n Egypt. Sailing
with a large fleet from Toulon, he first captured Malta, and then
proceeded to Alexandria, wonderfully escaping Earl Saint Vincent and
Vice-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson. Napoleon having landed, his fleet,
under Admiral Brueys, brought up in Aboukir Bay. Here Nelson found the
French on the 8th of August, drawn up at anchor in order of battle, and
at 3 p.m. he threw out the signal to prepare for the fight, followed an
hour afterwards with orders to anchor by the stern with springs to their
cables. Another signal was shortly afterwards made to signify that the
admiral meant to attack the enemy's van and centre. At 6 p.m. Nelson
signalised to the fleet to fill and stand on, which they did in
admirable order, the _Goliath_ leading; when, soon afterwards hoisting
their colours, with the Union Jack in several parts of the rigging, the
British ships took up the stations allotted to them. At 6:20 p.m. the
_Conquirant_, followed by the _Guerrier_, opened her fire upon the
_Goliath_ and _Zealous_, which was quickly answered by those ships; but
the sun had already sunk into the ocean before any other British ship
had fired a shot. Loud cheers now burst from every ship of the English
fleet, when the men, flying to their guns, opened their broadsides with
a spirit which soon knocked away the masts and spars of their opponents,
and spread death and destruction on board their ships. The action had
continued for two hours, several French ships having struck, when a fire
was perceived on board the _Orient_, which in an hour afterwards blew up
with a tremendous explosion, the burning wreck falling far and wide
around, and setting fire to several ships, friends and foes, in the
neighbourhood. So awful was the effect, that for ten minutes not a gun
was fired on either side. Thus the battle raged all night long, till
soon after dawn the French frigate _Artemise_, after striking her
colours, also caught fire, and with a terrific explosion blew up.

In the morning the enemy's ships still in a condition to make sail got
under way and endeavoured to escape. Of the thirteen French ships of
the line, by this time, one had blown up, eight had surrendered, and two
had escaped. Of the remaining two, one, the _Timoleon_, was on shore,
with her colours flying; the other, the _Tonnant_, lay about two miles
from her, a mere wreck, but also with her colours up. On the approach,
however, of the _Theseus_ and _Leander_, she hauled