osition
as would enable it effectually to bombard the city. Sir John Duckworth,
therefore, was obliged to hasten his departure; and in repassing
the Dardanelles, he sustained considerable loss from the fire of the
castles. A new enemy was added to the list already in battle array
against England. In Turkey, her agents and settlers were exposed to
considerable annoyance, and a sequestration of British property to a
large amount was promptly executed in various quarters. The fate which
awaited the Mussulman negociator was a lamentable one: he was accused
of imbecility or treachery; and his head was taken off his shoulders to
decorate the niche over the Seraglio gate: he paid dear for his friendly
feelings towards the English. So ended the famed expedition to the
Hellespont and the Bosphorus. It broke the spell by which the passage of
the Dardanelles had for ages been guarded; but beyond this it was little
more than a brilliant bravado, followed by a series of humiliating
blunders. And yet no investigation was instituted into the causes of
the failure, Sir John Duckworth being a favourite admiral of the "all
talents" ministry; and subsequently, after their dismissal, he being
sheltered from censure by the strife of parties.

{GEORGE III. 1807--1809}

EXPEDITION TO EGYPT.

A still more imbecile expedition was sent by the "all talents," ministry
against Egypt. In the hope of subduing that country, and thus opposing
a barrier to the design which Napoleon meditated against our oriental
possessions, a force of 5,000 men, under the command of Major-general
Mackenzie Fraser, was ordered to invade it. These troops effected a
landing on the coast of Alexandria, and a detachment seized and occupied
the fort of Aboukir. Alexander also surrendered to the British arms,
and its easy conquest induced General Fraser to attempt the reduction
of Rosetta. The inhabitants of that town, however, were more courageous
than the Alexandrians: every house therein was used as a fortress,
whence a constant fire was directed against the assailants. The attempt
to take it was a complete failure: the British were obliged to retreat
with loss. A second attempt was made with about half the army; but it
was fruitless: a retreat again became necessary, and the troops were
obliged to fight their way back to Alexandria. General Fraser remained
at Alexandria till September, when, finding that its retention was
impracticable, he obtained the release of