a challenge sent by
Sir John Orde, immediately after his return home, for having appointed
his lordship, instead of himself, the senior officer, to the command of
the squadron which had so successfully destroyed the French fleet; an
intended duel, happily prevented by the interposition of the law, and
the still stronger efficacy, it is said, of a positive royal
injunction--now made a claim to prize-money, as commander in chief,
after having quitted the Mediterranean station on account of ill health.
His lordship, who always felt warmly, vehemently protested against the
admission of this claim, in a powerful protest, addressed to his
confidential friend, Mr. Davison. It is to be lamented that this
unfortunate affair, which was afterwards litigated, and finally decided
against the earl, should have in any degree abated that ardent
friendship which had, so much to their reciprocal honour and advantage,
as well as to the benefit and glory of their country, heretofore
subsisted between the two first naval heroes in the world!

Information, it appears, had reached Lord Keith, so long since as the
beginning of April, respecting the intention of these Spanish ships at
Palermo: for Lord Nelson, in a letter dated on board the Foudroyant, at
Malta, 10th May 1800, observes that he has received his lordship's
intelligence from Mahon, of the 3d of April, on that subject, which is
perfectly correct; and had already ordered that, in case of their
preparing to leave the port, express-boats should be sent in all
directions with the necessary information for their being pursued, as
well as written to Mahon on the occasion. These ships, however, it may
be proper here to remark, though they could not elude the vigilance of
Lord Nelson, who had narrowly watched them for upwards of seventeen
months, certainly effected their escape from Palermo, very shortly after
his departure; and, to his lordship's infinite mortification and regret,
arrived safely in Spain, long before he reached England.

After remaining about a month at Malta, and being fully convinced, from
the arrangements then made, that it must soon fall, his lordship
returned to Palermo; as, notwithstanding his earnest wishes for the
possession of that important island, he did not chuse to be present at
the time of it's actual surrender, lest his friend Ball should thus lose
the chief honour of the conquest. Besides concerting plans for the
speedy reduction of this island, his lords