SAVARY ANNE JEAN-MARIE: (1774-1833)

SAVARY ANNE JEAN-MARIE: (1774-1833) French General under the revolution and Empire and Minister of Police 1810-14, succeeding Fouché. Duc de Roviga. The day before the coup d´etat, Malet seized the Minister of police and arrested Savary who was close to be killed by General Guidal, but General Lahorie intervened. A very interesting L.S., `Le Duc de Roviga´, with holograph sentence, two pages folio, Paris, 4th March 1813, to Louis-Philibert d´Aubignose, Director of the Hambourg police, in French. The letter bears the written heading "Police Générale - Cabinet du Ministre - Confidentielle" and shows the functioning of the Napoleon´s spy service in Europe. Savary, referring to the situation in Hamburg where the French authorities had to evacuate the city a week later on 12th March, and Davout could not take posession again until 28th May, stating in part ` J´ai reçu, Monsieur, les rapports que vous m´avez adressés depuis la journée du 24. Votre conduite me parait en tout avoir été calculée sur la difficulté du moment, mais je ne puis vous donner aucune direction parce que dans une circonstance où les évènements peuvent se succéder avec beaucoup de rapidité, mes lettres arriveraient sûrementy trop tard´ (Translation: " I have received, Sir, the reports that you have sent to me since the 24th. Your behaviour seems to me in all to have been calculated on the difficulty of the moment, but I cannot give you any direction because in a circumstance where events can follow one another very quickly, my letters would surely arrive too late") Savary adds in his own hand ` qui a été très bonne´ (Translation: " which has been very good") referring to his correspondent´s behaviour. Further, savary refers to the information obtained from an English spy and instructs to pay him for his services, saying ` La correspondance de Mr. Butler promet de l´intérêt. Il ne faut pas pour quelques livres se priver des avis qu´il peut transmettre, faites-lui passer de l´argent mais avec économie... Vous lui ferez connaitre qu´Auguste de la Feronnais a quitté l´Angleterre et lui direz de vous avertir s´il le voit passer. Ce La Ferronnais est un homme voué aux moyens les plus violents et dont il serait très nécessaire de connaitre la marche; ne négligez rien de votre côté pour savoir quelle direction il aura pu prendre...´ (Translation: " Mr. Butler's correspondence promises interest. You should not deprive yourself of the advice that he can convey for the sake of a few pounds, send him money but with economy... You will let him know that Auguste de la Feronnais has left England and tell him to notify you if he sees him passing. This La Ferronnais is a man dedicated to the most violent means and whose progress would be very necessary to know; do not neglect anything on your side to know what direction he could have taken...") To a postscriptum Savary forwards his thoughts about La Ferronnais, saying ` J´ai la certitude que La Feronais se rend en Russie et qu´il est parti, il parait donc assez probable qu´il passera par le Dannemarck´ (Translation: " I am certain that La Feronais is going to Russia and that he has left, so it seems quite likely that he will pass through Denmark") The letter bears an attractive circular watermak showing a bust of Napoleon I. With blank integral leaf. VG Louis-Philibert d´Aubignose (1774.1848) Director of the Hambourg police, city which had been annexed in 1811.