the transports with Sir James Pulteney's division of troops having joined the forces commanded by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, amounting in all to about eighteen thousand effective men, the squadron passed the Straits, and entered the bay of Cadiz, a city at that time visited with a malady which in many respects resembled, and in the extent of its ravages equailed, the plague.* No sooner had the detachment, consisting of three eighty and four seventy-four gun ships, come to anchor, than the governor, Don Thomas de Merla, in a most energetic letter addressed to the admiral, after exposing the unhappy situation of the inhabitants, proceeds as follows: "I have too exalted an opinion of the English people, and of you in particular, to think that you would wish to render our situation more deplorable; but if in consequence of the orders your excellency has received, you are inclined to draw down upon your country the execration of all nations, and to cover yourself with disgrace in the eyes of the whole universe, by oppressing the unfortunate, and attacking those who are supposed to be incapable of defence; 1 declare to you that the gar

* While stationed there, Dec. 21, 1799, Mr. Bainbridge, one of his lieutenants, with the barge of the Queen Charlotte and sixteen men, performed a very gallant action. The Lady Nelson cutter having been seen engaged with some privateers and gun vessels, off Cabareta Point, this officer was dispatched to encou rage her resistance until the arrival of some of the ships of the squadron. Finding, however, that she had been captured in the mean time, he boarded and retook her, on which occasion he received a severe sabre wound during the skirmish.

rison under my orders, accustomed to behold death with a serene countenance, and to brave dangers much greater than all the perils of war, know how to make a resistance which shall not terminate but with their entire destruction. I hope," adds he, "that the answer of your excellency will inform me, whether I am to speak the language of consolation to the unfortunate inhabitants, or whether I am to rouse them to indignation and vengeance."

A regular correspondence now ensued, and squally weather coming on, the Admiral and General at length deemed it proper to depart, without effecting. a descent, although the plan of, and orders for, debarkation had been already concluded upon and issued. It is not, however, without pain we are forced to record, that something in the conduct of the governor gave umbrage to the court of Madrid, in consequence of which he was recalled and disgraced, a circumstance not at all surprising, as an absolute is always a capricious government.

Soon after this, the eyes of England and of Europe were turned towards Egypt, while the French army there, in consequence of the abandonment of Bonaparte, was reduced to such a critical situation, that Kleber at length entered into a treaty with Sir Sidney Smith, and actually consented to abandon that country for ever. Lord Keith, however, no sooner received information of this event, than he frankly informed their commander in chief, that he could not consent to any capitulation, unless the troops would lay down their arms, and surrender prisoners of war.

This declaration was immediately published in the orders issued to the troops, on which, taking advantage of their enthusiasm, the Turks were once more attacked and beaten; so that when instructions arrived to accede to the convention of El Arisch, the enemy, who by this time were flushed with new victories, declined any longer to accept that as a favour which they would have joyfully consented to before.

At length it was determined to wrest Egypt from the hands of the French by force; and while Sir Ralph Abercrombie was nominated to the command of the expedition by land, Lord Keith was entrusted with the fleet which was assembled for that purpose. The armament destined for this expedition accordingly repaired to Marmorice, on purpose to wait for the co-operation of the Turks; and having sailed from that capacious port on the 22d of February 1801, anchored in the bay of Aboukir on the 22d of March, near to the very spot on which the memorable battle of the Nile had been fought. The following is a list of the fleet employed upon this

The army, to the amount of sixteen thousand one hundred and fifty men, together with a battalion of one thousand seamen under Sir Sidney Smith, could not be landed so soon as intended, on account of a heavy swell; but the most effectual means were taken for that purpose; and not only written orders were issued, but a coloured plan of the debarkation, such as had been issued before at Cadiz, exactly specifying the number and stations of the vessels intended to convey and cover the troops, was distributed.

About two o'clock in the morning of the 8th of March, the first division began to enter the boats destined to receive them; at three signal rockets were fired, in consequence of which they all rendezvoused opposite the Mendovi, an armed vessel anchored on purpose, in a central position, near to the beach. At nine they advanced towards the shore, preserving the form of a line as much as possible, under the direction of the Honourable Captain Cochrane, and seconded by the captains Stevenson, Scott, Larmour, Apthorp, and Harrison, with both Blanks protected by cutters, gun-boats, and armed

* In addition to these there were two sixty-fours, two fifties, five forty-fours, two thirty-eights, two thirty-sixes, four thirtytwos, and six twenty-eights, armed en flute, together with two bomb-vessels, transports, Turkish gun-boats and kiacks, &c.

launches,