taken, under my orders and
regulations!" The two frigates still remained in La Valette; before its
surrender they stole out; one was taken in the attempt; the other was
the only ship of the whole fleet which escaped capture or destruction.

Letters were found on board the GUILLAUME TELL showing that the French
were now become hopeless of preserving the conquest which they had so
foully acquired. Troubridge and his brother officers were anxious that
Nelson should have the honour of signing the capitulation. They told,
him that they absolutely, as far as they dared, insisted on his staying
to do this; but their earnest and affectionate entreaties were vain.
Sir William Hamilton had just been superseded: Nelson had no feeling of
cordiality towards Lord Keith; and thinking that after Earl St. Vincent
no man had so good a claim to the command in the Mediterranean as
himself, he applied for permission to return to England; telling the
First Lord of the Admiralty that his spirit could not submit patiently,
and that he was a broken-hearted man. From the time of his return
from Egypt, amid all the honours which were showered upon him, he had
suffered many mortifications. Sir Sidney Smith had been sent to Egypt
with orders to take under his command the squadron which Nelson had left
there. Sir Sidney appears to have thought that this command was to be
independent of Nelson; and Nelson himself thinking so, determined to
return, saying to Earl St. Vincent, "I do feel, for I am a man, that
it is impossible for me to serve in these seas with a squadron under a
junior officer." Earl St. Vincent seems to have dissuaded him from
this resolution: some heart-burnings, however, still remained, and some
incautious expressions of Sir Sidney's were noticed by him in terms of
evident displeasure. But this did not continue long, as no man bore more
willing testimony than Nelson to the admirable defence of Acre.

He differed from Sir Sidney as to the policy which ought to be pursued
toward the French in Egypt; and strictly commanded him, in the strongest
language, not, on any pretence, to permit a single Frenchman to leave
the country, saying that he considered it nothing short of madness to
permit that band of thieves to return to Europe. "No," said he, "to
Egypt they went with their own consent, and there they shall remain
while Nelson commands this squadron; for never, never, will he consent
to the return of one ship or Frenchman. I wish them