en nothing shall
prevent my dying at my post. I hope, my dear friend, that your
complaints are better. Pray, do not fret at any thing; I wish I never
had: but my return to Syracuse, in 1798, broke my heart; which, on any
extraordinary anxiety, now shews itself, be that feeling _pain_ or
_pleasure_." His lordship remarks, however, that he is an infidel about
the Brest fleet again trusting themselves in the Mediterranean. The
Russians, he observes, are certainly going to Malta; under commanders,
both at sea and land, with whom all will be harmony. "You will have
heard," continues his lordship, "that Mr. Arthur Paget is daily
expected, to replace, for the present, Sir William; Comte Pouskin is
also superseded by Italinskoy. In short, great changes are going on; and
none, that I can see, for the better. I have not yet seen General Acton;
but I am led to believe, that the king's not returning to Naples, _has_
been entirely owing to the general. At present, perhaps, he has so much
frightened him, that the act appears his own. _We, of the Nile_, are not
equal to Lord Keith, in his estimation; and ought to think it an honour
to serve under such a _clever man_." In concluding this letter, his
lordship says--"Acton has, I am almost convinced, played us _false_."

In another letter to Sir Thomas Troubridge, dated on the 28th, his
lordship says, that if the ships get away, he is certain the garrison
will not hold out; and expresses his intention again to visit Malta,
before he retires from the station. A courier, from Constantinople, he
says, is just arrived: bringing intelligence, that the French treaty for
quitting Egypt is ratified by the Porte; and, that the ministers of
England and Russia have acquainted the Porte of the determination of the
allies not to suffer the French army to return to Europe. His lordship
then directs him to repeat the orders already given, for making the
French from Egypt, under whatever protection they may be, come into some
of the ports of the allies; for, on no consideration, must they be
allowed to return to France. "I now," adds his lordship, "come to the
most painful part of my letter, the loss of the Queen Charlotte, by
fire. Lord Keith is safe; and, I hope, most of the officers and crew.
She sailed from Leghorn at daylight of the 17th, with a strong land
wind. She was, when five miles distant, discovered to be on fire; and,
at noon, she blew up, about twelve miles from the light-house. This is
t