MUNICH: 1798-99
 

iETAT. 27 TO 28
 

Mr. Paget was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and
Min. Plenipotentiary to the Elector of Bavaria and
the Diet of Ratisbon in May 1798, but he did not join his
Post till September in that year.

The principal purpose of his Mission was to induce the
Bavarian Government to join with Austria and the
Coalition in the impending War with France, which
Power having over-run and subdued Switzerland, had
forced it into an offensive and defensive alliance, and was
in occupation of the Grisons.

With what persevering energy Mr. Paget worked to
carry out his instructions may be gathered from the
official correspondence, and a letter which he addressed
to the Bavarian Commander in Chief, General Zedwitz,
at the moment of the latter's departure for a Conference
with the Austrian General Staaden, urgently pressing
upon him the inutility of employing his Army on the
Lech, which could not fail to be interpreted otherwise
than as an abandonment by Bavaria of the Common
Cause. The Austrian Archduke Charles came to
Munich about this time, and in Mr. Paget's despatches
will be found reports of several very interesting conver¬
sations he had with H.R.H. respecting the policy and
proceedings of the Electoral Government.

Mr. Paget's discussions with the Bavarian Ministers
had not proceeded far before the usual complaint of want
of money was raised, and hints thrown out that subsidies
should be furnished by Great Britain, the habitual pro¬
vider of that commodity to all the impecunious Govern¬
ments of Europe. Any expectations, however, which may
have been entertained by the Elector or the Government
of Bavaria of obtaining pecuniary assistance from the