altering the disposition of the troops:  but, I hope, General Fox is with you; and, I am sure, from his character, he will approve of my feelings on this subject.  If he is not, I must again earnestly entreat that, at least, you will give directions for Colonel Graham to hold Malta till we can get troops to attack La Valette.  May God direct your councils, for the honour of our king and his allies, and to the destruction of the French, is the fervent prayer of, &c.

     “Nelson.”

At the same time, addressing a letter to Commodore Troubridge, who he had reason to suppose was at Minorca, his lordship says—­“My letter to Sir James St. Clair, if this finds you at Mahon, will shew you what I feel about Malta.”  After again describing apprehended consequences, and expressing his hope that General Fox is arrived, and that Sir James will lay all circumstances before him, his lordship continues—­“I know Sir James to be a most fair, honourable, and zealous officer; and I earnestly hope, that you will have the carrying him and fifteen hundred troops to Malta.  If, alas! all my arguments are in vain, against orders—­not knowing our situation here—­or the delicacy of the approach of General Fox; then, it is only for me to grieve, and intreat of you to come here, and bring the Northumberland—­that, at least, I may prevent supplies getting in:  and, for this purpose, I shall be under the distressing necessity of taking as many ships as possible from Minorca; which, I assure you, would hurt me very much.”

On the 28th, his lordship detached the Minotaur, and even the Foudroyant, to join the Marquis De Niza off Malta; intreating him, not to withdraw a man from the island, even on the arrival of the Russians.  “Again, and again,” writes his lordship, “I desire—­for which, you may be certain, I hold myself responsible—­that you will not, on any consideration, withdraw a single man belonging to your squadron from the island.”

Scarcely a day now passed, that Lord Nelson did not send some information to Captain Ball, for the purpose of inspiriting his depressed hopes in the conduct of this arduous undertaking; and, certainly, the indefatigability of his lordship, in labouring to obtain every requisite aid for the accomplishment of this important object, was impossible to be surpassed, and has probably never been equalled.  Every risk, the purity of his heroic mind was prepared to encounter; every honour, it’s dignified humility was desirous of yielding to all who should assist in the enterprize.

In one of these letters, he says—­“I have begged, almost on my knees, for money, for the present subsistence of the Maltese who bear arms.”  In another, a day or two after—­“The court have all the inclination; but, to my knowledge, they have not cash enough for the common purposes of the government!” In a third, the day following—­“The King of Naples has sent four thousand ounces, to assist the poor islanders who bear arms.”  His