great object should fail, they hoped thereby
to rid themselves of a dangerous and troublesome rival. But funds were
wanting to carry this design into effect; for though Italy and other
countries had been pillaged by the French soldiery, with a defiance
of all principle or political honesty, yet was the government
poverty-stricken: however, the French directory looked around for some
weak ally or neutral to plunder, and their cupidity was directed towards
free Switzerland. Berne had a well-replenished treasury; and on the
flimsy pretext of its having publicly enrolled emigrants and given
shelter to deserters, a French army, under General Breme, was sent on
the marauding errand of demanding the public purse of its citizens.
Success attended this armed banditti; the ruling families of Berne were
displaced; the government changed; the most respectable senators were
banished; the treasury was confiscated; and large contributions likewise
exacted for the supply of the invading army. The money thus fraudulently
obtained enabled Napoleon to set sail for Egypt. His expedition counted
thirteen ships of the line, with seven frigates and smaller vessels,
making in the whole forty-four sail. The fleet was commanded by
Bear-admiral Brueys, and the transports had on board about 20,000 men,
with a proportionable number of horses and artillery, provisions and
military stores, as well as a lai-ge body of scientific men, who joined
the armament in order to make researches into the antiquities and
productions of Egypt. The capture of Malta was included in the plan of
the French directory, and Napoleon arrived there on the 9th of June;
and Hompesch, the Grand Master, terrified by the threats of some of the
Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the French interest,
capitulated on a summons to surrender. Having plundered the churches,
and the Alberghi, and other establishments of the order, and having left
General Vaubois to take care of the island, Buonaparte re-embarked for
Egypt. He came in sight of Alexandria on the 29th of June, and on the
next day the troops landed within three miles of that city. Alexandria
was captured, and from its walls Napoleon issued a proclamation, telling
the inhabitants that he came as the friend of the Sultan, to deliver
them from the Mamelukes, and that he and his soldiers respected God, his
prophet Mohammed, and the Koran. On the 7th of July Napoleon moved from
Alexandria to Cairo, and on the 21st,