piece, that
I can only say, what is true, that the last services seem to
eclipse the former ones. You have an arduous task in your present
command; and no officer in his majesty's service could, I am
convinced, perform it with more judgment and advantage for his
majesty's service, than yourself: and I beg that you will ever
believe me, your faithful, affectionate, and obliged friend,

"Nelson."

This day, the Neapolitan ship Lion, Captain Dixon, arrived from Egypt;
and brought information that three or four French frigates, and as many
corvettes, had escaped from Alexandria. Sir Sidney Smith left that place
on the 7th of March, and these ships got away between the 5th and 18th
of April. Captain Dixon finding these ships gone, came away; without
hearing more of Sir Sidney, than that he had arrived at St. Jean D'Acre.

At this momentous period, when the king's restoration to his Neapolitan
dominions was daily to be expected; when the fall of Malta was judged
scarcely possible to be long delayed; and Lord Nelson was anxiously
looking forward to a temporary cessation of his toils, and a speedy
return to his native country; intelligence suddenly arrived, that the
French fleet from Brest, having escaped Lord Keith's vigilance, had been
seen off Oporto, and was expected to effect a junction with that of
Spain at Cadiz. On the 12th of May, at six o'clock in the evening, this
information was brought to Palermo, by L'Espoir brig; which, at
midnight, such was his lordship's dispatch, sailed for Procida, Minorca,
and Gibraltar, with letters for Captain Troubridge, Captain Ball,
Admiral Duckworth, and the Earl of St. Vincent. To Captain Troubridge
his lordship writes, that he must immediately send the Minotaur,
Swiftsure, and St. Sebastian, with either the Culloden or Zealous; and
either himself, or Captain Hood, remain with the Seahorse, La Minerve,
&c. at Procida, and get the Lion from Leghorn, in exchange for one of
the small craft--To Admiral Duckworth, that he is sending him eight,
nine, or ten, sail of the line, with all expedition, that they may be
ready to form a junction with their great and excellent commander in
chief; for which purpose his lordship ventures to offer an opinion, that
it will be better for the ships to remain under sail off Port Mahon,
than in the harbour: and adds best wishes for success, as he is not
permitted to come--And, to the earl of St. Vincent, that these sev