d the singular
genius and renown of its general and his lieutenants,--should be
assumed by some of the allies of Great Britain, although he was never
slow to express his want of confidence in their navies. He was urgent,
both with the joint ministers and with the representatives of Russia
and Turkey, that the fleets of these two powers should relieve Hood
off Alexandria, in order to strengthen his own hands on the coast of
Italy and off Malta. Neither Russia nor Turkey was easily to be
convinced. Egypt was no affair of the former's, except as it concerned
the general cause; and from that point of view it was as much the
business of Great Britain, already on the spot, as it was hers. With
twenty thousand troops about to enter into a campaign in Northern
Italy, as allies of Austria, Russia had undeniable interests there, as
well as in the Ionian Islands, which commanded the entrance to the
Adriatic, a sea important to communications between Austria and
Lombardy. The islands also were, in the hands of France, a threat to
the Turkish mainland. It was against these, therefore, that the
Russo-Turkish forces directed their efforts, greatly to Nelson's
disgust, and there they remained, chained by the obstinate resistance
of Corfu, until the 1st of March, 1799, when it surrendered. The
fifty-gun ship "Leander," which had been taken by the French
seventy-four "Genereux," when carrying Nelson's despatches after the
Nile, was here recaptured and restored to Great Britain.

Nelson viewed the progress and policy of Russia with a mind fully
imbued with the distrust, which, for the last quarter of a century,
had been supplanting gradually the previous friendly feeling of Great
Britain toward that country. As soon as he heard of the intention to
attack the islands, in November, 1798, he hurried off Troubridge to
anticipate a seizure which he expected to be more easy than it proved.
"You will proceed to sea without a moment's loss of time," his
instructions ran, "and make the best of your way to the Island of
Zante; and if the Russians have not taken possession of that island
and Cephalonia, you will send on shore by the Priest I shall desire to
accompany you, my Declaration. If you can get possession of the
islands before named, you will send my Declaration into the Island of
Corfu, and use your utmost endeavours to get possession of it....
Should the Russians have taken possession of these Islands and be
cruizing near with the Turkish