was communicating with the Grand Vizier, at Gaza, respecting the French army.  The ships with him are, Theseus and Cameleon; but the Bulldog is directed to go to him, till the Smyrna convoy is ready to return.  I have lately sent provisions, and some few stores, all we had, for those ships; and I have written to Duckworth, and Inglefield, to send particularly for those ships.  What Turkish ships of war Sir Sidney Smith has under him, I know not; but, I am told, there are several.  The Turkish admiral, Captain Morris tells me, who served under him, had his head taken off, for leaving the port of Alexandria open, and permitting the escape of Bonaparte.  I would have kept up a more constant communication with Egypt; but, I have never had the benefit of small vessels.  At Corfu, General Villete is arrived, and raising two regiments of Albanians.  Our consul there, Mr. Speridion Forresti, is a very able man; and, from thence, the passage of an express, by land, to Constantinople, is twelve days.  To get to Malta—­which has kept, for sixteen months, every ship I could lay my hands on fully employed; and has, in truth, broke my spirits for ever—­I have been begging, of his Sicilian Majesty, small supplies of money and corn, to keep the Maltese in arms, and barely to keep from starving the poor inhabitants.  Sicily has, this year, a very bad crop, and the exportation of corn is prohibited.  Both Graham and Troubridge are in desperation, at the prospect of a famine.  Vessels are here, loading with corn for Malta; but I can neither get the Neapolitan men of war, nor merchant vessels, to move.  You will see, by the report of the disposition of the ships, what a wretched state we are in.  In truth, only the Foudroyant and Northumberland are fit to keep the sea.  The Russians are, on the 4th, arrived at Messina; six sail of the line, frigates, &c. with two thousand five hundred troops.  It is not to be expected, that any one Russian man of war can, or will, keep the sea; therefore, the blockade by sea can only be kept up by our ships:  and it is my intention, if the Foudroyant, or even a frigate, comes soon, to go for two days to Malta, to give the Russian admiral and general, Graham, Troubridge, and Governor Ball, a meeting; not only, on the most probable means of getting the French out, but also, of arranging various matters, if it should fall to our exertions.  The Maltese have, Graham says, two thousand excellent troops; we have, soldiers and sailors, fifteen hundred; the Russians will land full three thousand.  I hope, the Ricasoli may be carried; and, if it is, I think the French general will no longer hold out.  What a relief this would be to us!  If I cannot get to Malta very soon, I shall, from your letter, remain here, to give you a meeting and receive your orders.  It is impossible to send, from Mahon, too many supplies of stores to Malta; sails, rope, plank, nails, &c.  You can form no idea of our deplorable state, for the last year.  In Sicily, we are all quiet.  I have been