the King of !the two Sicilies, he, Captain Foote, claimed a right to be informed of all proceedings. The cardinal sent back word, that the Chevalier de Micheroux, the Russian minister, and a detachment of whose troops was then serving with the Neapolitan royalists, conducted the treaty, and that he, the chevalier, would furnish the particulars; but Captain Foote, knowing no other person than the cardinal as intrusted with the interests of his Sicilian majesty, refused to act with Micheroux. To this the cardinal replied, that he himself knew nothing of what was going on, that he stood in great need of the aid of the Russians ; and repeated, that it was they who conducted the treaty.

On the 20th Captain Foote received from the cardinal a plan of a capitulation already signed by him and the chief of the Russians, with a request that he, Captain Foote, would affix his signature to it. The latter did so, to avoid throwing the least impediment in the way of the interests of his Sicilian Majesty, but failed not to state, that he thought the terms rather favourable to the republicans. On the 22d the capitulation for the forts of Nuovo and del' Uovo was signed in form, by Cardinal Ruffo, by the Russian as well as Turkish commanders, and by Captain Foote as commanding officer of the British ships in the bay of Naples ; the French commandant at Fort St.-Elmo, Colonel Méjan, having previously, as stipulated in the last article, approved the terms. Among these it was agreed, that the two garrisons, consisting of about 1500 individuals, chiefly Neapolitan revolutionists, should march out with the honours of war ; that private property should be respected ; that the individuals should have their choice of embarking on board cartels for Toulon, or of remaining at Naples ; that, until the cartels were ready to sail, the garrisons should keep possession of their forts ; and that four hostages should be detained at Fort St.-Elmo, until the arrival of the individuals at Toulon should be ascertained. *

It of course required some days to assemble the necessary quantity of transports to convey the garrisons to their destination ; and, in the mean time, the flags of truce remained hoisted, as well at the two forts as on board the British and Neapolitan ships of war at anchor in the bay. On the 24th, while matters were in this state, Lord Nelson, with his fleet, comprising, as already stated, 16 sail of the line and a reduced 64-gun ship, appeared in sight, bearing at the mast-head of the Foudroyant a signal, annulling the flag of truce then flying on board Captain Foote's squadron. On the same afternoon, at a conference held on board the flag-ship, at which were present Cardinal Ruffo, and Sir William and Lady Hamilton, the cardinal maintained inflexibly, that the treaty ought to be kept sacred. Lord Nelson, on the other hand, was of opinion that the treaty, as one

* For a copy of the treaty both in French and English, see Captain Foote's Vindication of his Conduct, &c. 2d edition, p. 195.

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