kept in these seas? I have said and repeat it, Malta is the direct road to Sicily. It has been, and may be yet in the King of Naples' power, by giving me help of every kind, directly to destroy this Armament, and force the Army to uncon ditional submission. Naples must soon find us masts, yards, stores, ammunition, &c., &c. Will not this be a declaration of War against the French ?-therefore why delay sending help, if it is only six Gun-boats at a time. But not a moment must be lost-it can never be regained. I recollect General Acton, in his letter to you calling for our help, says, 'Will the King and Ministry wish to see these fine Countries in the hands of the French?' The answer is, No; and we have sent the means of preventing it. It may now be asked-will the Ministry of their Sicilian Majesties permit these fine Countries to fall into the hands of the French? This will assuredly happen if they do not co-operate with us. If I have wrote my mind too freely, I trust it will be excused. The importance of the subject called for my opinion. I have given it like an honest man, and shall wish to stand or fall with it. I am, dear Sir, with the highest respect, &c. HORATIO NELSON. TO GEORGE BALDWIN, ESQ., CONSUL AT ALEXANDRIA. [Letter-Book.] (Private.) June 24th, 1798. Dear Sir, I am so persuaded of the intention of the French to attempt. driving us from India, in concert with Tippoo Saib, that I shall never feel secure till Mangalore, and all Tippoo's SeaCoast, is in our possession. We ought to get hold of the Coast, even at the certainty of a War with him. Had I been his Peace-Maker, he should have had my head before Mangalore, or one foot of Coast. I send you some Reviews and Magazines-they may be pleasant, although old; and if I can get near you with the Fleet, and am favoured with five minutes' conversation, I shall have great pleasure in supplying you with anything in my power; for believe me, dear Sir, your most obedient servant, HORATIO NElson. Pray do not detain the Mutine, for I am in a fever at not finding the French. At Naples they have English news to the 16th of May. No fears of an Invasion: Pitt stronger than ever. TO GEORGE BALDWIN, ESQ., CONSUL AT ALEXANDRIA. [Letter-Book. On the 26th, Alexandria bearing at Noon S 68 E. 233 miles. At 9 A.M. Captain Hardy, of the Mutine, came on board, per sigual. I gave him orders to proceed to Alexandria, and endeavour to procure intelligence of the French Fleet, then to join me, immediately after having delivered my Dispatches to the British Consul, which I committed to his charge."-Journal.] Sir, Vanguard, at Sea, 26th June, 1798. The French having possessed themselves of Malta, on Friday, the 15th of this month, the next day, the whole Fleet, consisting of sixteen Sail of the Line, Frigates, Bombvessels, &c., and near three hundred Transports, left the Island. I only heard this unpleasant news on the 22nd, off Cape Passaro. As Sicily was not their object, and the wind blew fresh from the westward, from the time they sailed, it was clear that their destination was to the eastward; and I think their object is, to possess themselves of some Port in Egypt, and to fix themselves at the head of the Red Sea, in order to get a formidable Army into India; and, in concert with Tippoo Saib, to drive us, if possible, from India. But I have reason to believe, from not seeing a Vessel, that they have heard of my coming up the Mediterranean, and are got safe into Corfu. But still I am most exceedingly anxious to know from you if any reports or preparations have been made in Egypt for them; or any Vessels prepared in the Red Sea, to carry them to India, where, from the prevailing winds at this season, they would soon arrive; or any other information you would be good enough to give me, I shall hold myself much obliged. I am, Sir, &c., HORATIO NElson. TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B. [Letter-Book. On Friday, the 29th of June, off Pharos Tower, Alexandria, the Mutine rejoined, and Captain Hardy reported, that he could not obtain any intelligence of the French Fleet.] My Lord, Vanguard, at Sea, June 29th, 1798. Although, I rest confident, that my intentions will always with you have the most favourable interpretations, yet where success does not crown an Officer's plan, it is absolutely necessary that he should explain the motives which actuate his conduct, and therefore, I shall state them as briefly as possible. Captain Troubridge joined me on the 7th of June. From calms it was the 12th before I got round Cape Corse; (I must here state, that I had nothing in the shape of a Frigate except the Mutine Brig). I then sent the Mutine to look into Telamon Bay, which, as all the French troops had not left Genoa on the 6th, I thought a probable place for the rendezvous of a large Fleet, for, completely ignorant as I was of the destination of the Enemy, I felt it my duty to take every precaution not to pass them. On the 13th, the Mutine looked into Telamon Bay, but found nothing there. I ran the Fleet between Planosa, Elba, and Monte Christi, and on the 14th, at noon, was off Civita Vecchia, when we spoke a Tunisian cruiser, who reported that he had spoken a Greek on the 10th, who told him that on the 4th, he had passed through the French Fleet off the N.W. end of Sicily, steering to the eastward. From this moment, I was in anxious expectation of meeting with Dispatch-boats, Neapolitan Cruisers, &c., with letters for me from Naples, giving me every information I could desire, (but my hopes were vain.) On the 15th, I made the Ponza Islands, where not finding a Cruiser, I sent Captain Troubridge in the Mutine to talk with Sir William Hamilton and General Acton, and to state my distress for Frigates. On the 17th, in the Bay of Naples, I received my first letter from Sir William Hamilton, and in two hours Captain Troubridge returned with information, that the French Fleet were off Malta on the 8th, going to attack it, that Naples was at Peace with the French Republic, therefore, could afford us no assistance in Ships, but that, under the rose, they would give us the use of their Ports, and sincerely wished us well, but did not give me the smallest information of what was, or likely to be, the future destination of the French armament. With this comfortable account, I pushed for the Faro [of] Messina. On my way I heard of the French landing in Malta, and that on Tuesday the 12th they had taken the old City that the Fleet was anchored between Gozo and Malta. On the 20th, off Messina, the English Consul came on board to tell me that Malta had surrendered on the 15th, the Russian Minister having arrived the day before from Malta, when the intelligence came over, but I received not the smallest information or notice from the Sicilian Government. Keeping the Sicilian shore on board, on the 21st, I was close off Syracuse and hoisted our colours. A boat in the evening rowed out about a mile, but although I brought to and sent the Mutine in shore, she rowed back again. On the 22nd, in the morning, being off Cape Passaro, the Mutine spoke a Brig which sailed from Malta the day before. The Master reported that Malta surrendered on Friday the 15th of June, and that on Saturday, the 16th, the whole French Fleet left it, as was supposed, for Sicily: that a French garrison was left in the Town, and French colours flying. The wind at this time was blowing strong from the W.N.W. the Vessel had been spoken three hours before, and was gone out of my reach. I could not get to Malta till it moderated, and then I might get no better information. Thus situated I had to make use of my judgment. With information from Naples, that they were at peace with the French Republic, that General Buonaparte had sent on shore to Sicily, that the King of Naples need not be alarmed at the French armament, for it had not Sicily for its object. It was also certain the Sicilian Government were not alarmed or they would have sent off to me. I recalled all the circumstances of this Armament before me, 40,000 troops in 280 Transports, many hundred pieces of artillery, waggons, draught-horses, cavalry, artificers, naturalists, astronomers, mathematicians, &c. The first rendezvous in case of separation was Bastia, the second, Malta,this Armament could not be necessary for taking possession of the honour to acquaint you that I arrived off Alexandria on the 28th ultimo, and found lying there one Turkish Ship of the Line, four Frigates, about twelve other Turkish vessels in the old Port, and about fifty Sail of different Nations' vessels, in the Franks' Port. I directed Captain Hardy, of the Mutine, to run close in, and to send an Officer on shore with my letter to Mr. Baldwin, and to get all the information in his power. Herewith I send you the Officer's report. Mr. Baldwin had left Alexandria near three months. We observed the Line-ofBattle Ship to be landing her guns, and that the place was filling with armed people. After receiving this information, I stretched the Fleet over to the Coast of Asia, and have passed close to the southern side of Candia, but without seeing one Vessel in our route; therefore to this day I am without the smallest information of the French Fleet since their leaving Malta. I own I fully expected to have found Dispatches off this end of Candia; for both Sir William Hamilton and General Acton, I now know, said they believed Egypt was their object; for that when the French Minister at Naples was pressed, on the Armament appearing off Sicily, he declared that Egypt was their object. I have again to deeply regret my want of Frigates, to which I shall ever attribute my ignorance of the situation of the French Fleet. I shall endeavour to keep in the opening of the Archipelago in Lat. between 36° and 37° N., steering with all sail to the westward, and hope soon to gain information from some Merchant-vessel. I have the honour to be, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON, K.B., NAPLES. [Original, in the State Paper Office. On the 30th of June, the Squadron took a Prize, which was set on fire the next day, and then proceeded for the coast of Caramania, steering along the south side of Candia, and thence back to Sicily, and anchored at Syracuse on the 20th of July, where the Squadron, consisting of thirteen Sail of the Line, and the Leander, of 50 guns, watered and obtained fresh provisions, &c.] My dear Sir, Vanguard, Syracuse, July 20th, 1798. It is an old saying, the Devil's children have the Devil's luck.' I cannot find, or to this moment learn, beyond vague |