in Egypt should evacuate the country, and should be allowed to return to France." This notice of the El-Arich treaty by the official organ of the British government implied an approval of the measure ; but, long before its appearance in the Gazette, the convention had been disowned and denounced by a party, without whose entire concurrence it could not be carried into effect.

Having employed all the month of February in making arrangements for removing his army according to the terms of the treaty, General Kléber might well be surprised when, in the early part of March, he was informed by the captain of the Theseus 74, then cruising off Alexandria, that, by Sir Sidney Smith's orders, he could allow no other vessel * to depart from the ports of Egypt. Soon afterwards came a letter from Sir Sidney himself, dated at the Isle of Cyprus on the 20th of February, informing the French general, that the commander-in-chief of the British fleet in the Mediterranean had received orders which opposed the immediate execution of the treaty of El-Arich. Almost immediately upon this communication followed a letter from Lord Keith himself, in which his lordship acquaints the French general, that he has received positive orders to consent to no capitulation with the French troops in Egypt and Syria, unless they lay down their arms and surrender as prisoners of war, abandoning all the ships and stores in the port and citadel of Alexandria; that, in case of such capitulation, the troops would not be allowed to return to France without exchange; that all ships having troops on board, and sailing from Egypt with passports signed by others than those who have a right to grant them, will be detained as prizes.

The instant he had read this letter, General Kléber determined to give battle to the grand vizier, who had already been making several hostile demonstrations: he, nevertheless, replied calmly to Lieutenant Wright, the bearer of it, " You shall know to-morrow the answer I mean to give to your admiral." That very night the French general had the letter of Lord Keith printed; and, the next morning, with " Proclamation " for a head, and with " Soldats ! on ne répond à une telle insolence que par des victoires : préparez-vous à combattre ! " for a postscript, issued it to his army.

Although, as we have elsewhere stated, Sir Sidney Smith did not affix his signature to the formal convention concluded at El-Arich, he appears to have signed, conjointly with General Desaix and M. Poussielgue, a preliminary document containing the basis of the treaty, and the third and last article of which runs in these words : " That the French army evacuate Egypt, with arms and baggage, whenever the necessary means for such evacuation shall have been procured, and to withdraw to the ports

* Generals Desaix, Davoust, and a few other officers of distinction had already sailed for France.

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