British Expedition to Egypt_, Maitland's flotilla is shown a little to
the west of the ruins of Nicopolis, in a position to enfilade the
French attack. For his services on the 8th, 13th, and 21st Maitland
received the thanks of the naval and military commanders-in-chief, and
on March 22, the day after the battle, Sir Sidney Smith wrote to Lord
Keith warmly commending Maitland's conduct.

Maitland's post commission was confirmed by the Admiralty on the day
of the battle of Alexandria. In the ensuing month he was appointed to
the _Dragon_, 74, and shortly afterwards to the _Carrere_, a French
40-gun frigate taken near Elba. He remained in command of her in the
Mediterranean till the Peace of Amiens.

The _Carrere_ was paid off on October 4, 1802. Eleven days afterwards
Maitland was appointed by Lord St Vincent to the _Loire_, a fine
46-gun frigate. War broke out again on May 18, 1803, and the _Loire_
started on a brilliant career of captures,[1] which included the
10-gun brig _Venteux_, cut out from under the Isle of Bas by two of
the _Loire's_ boats, the _Braave_ privateer, and the 30-gun frigate
_Blonde_, captured in August 1804 after a pursuit of twenty hours and
a desperate running fight.

[Footnote 1: They are fully detailed in Marshall's _Naval
Biography_, vol. ii. part 1, pp. 387 _et seq._]

An official letter written by Maitland in June 1805, gives us a vivid
glimpse of frigate service in the old days:--

_Captain Maitland to Rear-Admiral Drury, Cork._

LOIRE, MUROS ROAD, SPAIN,
_June 4, 1805._

SIR,--Being informed that there was a French privateer of 26 guns
fitting out at Muros, and nearly ready for sea, it struck me, from my
recollection of the bay (having been in it formerly, when lieutenant
of the _Kingfisher_), as being practicable either to bring her out or
destroy her with the ship I have the honour to command. I accordingly
prepared yesterday evening for engaging at anchor, and appointed Mr
Yeo, with Lieutenants Mallock and Douglas, of the marines, and Mr
Clinch, master's-mate, to head the boarders and marines, amounting,
officers included, to 50 men (being all that could be spared from
anchoring the ship and working the guns), in landing and storming the
fort, though I then had no idea its strength was so great as it has
proved. At nine this morning, on the sea-breeze setting in, I