Captain Troubridge arrived here last evening:  and, as he has delivered to me all the papers he received from you, amongst which I see a form of a passport; and Captain Troubridge tells me, that it was your intention to send into Alexandria, that all French ships might pass to France—­now, as this is in direct opposition to my opinion; which is, never to suffer any one individual Frenchman to quit Egypt; I must, therefore, strictly charge and command you, never to give any French ship, or man, leave to quit Egypt.  And I must also desire, that you will oppose, by every means in your power, any permission which may be attempted to be given by any foreigner, admiral, general, or other person; and you will acquaint those persons, that I shall not pay the smallest attention to any such passport after your notification:  and you are to put my orders in force, not on any pretence to permit a single Frenchman to leave Egypt.  Of course, you will give these orders to all the ships under your command.  As I am very, anxious for the return of the Emma polacre, I have to request that you will not detain her more than two hours.  As I shall hope to have a constant communication with you, through the means of the Turkish or Russian admirals, all letters for your squadron, I shall direct to be left in the Vanguard.

     “I am, Sir, your very humble servant,

     “Nelson.”

     “Sir William Sidney Smith,
     Captain of his Majesty’s ship Le Tigre.”

Not even the judicious plan which his lordship was now busily engaged in arranging for the recovery of Naples, with all the other objects of his incessant care, could divert his attention from that grand object, the entire destruction of the French armament sent to Egypt.  He had just received information of the, surrender of Corfu; and, about this time, a very elegant and flattering letter had been written to his lordship by the King of Sardinia, full of gratitude for the protection of the British flag in conveying him from Leghorn.  In writing to the Earl of St. Vincent, after mentioning these subjects, with the return of Captain Troubridge’s squadron from Egypt, he observes that it is his intention to send a small squadron, under that commander, into the Bay of Naples, “I wish, first,” says his lordship, “to take the Island of Procida, which will secure a tolerable anchorage, and effectually blockade Naples.  It must, also, have the effect of preventing the French from detaching any troops from Naples to to the provinces, who are all loyal.  The court tells me, that twelve thousand Russians, and fifteen thousand Turks, are ready to cross the Adriatic, to land in the kingdom of Naples.  If so, our squadron will create a powerful diversion.”  Having stated the reasons which have been seen for Captain Troubridge’s failure at Alexandria, he adverts to Sir Sidney, who has now the blockade of that place.  “I send you,” says his lordship, “copies of