his
great talents and other good qualities. He accordingly sent him to the
Mediterranean with three ships of the line, four frigates, and a sloop
of war.

This force was now, by the addition to which we have referred, augmented
so largely that Nelson found himself in possession of a fleet with which
he might not only "watch" the enemy, but, if occasion should offer,
attack him.

He was refitting after a storm in the Sardinian harbour of St. Pietro,
when the reinforcements hove in sight. As soon as the ships were seen
from the masthead of the Admiral's vessel, Nelson immediately signalled
that they should put to sea. Accordingly the united fleet set sail, and
began a vigorous search for the French armament, which had left Toulon a
short time before.

The search was for some time unsuccessful. No tidings could be obtained
of the destination of the enemy for some time, but at length it was
learned that he had surprised Malta.

Although his fleet was inferior in size to that of the French, Nelson--
and indeed all his officers and men--longed to meet with and engage
them. The Admiral, therefore, formed a plan to attack them while at
anchor at Gozo, but he received information that the French had left
that island the day after their arrival. Holding very strongly the
opinion that they were bound for Egypt, he set sail at once in pursuit,
and arrived off Alexandria on the 28th of June 1798.

There, to his intense disappointment, he found that nothing had been
seen or heard of the enemy. Nelson's great desire was to meet with
Napoleon Bonaparte and fight him on the sea. But this wish was not to
be gratified. He found, however, that the governor of Alexandria was
endeavouring to put the city in a state of defence, for he had received
information from Leghorn that the French expedition intended to proceed
against Egypt after having taken Malta.

Leaving Alexandria, Nelson proceeded in various directions in search of
the French, carrying a press of sail night and day in his anxiety to
fall in with them, but being baffled in his search, he was compelled to
return to Sicily to obtain fresh supplies in order to continue the
pursuit.

Of course Nelson was blamed in England for his want of success in this
expedition, and Earl St. Vincent was severely censured for having sent
so young an officer on a service so important. Anticipating the
objection, that he ought not to have made so long a voyage without more
certain