of any such consequence, and deceived by the artful promulgation of false reports, kept running for Sicily; and, when in sight of Maritimo, sent Le Tigre, Captain Hallowell, to communicate with Sir John Acton at Palermo.  Le Tigre joined next day, without any news whatever of the French.  In the evening, the fleet passed round Strombolo, which burnt very strongly all night; and, having left the Sophia to cruize three days off Strombolo for information, and sent the Bittern to Tunis, proceeded for the Faro of Messina.  On the 30th, off the Faro, his lordship was joined by the Seahorse from Naples; where, also, nothing had been heard of the French.  At noon, on the 31st, having sent the Seahorse off Toulon, round Cape Corse, and Morgiana, to look into Elba, St. Fiorenzo, and Ajaccio, the fleet got through the Faro of Messina without any accident.  On the 2d of February, they passed Candia; being unable, from the state of the wind and weather, to make that island:  and, on the 5th, sent forward the Anson, with letters to the Governor of Alexandria; to the British resident, Major Bissett; and to the pro-consul, Mr. Briggs.  Next day, his lordship saw the Arab’s Tower; and, on the 7th, at seven in the morning, came within sight of Alexandria, but there were no ships in the port.  His lordship immediately sent Captain Hallowell ashore, with duplicates of his letters, the Anson being unable to get up.  At three o’clock, Captain Hallowell returned.  The Turks, who were very much alarmed at the appearance of the fleet, had heard nothing of the French; and were in no condition to defend this most important place from an attack, by surprise, of even five hundred men.  Such is the shocking supineness of these people!  The Turks and Mamelukes were, however, at war; the former being in possession of Grand Cairo, and the latter of Upper Egypt.  Immediately on the receipt of this intelligence, by Captain Hallowell, the fleet bore up, and made sail for Malta.

On the 11th, the Phoebe having joined off Candia, was dispatched to Malta with orders.  At daylight, on the 19th, his lordship saw Malta; and, at eight in the morning, communicated with Vallette.  The Phoebe made the signal for no information; and, at nine, the fleet bore away for Maritimo.  The Superb picked up a boat, and made the signal for intelligence from Malta:  but his lordship would not stop; for he wanted, he said, no intelligence, but where to find the French fleet.  His anxiety, therefore, may be easily imagined.  It was little less, in fact, than what he had formerly suffered, on his first vain pursuit to Alexandria.  By a vessel met with, in the afternoon, eight days from Barcelona, his lordship now learned that the French fleet had returned to Toulon; wanting, however, at that time, three sail of the line and a frigate.  On the 28th, while employed in watering the fleet, at Palla, in Sardinia, a letter arrived from Captain Munday of the Hydra, dated February 17th, who had reconnoitred the French fleet in Toulon on the 12th, when it consisted of seventeen sail.