ABSTRACT
The Emperor Napoleon III expressed concern over Palmerstons plans for augmenting Britain’s naval and military means for national defence in the House of Commons. In 1859 Italian Carbonari assassins had been planning their overthrow of the French state from beyond the protection of the English Channel. French Government are augmenting their navy and works at Cherbourg, ought to preclude them from complaining that any amount of naval preparations on our part is an indication of underserved want of confidence in their friendly intentions. It was not the first such attempt, nor would it likely be the last. With so much of the French state and Second Empire embodied in the personal fortunes of the Emperor, it was not unusual for the seismic ramifications of such an attack to reach the British Isles. William Jervois noted that Plymouth would have to rely upon floating defences in an emergency, as only two small land batteries currently guarded the entrance to the Sound.
