rear-admiral received from foreign potentates, as tokens of their respect for his talents and bravery.

Our attention is again called to the Mediterranean. While passing Malta, on his way to Gibraltar with the Nile prizes, Sir James Saumarez fell in with the following Portuguese squadron, under the Marquess de Niza:

This squadron, since the early part of July, had been detached by Earl St.-Vincent from off Cadiz, as a reinforcement to Rear-admiral Nelson, but, fortunately for the fame of the latter and his companions in arms, was unable to effect its junction in time to participate in the Nile victory.

Being detained off the island of Malta by light airs and calms, Sir James was waited upon by a deputation of the principal inhabitants, to solicit for a supply of arms and ammunition. The Maltese, at the same time, informed the British commodore that the French garrison at Valetta were driven to great distress, and that there was good reason for believing that the appearance of the English squadron would induce the French to surrender, if they were formally summoned. Accordingly, having obtained the concurrence of the Marquess de Niza, Sir James Saumarez, on the 25th of September, sent in a flag of truce, with a proposal couched in the usual terms. After three hours' deliberation, the French general, Vaubois, returned the following answer : " Vous avez, sans doute, oublié que des Français sont dans la place. Le sort des habitans ne vous regarde point. Quant â votre sommation, les soldats français ne sont point habitués â ce style."

The nature of the service upon which he had been ordered, left Sir James no alternative but to take advantage of the breeze which had just sprung up, and proceed on to his destination. Previously, however, to his final departure, Sir James furnished the islanders with about 1200 muskets, and a suitable quantity of ammunition, taken out of the captured ships ; and to this seasonable supply the success that afterwards attended the Maltese, in the efforts they made to recover their liberty, was mainly attributable.

Lord Nelson, soon after his arrival at Naples, detached Captain Alexander John Ball, with his own ship the Alexander, and the Culloden and Colossus 74s, the latter commanded by Captain George Murray, for the purpose of co-operating with

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