One of the first disappointments, after this recent honour, was the arrival of Captain Stephenson, to take the command of the Princess Charlotte; by which, his lordship feelingly observes, in a letter of the 7th, to Captain Ball, “poor Hardy was consequently turned adrift.”  He had, at this time, too, received a mortifying letter from General Sir James St. Clair Erskine:  mentioning, that the twenty-eighth regiment was ordered to England; and that he was sure General Fox, who was every moment expected, would not, on any consideration, break his orders, for any object.  With this disagreeable information, his lordship could not bring his mind yet to acquaint Captain Ball.  On the contrary, he affects to anticipate, in the letter above mentioned, that he expects the answer from Minorca will be unfavourable to both their wishes; and expresses his intention of going to Naples, for assistance from the Russians and his Sicilian Majesty.  He then, with exquisite kindness and address, introduces the extract of a letter from Earl Spencer; which liberally states, that Captain Ball, by his unparalleled vigilance and exertion, had indeed shewn himself worthy of the friendship with which Lord Nelson had honoured him.  “I only send this, my dear Ball,” says his lordship, “to shew that I do not forget my friends:  as to honouring you, that is not in my power; but to render you justice, is my duty.”

In the mean time, his lordship had, on the preceding day, thus expressed himself to Earl Spencer, on the subject of attention to orders, in consequence of this refusal of troops from Minorca—­“Much, my dear lord, as I approve of strict obedience to orders—­even to a court-martial, to enquire whether the object justified the measure—­yet, to say that an officer is never, for any object, to alter his orders, is what I cannot comprehend.  The circumstances of this war so often vary, that an officer has almost every moment to consider—­What would my superiors direct, did they know what is passing under my nose?  The great object of the war is—­Down, down, with the French! To accomplish this, every nerve, and by both services, ought to be strained.  My heart is,” says this excellent man and true hero, “I assure you, almost broke, with that and other things.”  Then, speaking of the state of the blockade, he says—­“If the enemy get supplies in, we may bid adieu to Malta.  This would compleat my misery; for, I am afraid, I take all services too much to heart.  The accomplishing of them is my study, night and day.”

It is a singular circumstance, and merits high consideration, that while Lord Nelson thus strongly urges the necessity for both services to be equally strained; Sir Sidney Smith was most feelingly complaining, in letters dated off Rhodes, 29th September 1799, of the want of a cordial co-operation in General Koehler:  who seems to have regarded Sir Sidney’s gallant exploits on land as an improper interference with the military department; and to have made the subject of a long