disappointed, the country between their posts being completely hostile.  I have little doubt but that army will be destroyed, by plague, pestilence, and famine, and battle and murder; which, that it may soon be, God grant.  The Turks will soon send an army into Syria; and as, for the present, we block them up by sea, they must soon experience great distress.  I hope to find, on my arrival at Naples, that the emperor, and many other powers, are at war with the French; for, till they are reduced, there can be no peace in this world.”

This letter appears to have remained unfinished, for want, probably, of an opportunity of sending it away, about three weeks.  It then received the following conclusion.

“September 7th.  I feel myself so much recovered, that it is probable I shall not go home at present.  The Turks have seized all French ships in the Levant, in consequence of their taking a Turkish sixty-gun ship at Alexandria, and seizing all Turkish property.  This was done on the 14th of August.  I shall always receive pleasure in hearing from you, both as a public and private man; and believe me, dear Sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,

     “Horatio Nelson.”

In the mean time, Admiral Nelson had written the following letter to Francis J. Jackson, Esq. his Britannic majesty’s minister to the Ottoman Porte, dated on board the Vanguard, off the Isle of Rhodes, 27th August 1798.

     “Sir,

“I have the honour to acquaint you, that I attacked the French fleet off the Mouth of the Nile, on the 1st inst. the result of which you will see by the inclosed paper; and that, on the 14th, the French took possession of the Turkish admiral’s ship at Alexandria, hauled down her colours, and hoisted French colours, and seized on all the Turkish property on shore.  The French are in possession of Alexandria, Aboukir, Rosetta, and Damietta, on the coast, and of Grand Cairo:  but all communication is cut off between their army and their transports at Alexandria, by sea, by an English squadron of three ships of the line and four frigates, which I have left cruising there; and, by land, by the Bedouins.  So that, if the Grand Signior will but send a few ships of the line, and some bombs, he may destroy all their transports in Alexandria; and an army of ten thousand men may retake Alexandria immediately, as the French have only four thousand men in it, and the whole French army are very sickly.

“I have been informed, that the French have put to death two hundred Turks at Alexandria, for rejoicing at our victory; and that General Bonaparte only wants a communication opened by sea, to march into Syria, that the transports with stores, &c. for the army may go along shore with him.

     “I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

     “Horatio Nelson.”

The inclosed papers, mentioned in this and the preceding letter, were lists of the forces of the English and French fleets at the battle off the Nile shewing which were taken, burnt, &c. and copies of this last letter were sent to the Earl of St. Vincent and Earl Spencer.