The same object pressed upon him while in Port Mahon, and he succeeded, by his personal enthusiasm, in arousing Erskine’s interest in the matter; but the latter was loaded to the muzzle with objections.  “Sir James,” said Nelson to Troubridge, with the amusing professional prejudice they both entertained, “enters upon the difficulty of the undertaking in a true soldier way.”  “I am just come from Sir James,” he wrote to Hamilton on the 13th of October.  “He sees all the difficulty of taking Malta in the clearest point of views, and therefore it became an arduous task to make him think that with God’s blessing the thing was possible.”  He has, however, consented to prepare fifteen hundred men with stores and equipments, but only on condition that the Russians will also give a thousand,—­a further draft on Nelson’s diplomacy,—­and a thousand be landed from the squadron, etc.  Besides, there is the further difficulty that a superior officer is expected from England, and what will he say?  And will Erskine be justified in sending men before his entirely uncertain arrival?  It may be imagined what such proceedings were to Nelson’s nervous, ardent, unhesitating temperament, and they elicited the characteristic comment, “This has been my first conference.  It has cost me four hours hard labour, and may be upset by a fool.”  “My heart is, I assure you, almost broke with this and other things,” he wrote to Spencer.  “If the enemy gets supplies in, we may bid adieu to Malta.  This would complete my misery; for I am afraid I take all services too much to heart.  The accomplishing of them is my study, night and day.”

“My dear Sir James,” he writes to Erskine after returning to Palermo, “I am in desperation about Malta—­we shall lose it, I am afraid, past redemption.  I send you copies of Niza’s and Ball’s letters, also General Acton’s, so you will see I have not been idle.”  As it is, Ball can hardly keep the inhabitants in hope of relief; what then will it be if the Portuguese withdraw?  “If the islanders are forced again to join the French, we may not find even landing a very easy task, much less to get again our present advantageous position.  I therefore entreat for the honour of our King, that whether General Fox is arrived or not, at least the garrison of Messina may be ordered to hold post in Malta until a sufficient force can be collected to attack it....  I know well enough of what officers in your situation can do; the delicacy of your feelings on the near approach of General Fox I can readily conceive; but the time you know nothing about; this is a great and important moment, and the only thing to be considered, is his Majesty’s service to stand still for an instant? ...  Was the call for these troops known at home, would they not order them to proceed when the service near at hand loudly calls for them? this is the only thing in my opinion for consideration.  If we lose this opportunity it will be impossible to recall it.”  From this desperate appeal