Service in Tuscany

He served under his uncle in the navy of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. In 1773, while serving as Captain of the Tuscan frigate Austria, he destroyed several vessels in the Gulf of Tunis. While cruising off Tetouan he was informed that two Algerine xebecs and five Salé Rovers were about to enter the Mediterranean. On 14 October he observed off Cape Spartel, two vessels making for the straits; one hove to under the Cape, apparently awaiting her consort with whom she was exchanging signals, but a thick fog concealed her for three hours: when it cleared off she was nearly within gun-shot, the Salé flag flying, a signal up, and everything ready for action. Acton immediately ran her within half musket-shot and poured in a fire of all arms; she struck her colours and was taken after a feeble resistance without aid from her consort. She mounted 24 guns, and the remains of her crew, amounting to 80 prisoners, were sent to the Austria.

After securing this prize Acton gave chase to the second frigate and ran her ashore near Algiers, but in waiting for a favourable moment to complete his work another Salé frigate and two xebecs bore down on him. After a short chase the frigate was driven ashore by the Austria and destroyed with two broadsides. Acton then chased one xebec off the port of Larache and opened fire, but under cover of the batteries she got safely in. The second frigate was also of 24 guns, the xebecs of 23 and 16 guns each, but the second escaped while the other was engaged with Acton. He afterwards discovered that they formed one squadron, and had left Larache to capture the Austria, but not a single Tuscan seaman was killed or wounded throughout the campaign.^[4]

In 1775 he commanded the Tuscan frigates in the Spanish-Tuscan Invasion of Algiers along with Irish general Alejandro O'Reilly.^[5] Concerning the calamitous disembarkation in which the Spanish were drawn into a trap by the feigned retreat of the Algerines, the travel writer Henry Swinburne wrote that the Spaniards would have been "broken and slaughtered to a man ... had not Mr. Acton, the Tuscan commander, cut his cables and let his ships drive in to shore just as the enemy was coming on us full gallop. The incessant fire of his great guns, loaded with grape-shot, not only stop't them in their career but obliged them to retire with great loss."^[6]

Service in Naples

In 1779 Queen Maria Carolina of Naples persuaded her brother the Grand-Duke Leopold of Tuscany to allow Acton, who had been recommended to her by Prince Caramanico, to undertake the reorganisation of the Neapolitan navy. The ability displayed by him in this led to his rapid advancement. He became commander-in-chief of both the army and the navy of the Kingdom of Naples, minister of finance, and finally prime minister.^[5][7]

His policy, devised in concert with Sir William Hamilton, the English ambassador to Naples, aimed at removing Spanish influence from Naples and replacing it with that of Britain and Austria. The policy led to open opposition to France and the French party in Italy.^[5]

The Neapolitan fleet, which when Acton entered the service of Naples had been practically non-existent, he had built up by 1798 to 120 ships with 1,200 cannon, while the land forces had increased fourfold from 15 to 60 thousand. Unfortunately in no degree were the interests of Naples promoted by the vainglorious policy thus inaugurated, which speedily resulted in disaster. Although Acton had aimed to extend the commerce of the country by increasing the facilities of internal communication and restoring some of the principal ports, the increased taxation required to support the army and navy more than counter-balanced these efforts and caused acute distress and general discontent. The introduction of foreign officers into the services, which had aroused the resentment of the upper classes, was further augmented when the fleet was placed under the orders of the British Admiral Horatio Nelson.^[7]

Although Nelson and the British fleet had extinguished French naval power in the Mediterranean by his victory at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798, thereby saving the Kingdom of Naples from naval conquest by Revolutionary France, the French armies entered the north of Italy, where they met successes. In response in December 1798 the King and Queen, together with Acton, Hamilton (and his wife Lady Emma Hamilton), by order of Nelson were evacuated from Naples on board HMS Vanguard to the King's Sicilian capital of Palermo. Thereupon, freed of the royal presence, the Neapolitan citizens and nobles sympathetic to the ideals of the French Revolution promptly established the short-lived Parthenopean Republic, with the aid of the French. However the monarchy was restored in Naples five months later with the help of a Calabrian army, called the Sanfedisti, led by Cardinal Ruffo. To re-establish order and with the consent of the Queen and the help of Ruffo, Acton established at Naples the Junta of State, a reign of terror during which many prominent citizens were thrown into prison or executed. ^[7]

In 1804 Acton was removed from power, on the demand of France, but nevertheless advised the king, who had agreed to an alliance with Napoleon, to permit British and Russian troops to land at Naples. Acton was granted a pension of 3000 ducats and was created Duke of Modica, which he later renounced.^[8] Shortly afterwards the minister was recalled, but when the French entered Naples in 1806, he together with the royal family again took refuge in Sicily.

A letter of 25 July 1809 reported that Acton had "returned a few days since from the baths of Termina, not in the least benefited by their waters. The painful effects of a paralytic stroke, and a severe fall last year, are now aggravated by a nearly total deprivation of sight."^[9]