management of Lieutenant William Harrington, who commands the
Alexander in the absence of Captain Ball: and I am much pleased
with the gallant behaviour of Captain Peard, of the Success; as,
also, with the alacrity and good conduct of Captain Martin, and Sir
Edward Berry. I have sent Lieutenant Andrew Thomson, First
Lieutenant of the Foudroyant, to take charge of Le Genereux; whom I
beg leave to recommend to your lordship, for promotion: and send
her, under care of the Northumberland, and Alexander, to Syracuse,
to wait your lordship's orders. I have the honour to be, my lord,
your lordship's most obedient and most humble servant,

Bronte Nelson

The Right Honourable Lord Keith, K.B. &c."

His lordship, the next day, directed Captain Gould, of the Audacious, to
proceed with the French prisoners for the harbour of St. Paul, in the
Island of Malta; and, putting them on board any ship of war, or empty
transport, he might find there, to return to the westward of Goza, where
he was to cruize till farther orders.

Though Lord Nelson was much gratified by this capture, which reduced the
number of French ships that had escaped at the battle off the Nile to
the single one of Le Guillaume Tell, then blocked up at Malta, his
health appeared daily on the decline. Still, however, his spirits seem
to have remained lively; for, in writing on the occasion, to Palermo, he
desires Prince Leopold will tell his august father, that he is, he
believes, the first Duke of Bronte who ever took a French seventy-four.

Besides the French prisoners sent to Malta for the sake of compelling
their countrymen to maintain them, and consequently to assist in the
consumption of the provisions of the garrison, and thus accelerate it's
surrender; there were a number of Moorish prisoners on board Le
Genereux, subjects of the Bashaw of Tripoli. These Lord Nelson sent back
to their own country; with letters to the bashaw, as well as to the
British consul: the former of whom he assures, that he is happy in the
opportunity of saving so many of his subjects from a French prison; and
the latter, he requests, will not fail to impress on the bashaw's mind,
that Nelson is never unmindful of his friends. "The bashaw," he adds,
"was very good in supplying the El Corso with some rope, which was duly
reported to me; and, for which, I beg, you will thank his excellency in
my name."

On the 24th of Febr