Fiorenzo bay ; and, at 9 h. 30 m. a.m., the French ships discovering the British fleet of 22 sail of the line and several frigates, at anchor, left off chase and turned their heads to the westward.

The state of the wind, which blew right into the. bay, was not the only obstacle that prevented the British fleet from immediately proceeding in chase. Most of the ships were in the midst of watering and refitting. Owing, however, to the extraordinary exertions of their crews, Admiral Hotham was enabled, at 9 p.m., to take advantage of the land-wind, and get under way with the fleet. That fleet, on being joined by Commodore Nelson's squadron, consisted of the:

Frigates Meleager and Cyclops, 20-gun ship Ariadne ; sloops, Comet, Eclair, and Fléche ; and cutter Resolution.

On the 8th, at noon, the British fleet, having cleared San-Fiorenzo bay, steered to the westward under all sail, with the wind from the south-south-west. On the 12th, in the evening, Levant island bearing from the van of the British fleet west, distant eight leagues, two vessels, spoken by the Cyclops,

* The ships thus marked were those that joined the admiral on the 14th of the preceding month.

† Had shifted his flag from the Cumberland a few hours only before the fleet got under way.