NAPOLEON I (1769-1821) L.S. dictated to Méneval... Lot 27

NAPOLEON I (1769-1821) L.S. dictated to Méneval and addressed to Prince Eugene, Berlin, 8 November 1806. ½ p. in-4. Gilt edge. Beginning of the fourth coalition. One year after Trafalgar, England remains the number one enemy at sea. Venice, for its part, had just found itself, by the treaty of Presbourg (December 1805), attached to the Kingdom of Italy and, by the same token, to the Empire. In his letter to the Viceroy of Italy, Napoleon expressed his doubts about what he could expect from the Venetians' support and fighting spirit "() the idea of being able to acclimatise the Venetian navy to fight against English ships is madness; but you can authorise two frigates to attack one ()".