of Maltese, Neapolitans, and British, and blockaded at the mouth of the harbour by a squadron of British and Portuguese ships. In the latter end of January, 1799, the garrison, already beginning to be straitened for provisions, received a supply by a schooner from Ancona; and in the early part of February the French 36-gun frigate Boudeuse, from Toulon, with a still greater quantity of stores, including some munitions of war, managed to elude the vigilance of the blockading squadron and enter the harbour.

During the remainder of the year, however, not a vessel was able to get in, and General Vaubois and his troops, in consequence, began to experience the miseries of famine and disease. Among the means taken to alleviate the sufferings of the garrison, was the ordering out of the city of a portion of the inhabitants. This was done from time to time, until the original number of 45,000 was reduced to barely 9000. On the 1st of November, 1799, Rear-admiral Lord Nelson, then with his flag on board the 80-gun ship Foudroyant, commanding the blockading force, sent in a summons to surrender. To which General Vaubois replied: "Jaloux de mériter l'estime de votre nation, comme vous recherchez celle de la nôtre, nous sommes résolus de défendre cette forteresse jusqu'à l'extrémité." '

So strictly had the island of Malta been blockaded since the arrival of the Boudeuse, that the French were kept in ignorance of the revolution of the 9th of November; until January, 1800, when an aviso, with despatches from the new government, and Moniteurs to the middle of December, contrived to enter the port. All was now joy and enthusiasm in Valetta; and the garrison, both officers and men, were so elated at the advancement of Buonaparte to be chief consul, that they rashly swore never to yield up the island to the enemies of France.

In the early part of February, Vice-admiral Lord Keith cruised off Malta with the

On the 15th Lord Keith received intelligence from Captain Shuldam Peard of the 32-gun frigate Success, cruising off the south-west end of Sicily, that a small French squadron was approaching the island, with the view of attempting to throw in a supply of troops and provisions. This squadron consisted of the 74-gun ship Généreux, bearing the flag of Rear-admiral

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