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Date,) for the Information of the Lords Com miffioners of the Admiralty.

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I have the Honor to be, Sir. &c. &c. &c.

MY LORD,

W. SIDNEY SMITH.

Tigre, of Jaffa, 8th Nov. 1-99. LAMENT to have to inform your Lordship of the melancholy Death of Patrona Bey the Turkish Vice-Admiral, who was affaffinated at Cyprus in a Mutiny of the Janiffaries on the 18th of October the Command devolved on Seid Ali Bey, who had just joined me with the Troops from Conftantinople, compofing the Second Maritime Expedition deftined for the Recovery of Egypt. As foon as our joint Exertions had reftored Order, we proceeded to the Mouth of the Damietta Branch of the Nile to make an Attack thereon, as combined with the Supreme Vizir, in order to draw the Attention of the Enemy that Way, and leave his Highness more at Liberty to advance with the grand Army on the Side of the Defart. The Attack begun by the Tigre's Boats taking Poffeffion of a ruined Caftle fituated on the Eaftern Side of the Bogaz, or Entrance of the Channel, which the Inundation of the Nile had infulated from the Main Land, leaving a fordable Paffage. The Turkish Flag difplayed on the Tower of this Caftle, was at once the Signal for the Turkish Gun-Boats to advance, and for the Enemy to open their Fire in order to diflodge us; their nearest Post being a Redoubt on the Main Land with Two Thirty-two Pounders, and an EightPounder Field Piece mounted thereon, a point blank Shot diftant.

The fire was returned from the Launch's Carronade, mounted in a Breach in the aftle, and from Field Pieces in the fmall Boats, which foon obliged the Enemy to difcontinue working at an Intrenchment they were making to oppofe a Landing. Lieutenant Stokes was detached with the Boats to check a Body

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a Body of Cavalry advancing along the Neck of Land, in which he fucceeded; but I am forry to fay with the Loss of One Man killed and One wounded. This Interchange of Shot continued with little Intermiffion during the 29th, 30th, and 31st, while the Turkish Transports were drawing nearer to the Landing Place, our Shells from the Carronade annoying the Enemy in his Works and Communications; at length the Magazine blowing up, and One of their thirty-two-Pounders being filenced, a favourable Moment offered for Difembarkation. Orders were given accordingly; but it was not till the Morning of the ft November that they could eff:&uate this Operation.

This delay gave Time for the Enemy to collect a Force more than double that of the First Divifion: landed, and to be ready to attack it before the Return of the Boats with the Remainder. The French advanced to the Charge with Bayonets. The Turks completely exculpated themfelves from the Sufpicion of Cowardice having been the Caufe of their Delay; for when the Enemy were within Ten Yards of them, they rushed on, Sabre in Hand, and in an Inftant completely routed the firft Line of the French Infantry. The Day was ours for the Moment; but the Impetuofity of Ofman Aga and his Troops occafioned them to quit the Station affigned them as a Corps of Referve, and to run forward in Purfuit of the Fugitives; European Tactics were of courfe advantageoufly employed by the French at this criticalJun&ture. Their Body of Referve came on in perfect Order, while a Charge of Cavalry on the Left of the Turks put them completly to the Rout in their Turn. Our Flanking Fire from the Caftle and Boats, which had been hitherto plied with evident Effect, was now neceffarily fufpended by the Impoffibility of pointing clear of the Turks in the Confufion. The latter turned a random Fire on the Boats, to make them take them off, and the Sea

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was in a Inftant covered with Turbans, while the Air was filled with piteous Moans, calling to us for Affiftance; it was (as at Aboukir) a Duty of fome Difficulty to afford it them, without being Victims to their Impatience, or overwhelmed with Numbers; we, however, perfevered and faved all, except those which the Frence took Prisoners by wading into the Water after them; neither did the Enemy interrupt us much in fo doing. Major Douglas and Lieutenant Stokes, who were with me on this Service, gave additional Proofs of their Zeal, Ability, and Bravery, and the Boats' Crews, as ufual, behaved admirably.

The Lofs in Killed on our Side cannot be afcertained. The French General in his Offer to exchange Prisoners on the general Account. affures me he has Eleven Hundred. As to the Enemy's Lofs, we have no Means of estimating it, but it must have been fufficient to convince them that fuch Victories as these against Troops, which, though irregular, will fight Hand to Hand with them, muft coft them dear in the End.

I have the Honor to be, My Lord, &c. &c. &c. W. SIDNEY SMITH.

Admiralty-Office, March 29, 1800. Copy of a Letter from the Right Honourable Lord Keith, K. B. Vice Admiral of the Red, and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Mediterranean, to Evan Nepean, Efq; dated on board the Queen Charlotte, off Valette, 20th Feb. 1800. SIR,

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Y Letter of the 15th acquainted you, for the Information of their Lordships, that I had received Intelligence of the reported Approach of an Enemy's Squadron towards this Ifland; and although I had confiderable Difficulty in perfuading myfelf that they would hazard the Attempt in the Face of fo fuperior a Force, I nevertheless confidered it incumbent upon me to take the neceffary Precautions of reconnoitring the Quarter in

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which

which they were to be expected, and at the fame Time guarding moft particularly the Entrance of the Harbour of Valette, as the only Point in which they could fecure themfelves, and debark their Troops and Stores. The Wind being ftrong from the SE. and accompanied with Rain, I could only communicate by Signal; I accordingly denoted the Bearing and the reputed Force of the Enemy, and directed the Foudroyant, Audacious, and Northumberland to chace to Windward, and the Lion to look out off the Paffage between Goza and Malta, while the Queen Charlotte was kept as clofe in with the Mouth of the Harbour as the Batteries would admit of; the Alexander at the fame Time was under Weigh on the South-East Side of the Island: On the 16th I was joined by the Phaeton, from Palermo; and the Wind having shifted to the N.W. which afforded a favorable Opportunity for landing the Neapolitan Troops at Marfa Sirocco, I ac cordingly embraced it, and in the Afternoon returned off the Harbour of Valette: Signals were made from various Parts of the Island of an Enemy's being in Sight, and with the Queen Charlotte, Phaeton, Serena Neapolitan Frigate, and Minorca Sloop, I anxioufly continued to maintain a Politics near the Shore, to prevent the Enemy from paffing within us, and to expose them to the Attack of His Majefty's Ships that were in Purfuit of them. On the Morning of the 19th, El Corfo joined with a large French Armed Store Ship which he took Poffeffion of at Four o'Clock in the Afternoon of the 18th, by Signal from Lord Nelfon, whofe Squadron was then engaged with the French: Captain Ricketts reported this Ship to be the Ville de Marfeilles, loaded with Salt Meat, Brandy, Wine, Cloathing, Stores, &c. &c.; fhe failed from Toulon on the 7th Inftant, in Company with the Genereux Seventy-four, Admiral Perrée, Badine Twenty-four, and Two Corvettes, having near Four Thousand

Troops

Troops on board for the Relief of Malta. At Four P. M. the Foudroyant and Audacious joined me, and I was acquainted by Rear-Admiral Lord Nelfon that the Genereux had furrendered without any Action, and that the Three Corvettes had efcaped, from all the Line of Battle Ships having anxiously preffed after the French Admiral. I have the Honor to enclose a Copy of Lord Nelfon's Letter. His Lordship has on this Occafion, as on all others, conducted himself with Skill and great Ad. dress in comprehending my Signals, which the State of the Weather led me greatly to fufpect. Captain Peard has evinced excellent Management from the Moment he first discovered the Enemy off the SouthWeft End of Sicily until the Period of the Capture; and Lieutenant William Harrington, commanding the Alexander in the Abfence of Captain Ball, has fhewn great Merit in fo ably conducting that Ship in Prefence of fo fuperior a Force previously to the Appearance of Lord Nelfon; I beg Leave to recommend him to their Lordships' Confideration.

I have detached Ships in all Directions to endea vour to pick up the Stragglers.

I have the Honor to be, &c. &c. &c.

KEITH

Foudrogant, at Sea, off Cape di Corvo, Eight Leagues Weft of Cape Paffaro, off Shore about Four Miles, 18th MY LORD, February 1800.

TH

HIS Morning at Daylight, being in Company with the Ships named in the Margin *, I faw the Alexander in Chace of a Line of Battle Ship, Three Frigates, and a Corvette. At about Eight o'Clock the fired feveral Shot at One of the Enemy's Frigates, which ftruck her Colours, and leaving her to be fecured by the Ships aftern, continued the Chace. I directed Captain Gould, of

*Northumberland, Audacious, and El Corfo Brig.

the

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