ypt_; I must, therefore, _strictly charge and
command you_, never to give any French ship, or man, leave to quit
Egypt. And I must also desire, that you will oppose, by every means
in your power, any permission which may be attempted to be given by
any foreigner, admiral, general, or other person; and you will
acquaint those persons, that I shall not pay the smallest attention
to any such passport after your notification: and you are to put my
orders in force, not on any pretence to permit a single Frenchman
to leave Egypt. Of course, you will give these orders to all the
ships under your command. As I am very, anxious for the return of
the Emma polacre, I have to request that you will not detain her
more than two hours. As I shall hope to have a constant
communication with you, through the means of the Turkish or Russian
admirals, all letters for your squadron, I shall direct to be left
in the Vanguard.

"I am, Sir, your very humble servant,

"Nelson."

"Sir William Sidney Smith,
Captain of his Majesty's ship Le Tigre."

Not even the judicious plan which his lordship was now busily engaged in
arranging for the recovery of Naples, with all the other objects of his
incessant care, could divert his attention from that grand object, the
entire destruction of the French armament sent to Egypt. He had just
received information of the, surrender of Corfu; and, about this time, a
very elegant and flattering letter had been written to his lordship by
the King of Sardinia, full of gratitude for the protection of the
British flag in conveying him from Leghorn. In writing to the Earl of
St. Vincent, after mentioning these subjects, with the return of Captain
Troubridge's squadron from Egypt, he observes that it is his intention
to send a small squadron, under that commander, into the Bay of Naples,
"I wish, first," says his lordship, "to take the Island of Procida,
which will secure a tolerable anchorage, and effectually blockade
Naples. It must, also, have the effect of preventing the French from
detaching any troops from Naples to to the provinces, who are all loyal.
The court tells me, that twelve thousand Russians, and fifteen thousand
Turks, are ready to cross the Adriatic, to land in the kingdom of
Naples. If so, our squadron will create a powerful diversion." Having
stated the reasons which have been seen for Captain Troubridge's