THE MISSION TO ROME. 95 



and often hampered me in my intercourse with the 

 authorities were constantly being carried out. The 

 bridge of boats on the Lower Tiber was being got 

 ready, and it was thrown across the river previous to 

 the rupture of negotiations, though it interrupted all 

 communication between Eome and the sea by water, 

 and though, by closing the passage to fishermen's 

 boats, it deprived a portion of the population of their 

 means of livelihood. 



A tete-de-pont was being constructed on the left 

 bank of the Tiber, and troops were sent there, 

 although this point had not been occupied at the 

 commencement of the armistice ; the large church and 

 convent of St. Paul, which are still nearer to the city, 

 were also seized. Thus the time which I spent in 

 negotiating was not lost to the army, and, what is 

 still more to the point, the reinforcements which the 

 Government had on the 10th of May telegraphed to 

 General Oudinot to await had not yet arrived when 

 I reached Civita Vecchia. A letter of June 18th 

 gives this explanation of the delay in the siege which 

 assuredly could not be attributed to me after my 

 departure. 



5th. It is said that the armistice gave time to all 

 the men who disturb Italy to assemble in Eome and 

 form an army which now confronts us. 



" The forces which were defending Eome did not 

 increase during my stay there as alleged by the 

 President of the Council. At the end of my negotia- 



