none she respects more than yourself. Good Sir William is
much better for his trip. Make my best regards to Sir James St.
Clair. I really have not the power of writing, and I am really
blind; but, whilst I have life," concludes this excellent,
indefatigable, and friendly hero, "believe me, my dear admiral,
your obliged and affectionate
"Nelson."
His lordship might well be weary, on this sultry day; the festivity of
which he so little regarded, that he was actually employed, from morning
till night, in writing and dictating letters and orders. In the evening
of this day, Lord Nelson received information that the Russian and
Turkish squadrons, from Corfu, had arrived at Messina; and, on the
18th, sent the copy of a letter just received from Lord Keith, who had
quitted the Mediterranean in pursuit of the combined fleets, to Admiral
Uschakoff, commander in chief of the Russian squadron, who had retaken
the Leander at Corfu, mentioning an order from the British Admiralty for
the restoration of that ship. His lordship, however, not having received
this order, apologized for being unable to send it: and stated, very
properly, that it was to be presumed the courts of Petersburgh and
London had decided on the restoration of the Leander; as the Admiralty
would not, otherwise, have sent such orders to the commander in chief,
and appointed officers to that ship. Captain Drummond, his lordship
observed, who would wait on his excellency with these letters, was
appointed to the temporary command of the Leander; and requested that he
might be favoured with directions to the officer commanding at Corfu,
for assistance in fitting out and manning the said ship, so as to enable
him to proceed with it to Minorca.
On the 19th, his lordship wrote to Commodore Troubridge, acquainting him
that Lord Keith was in pursuit of the combined fleets, which had been
seen off Cape St. Vincent's the 24th of July; that the British fleet
passed the Straits on the 30th; and that the Earl of St. Vincent sailed
for England, in the Argo, on the 31st. His lordship also mentions, that
he has just received great news from Egypt. The siege of Acre was
raised on the 21st of May; and Bonaparte, leaving all his cannon and
sick behind, had got again to Cairo. The La Forte French frigate had
been taken by the English La Sybille, but that poor Captain Coote had
been killed; "and here," says his lordship, "we must shed a tear for
dea
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