othing. But, your demands, with a bare proportion for the
Theseus, goes to-morrow for Gibraltar; and, although I am pretty
sure you will not receive half what your ships want, I shall urge
Inglefield to send you every thing he can. You will have heard,
probably, that Lord St. Vincent still retains the Mediterranean
command; and that I am, by order, acting till his return:
therefore, I have not the power of giving commissions, or any thing
more than acting orders. As to getting Neapolitan gunboats to you,
there are many reasons against it. In the first place, they have
none fit for such a voyage. This is enough; but, was this not
sufficient, it would be a thing impossible. I believe, we are as
bad a set to deal with, for real service, as your Turks. Mr.
Harding has sent me word, he does not chuse to return to Egypt; for
which, he is a fool. Your brother will, of course, tell you all our
good news from Holland and Germany; and, I hope, the King of
Prussia has joined the coalition. May peace, with a monarchy in
France, be soon given to us! I have just got a report, which
appears to have some foundation, that Bonaparte has passed Corsica
in a bombard, steering for France. No crusado ever returned with
more humility. Contrast his going out in L'Orient, &c. Again, be
assured that I place the greatest confidence in all you do; and no
commanding officer shall ever have more attention to all your wants
and wishes, than will your, &c.

"Nelson."

"Sir William Sidney Smith, Knt."

Lord Nelson had, also, on his return to Palermo, received a letter from
his friend, Lord Minto; which, he observed in his answer, gave equal
pleasure to Sir William, Lady Hamilton, and himself. "Yesterday," says
his lordship, writing on the 24th, "your whole letter was read to the
queen. I am charged to say every thing which is grateful, and thankful,
on her majesty's behalf. But, I know, I need not say much; as she
intends, I believe, to write you herself. We all have the most
affectionate regard for your public and private character; and I should
do injustice to my friends, was I to attempt to say my regard exceeded
their's. My conduct, as your's, is to go straight and upright. Such is,
thank God, the present plan of Great Britain; at least, as far as I
know: for, if I thought otherwise, I should not be so faithful a servant
to m