On the 12th, having arrived off Port Mahon; and left orders with Captain Darby, who had come on board the Foudroyant, for Commodore Troubridge, with some other ships to follow, his lordship proceeded on his voyage to Gibraltar.  Between Port Mahon and Majorca, however, Lord Nelson fell in with the Bull-dog, ten days from Rear-Admiral Duckworth, at Gibraltar; who, giving little or no credit to the report of the ships seen off Cape Ortegal, and Sir Edward Berry, from Lisbon, assuring his lordship that the information was entirely disbelieved there, the squadron returned to Minorca.

On the 14th, his lordship wrote a long letter to Rear-Admiral Duckworth; in which are some interesting passages, relative to Captain Nisbet.  “I send you down,” says his lordship, “the Bellerophon; who, Darby says, and I believe truly, is in good order, and fit to stand fair winter’s service.  The Thalia also goes with him:  I wish I could say any thing in her praise, inside or out.  You will receive an order for holding a court-martial on the lieutenant of marines.  Perhaps, you may be able to make something of Captain Nisbet; he has, by his conduct, almost broke my heart.  The ship, I believe, wants some little matter doing to her.  If so, I wish Inglefield would bring her out of the mole as soon as possible; and if, after all our pains, no good can be got out of either ship or captain, send the Thalia to England with some of the convoys; or send her any where out to try.  I wished to have placed him with my friend Cockburne; but, alas! he will not let me do for him what my heart wishes.”  This letter mentions the propriety of getting a list of all vessels taken since the 1st of August, Lord Keith having arrived in Torbay on the 17th.  Custom, his lordship observes, will point out, whether they are to be considered as the only two flag-officers in the Mediterranean; and freights of money, by the Earl of St. Vincent’s acting, belong to the commander in chief.  “Whether that is so, or no,” says his lordship, “we shall never differ about; my only wish is, to do as I would be done by.”  After detailing the particulars of his proceedings since leaving Palermo, and stating his future intentions, particularly with regard to Malta, his lordship concludes with observing—­“Captain Buchanan has just told me, that you wish to put two young men into the Port Mahon; and, that Lord St. Vincent had intended you should name all the officers for her.  Believe me, I would not, on any consideration, do less than was intended by the earl; therefore, I beg you will send up all officers you like, and I will leave acting orders for them with Captain Buchanan.”