done tolerably well, but they are very few; and few as they are, have sweated pretty handsomely for what they have got. The Arabs of the Desert have sent a good many of them to the other world. These people infest the towns and villages in such a manner, that at two hundred paces from the walls, one is always in the most imminent danger of being shot. Several of our men have been destroyed in this way.

Murad Bey is retired into Upper Egypt, where he has been pursued without success; Ibrahim Bey into Syria; and he too has been pursued to no purpose. Our troops, indeed, came up with his rear-guard, which fought in a most gallant manner; and as we could make no impression on it with all our efforts, we were obliged to let it proceed tranquilly to its destination. The rich caravan was almost all secured by Ibrahim; what we obtained was scarcely worth taking. I am afraid that we shall want money soon: I am certain we shall, if we pretend to execute those fine projects, which will undoubtedly be useful, but which will cost an immense sum! the people of the country are poor; nothing, therefore, can be expected from them.-There is not a single Mamelouc in the country. Their bravery is astonishing: well armed, and intrepid to excess, they rushed upon our ranks to be butchered. Not one of them would accept quarter.

This is all that I can say at present. I have talked to you in this letter only of business; but in another which I shall send at the same time, by what I conceive to be a safer mode of conveyance, I shall open all my heart to my dearest and best beloved wife.

AVRIEURY.

No. XXV.

Alexandrie, le 16 Fructidor, an 6.

Le Contre-amiral GANTEAUME, aux Généraux commandants les Forces de Terre et de Mer, à Malte.

Citoyens,

C'EST avec la douleur dans l'âme que je vous préviens que le 14 du mois dernier, l'armée navale de la République à été attaquée par celle Britannique, aux ordres du Contre-amiral Nelson. Le combat commencé à six heures du soir, n'a fini que dans la matinée du 15. Après une résistance extrêmement opiniâtre, la force l'a emporté, et notre escadre, inférieure par le nombre des vaisseaux, la composition, et l'organisation des équipages, a succombé.

Nous avons dans cette fatale affaire eu le malheur de perdre onze vaisseaux brûlés ou amarinés par l'ennemi. Presque tous les officiers commandants ont été tués ou blessés. Depuis cette malheureuse affaire les ennemis sont maîtres de nos côtes, et ils interceptent toutes nos communications, avec une simple division de quatre vaisseaux et quelques frégates. Le reste de l'armée et les prises ont fait route pour la Sicile.

Notre position intérieure est, cependant, satisfaisante. Notre armée occupe toute la Basse Egypte. Le Général en Chef est au Caire. Les Mamelouks ont été battus,

detruits en partie, et dispersés. Un corps sous le commandement d'Ibrahim Bey, s'est refugié en Syrie, et Murat Bey à monté dans le Said. Le Général Desaix est à sa poursuite, et personne ne doute qu'au premier jour nous n'apprenions sa défaite. Maîtres alors de toute l'Egypte, nous pourrons nous y maintenir, pour peu que nous recevions des secours pendant l'hyver.

Je vous adresse avec cette lettre les dépêches du Gouvernement. Veuillez les faire passer en toute dili

gence.

Salut et fraternité.

H. GANTEAUME,

TRANSLATION.

Alexandria, September 2d.

Rear Admiral GANTEAUME, to the Generals commanding the Land and Sea Forces, at Malta.

Citizens,

"Tis with anguish of soul I inform you, that on the first of last month, the fleet of the Republic was attacked and defeated by that of Great Britain, under the command of Admiral Nelson. The action began at six in the evening, and did not finish till the forenoon of the next day. After a most vigorous struggle, force

prevailed, and our fleet, inferior both in the number. of vessels, and in the composition of their crews, yielded the day.

How could Ganteaume (evidently a man of sense) set down this absurd and contemptible falsehood! He states the English force correctly enough in the First Part (p. 230.), and he must have known, while he was writing, that the "superiority," in every thing (courage and capacity excepted) was on the side of the French.

The number of vessels, it is true, was equal: yet if we consider that the largest line of battle ship in the English squadron was probably inferior in size to the smallest in that of the French; that the latter had one ship of 120 guns, three of 80, four frigates, several gun-boats, and a "battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van," to which we had nothing to oppose; we can have little hesitation in deciding the question of superiority.

In stating the number of vessels to be equal, it should be observed, that we count the Leander in the line. How fit she was for this, may be seen by comparing her size and force to any one of the French seventy-fours opposed to her; to the Généreux, for example, by whom she was afterwards captured.

We have now before us a letter written by Sir Edward Berry ; from this we shall take the liberty of extracting the relative statement of the force, &c. of the two ships.

"The Généreux, of 74 guns, is 193 feet 7 inches in length, and 23 feet in depth; burden 2144 tons; carries thirty 36. pounders; thirty 18 ditto; and four 42-pound carronades; complement 700 men (when she fell in with the Leander she had 900.)

"The Leander, of 50 guns, is 146 feet 6 inches in length; and 17 feet, 5 inches in depth; burden 1052 tons: carries twentytwo 24-pounders, twenty-two 12 ditto, and six 6 ditto; complement 343 men (when captured, she had only 282, boys included) her masts, yards, and sails, those of a thirty-two gun frigate."

Thus far Captain Berry. Whether the Morning Chronicle,

We had the misfortune, in this fatal contest, to lose eleven sail of the line. Almost all the superior officers were killed or wounded. Since this calamitous event, the enemy is master of the coast, and intercepts all our communications, with a small division of four sail of the line, and a few frigates. The rest of their fleet has saifed, with the prizes, for Sicily.

Our position in the interior is, however, satisfactory. We are in possession of all Lower Egypt. The Commander in Chief is at Cairo. The Mameloucs have been defeated, destroyed in part, and dispersed. A body of them, under the command of Ibrahim Bey, has

which denies this brave man courage in common with the rest of his countrymen, will have the temerity to question his veracity, we know not,—should that paper, however, feel inclined to do so, we think it lies in our power to assist it: we can furnish it with a counter-testimony from a quarter which it has never yet had the uncandidness to doubt; we mean from the French themselves.

Extract of an official letter from the Captain of the Généreux.

Corfou, Sept. 1st.

"I have the pleasure of informing you that I am arrived at this place with the English ship, the Leander, of SEVENTY-FOUR guns, which I fell in with near Candia."-Here follow some absurd lies concerning the action of the 1st of August, which we omit.

"With respect to the Leander, I was obliged to engage her for near five hours. She mounts SEVENTY-FOUR GUNS; 30, 24, and 12-pounders! I ought to have carried her in less than an hour," (this is true enough) "for we fought broadside and broadside during the action we fell aboard each other, and if my crew had been a little more alert I should then have taken her"!!!

LE JOILLE, jun.