for, if all other schemes fail, they have one sure:  viz. set one vessel on fire, and the port of Leghorn is ruined for twenty years.  Pray, say this to Seratti.  I have, you know, no interest personal to myself, in this advice.  I wish the great duke to have no unnecessary risk, and for the Neapolitan general and myself to take all the odium on ourselves.  Pray, excuse this letter; but, I could not resist writing it.  Ever your, &c.

     “Nelson.”

The unanswerable reasoning in this letter could not fail to produce perfect conviction; and General Naselli, at his lordship’s request, consented to lay an embargo on all the vessels at Leghorn, till he should receive orders for their disposal from his Sicilian majesty.  Among these ships, were a great number of French privateers; some of them, his lordship observed, in a letter to Sir William Hamilton, of such force as to do the very greatest mischief to our commerce, if permitted to sail.  There were also about seventy sail of vessels, calling themselves belonging to the Ligurian Republic, before called Genoa, ready to sail, loaded with corn, for Genoa and France; the arrival of which, must expedite the entrance into Italy of more French troops.  “General Naselli,” says Lord Nelson, “sees, I believe, the permitting these vessels to depart, in the same light as myself; but, there is this difference between us—­the general, prudently, and certainly safely, waits the orders of his court, taking no responsibility on himself; I act from the circumstance of the moment, as I feel it may be most advantageous for the honour of the cause which I serve, taking all responsibility on myself.”

Having left Captain Troubridge at Leghorn, to act as exigencies might require, Lord Nelson immediately returned to Naples; where he arrived on the 5th of December, having been absent little more than ten days.  During this time, letters had arrived from Commodore Duckworth, relating to the conquest of Minorca; and, these letters having been forwarded after him to Leghorn, he wrote the following apology and congratulation to his friend the commodore, now Admiral Sir John Duckworth, who commanded the squadron which had sailed from Gibraltar on this expedition.

     “Naples, 6th Dec. 1798.

     “MY DEAR SIR,

“On my arrival here, yesterday, I found Lieutenant Gregory, who had been charged with your letters to me; but which were, unluckily, sent after me to Leghorn:  and, as Lieutenant Gregory is very anxious to return to you, it is out of my power to answer such part of your public letter as might require.  However, I most heartily congratulate you on the conquest of Minorca; an acquisition invaluable to Great Britain, and which completely, in future, prevents any movements from Toulon to the westward.  My situation in this country has had, doubtless, one rose; but, it has been plucked from a bed of thorns.  Nor is my present state that of ease;