Απόσπαμα επιστολής του Captain William Hoste of His Majesty’s ship Amphion, με ημερομηνία 31 Ιουλίου 1810, σταλμένο ενώ ο Hoste ήταν εν πλω, και με παραλήπτη τον Sir Charles Cotton Bt. Στην επιστολή του ο Hoste κάνει αναφορά στο πώς διεξάγεται με ελληνικές σημαίες εμπορικά σκάφη αλλά με βρετανικές άδειες το εμπόριο στην Αδριατική (κυρίως σε Τεργέστη και Φιούμε και κυρίως από την Μάλτα) και στα εμπορεύματα που διακινούνται από και προς τα αδριατικά λιμάνια. Συγκεκριμένα γράφει:
The only trade of any extent that is carried on now, is by means of British licenses, I daily board vessels of this description, under Greek colours going to Trieste, and Fiume, and the Italian ports they bring cargoes of salt, which this country is greatly distressed for, and from which the French government derive considerable revenue.
I presume it was the intention of government when these licenses was granted that the British merchant should partly receive the benefit arising from them in the trade from Malta with the Ports of the Adriatic, the merchant of Malta must confine himself solely to the cargo of salt as colonial produce or anything like British manufacture in entirely excluded and the vessel and cargo would be confiscated.
I had the honor of mentioning to you Sir, in a former letter that a Mr. Adamich, a merchant of Fiume had the contract given him by the French government for supplying the coasts of Italy and Dalmatia with salt and that he had waited on me when the Amphion was off Fiume in April last, he endeavor to make some arrangement by which colonial produce might be introduced through the facility which his contract for salt afforded. – Some time has elapsed since then and no vessel with colonial produce or any cargo that could benefit the British merchants have arrived and I have no reason to think that this Mr. Adamich is playing a deep game and like a fine merchant looks only to himself. – Since the last treaty of peace between Austria and France many of the Trieste and Fiume merchants have established themselves at Malta leaving one of the time, at either of the above places, Mr. Adamich is of this number, and by means of the British licenses, a very great trade is carried on between them not benefiting (I think) the commerce of Great Britain in the smallest way, or even the British merchants, but on the contrary assisting and supplying our enemy with a most necessary article and which is a source of great revenue.
The trade in the way it is carried on at present in the Adriatic is between two enemies’ merchants one of which is established at Trieste, and the other residing for the time at Malta. – I believe it was imagined that naval stores such as hemp and spars might be sent from hence and perhaps owing to that idea the licences have been granted in this port, but on the contrary so strict are the orders relative to the first article, that before an Italian merchant, con purchase a cargo of hemp and sail with it he must pay double duty Hodge one third of the supposed value of his cargo in the hands of government. – It is plain therefore that the French government will not by this licensed trade (for they are well acquainted with it) allow ever the smallest exportation, that can benefit us, and indeed if the blockade of the ports in the Adriatic, he ever so strictly attended to, whilst these licenses are in force it can have no effect as far as distressing the enemy goes.