besides bombs and cohorns, maintained for many hours,
without doing much mischief.
During the last siege of Genoa, the French auxiliaries were
obliged to wait at Monaco, until a gale of wind had driven the
English squadron off the coast, and then they went along shore in
small vessels at the imminent risque of being taken by the
British cruisers. By land I apprehend their march would be
altogether impracticable, if the king of Sardinia had any
interest to oppose it. He might either guard the passes, or break
up the road in twenty different places, so as to render it
altogether impassable. Here it may not be amiss to observe, that
when Don Philip advanced from Nice with his army to Genoa, he was
obliged to march so close to the shore, that in above fifty
different places, the English ships might have rendered the road
altogether impassable. The path, which runs generally along the
face of a precipice washed by the sea, is so narrow that two men
on horseback can hardly pass each other; and the road itself so
rugged, slippery, and dangerous, that the troopers were obliged
to dismount, and lead their horses one by one. On the other hand,
baron de Leutrum, who was at the head of a large body of
Piedmontese troops, had it in his power to block up the passes of
the mountains, and even to destroy this road in such a manner,
that the enemy could not possibly advance. Why these precautions
were not taken, I do not pretend to explain: neither can I tell
you wherefore the prince of Monaco, who is a subject and partizan
of France, was indulged with a neutrality for his town, which
served as a refreshing-place, a safe port, and an intermediate
post for the French succours sent from Marseilles to Genoa.
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