When Keith wrote this first order, June 27, he was at sea somewhere between Minorca and Toulon, trying to find Bruix’s fleet, of which he had lost touch three weeks before, at the time he sent to Nelson the two seventy-fours, whose arrival caused the latter’s second cruise of Maritimo.  He had lost touch through a false step, the discussion of which has no place in a life of Nelson, beyond the remark that it was Keith’s own error, not that of Lord St. Vincent, as Nelson afterwards mistakenly alleged; querulously justifying his own disobedience on the ground that Keith, by obeying against his judgment, had lost the French fleet.  What is to be specially noted in the order is that Keith gave no account of his reasons, nor of the events which dictated them, nor of his own intended action.  No room is afforded by his words for any discretion, except as to the number of ships to be sent by Nelson, and, though the language of the latter was evasive, the failure to move even a single vessel was an act of unjustifiable disobedience.  To Keith he wrote privately, and in a conciliatory spirit, but nothing that made his act less flagrant.  “To all your wishes, depend on it, I shall pay the very strictest attention.”

Conscious of the dangerous step he was taking, Nelson wrote on the same day, by private letter,[88] to the First Lord of the Admiralty.  “You will easily conceive my feelings,” he said, “but my mind, your Lordship will know, was perfectly prepared for this order; and more than ever is my mind made up, that, at this moment, I will not part with a single ship, as I cannot do that without drawing a hundred and twenty men from each ship now at the siege of Capua, where an army is gone this day.  I am fully aware of the act I have committed; but, sensible of my loyal intentions, I am prepared for any fate which may await my disobedience.  Do not think that my opinion is formed from the arrangements of any one,” an expression which shows that he was aware how talk was running. “No; be it good, or be it bad, it is all my own.  It is natural I should wish the decision of the Admiralty and my Commander-in-chief as speedily as possible.  To obtain the former, I beg your Lordship’s interest with the Board.  You know me enough, my dear Lord, to be convinced I want no screen to my conduct.”

On the 9th of July, Keith wrote again, from Port Mahon, a letter which Nelson received on the 19th.  He said that he was satisfied that the enemy’s intentions were directed neither against the Two Sicilies, nor to the reinforcement of their army in Egypt; that, on the contrary, there was reason to believe they were bound out of the Straits.  “I judge it necessary that all, or the greatest part of the force under your Lordship’s orders, should quit the Island of Sicily, and repair to Minorca, for the purpose of protecting that Island during the necessary absence of His Majesty’s squadron under my command, or for the purpose of co-operating with me against