In January 1798, Sir Horatio Nelson having presented to the city of Norwich the sword of the Spanish admiral, delivered to him on the memorable 14th of February 1797, an ingenious device, executed by Mr. Windham of that city, was erected in the council-chamber of the town-hall, to commemorate this event, and the consequent gift, which has been thus described—­To the ring of an anchor, is suspended a yard and sail, supposed to be torn in action:  on which is inscribed—­“The Sword of the Spanish Admiral, Don Xavier Winthuysen, who died of the wounds he received in an engagement with the British fleet, under the command of Admiral Earl St. Vincent, 13th of February 1797, which ended in the most brilliant victory ever obtained by this country over the enemy at sea; wherein the heroic valour, and cool determined courage, of Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, K.B. had ample scope for their display.  He, being a native of Norfolk, has honoured the city, by presenting this sword, surrendered to him in that action.”  From the flukes of the anchor, the sword is suspended.  Underneath, is the coat of arms of Sir Horatio Nelson, which was given to him by the king.  The crest is the stern of a man of war; the supporters, are a sailor bearing a British lion, trampling on the Spanish colours.  The motto is—­“Faith and works.”

Sir Horatio appears to have spent his preceding Christmas, and commencement of the present year, with his venerable father, and the esteemed husband of his amiable younger sister, Mrs. Matcham, at Bath; where, also, he might be desirous to recruit his health and vigour for his approaching voyage.  Certain it is, that he quitted Bond Street in December, and was at Bath the beginning of February.

It was not till the 1st of April 1798, that the convoy which he had in charge for Lisbon was completely ready; and, though he sailed with it, on that day, from Spithead, the wind, at the back of the Isle of Wight, coming to the westward, he was constrained to return to St. Helen’s.

After waiting till the 9th, he proceeded to Lisbon with the convoy; and, on the 29th of April, joined the Earl of St. Vincent, off Cadiz.

Not a moment was lost by these great men, in proceeding to co-operate for the glory of their country.  The crisis was peculiarly portentous.  Bonaparte, baffled in his views of invading England, or even Ireland—–­after the last and most serious disaffection, recently extinguished, in the mutiny of the home fleet, produced an almost general unanimity of the country—­had been engaged in preparing an expedition, on a scale of imposing grandeur, for some object which was endeavoured to be carefully concealed, till it should be manifested by it’s tremendous effects.  The armament destined for this grand secret expedition, which was collecting at Toulon, under Bonaparte, consisted of thirteen ships of the line, and seven forty-gun frigates, with twenty-four smaller vessels of war, and nearly two