to persuade him into her schemes. But Royal flatteries, which won the assent of the irresolute Drummond, were repelled by the solid mind of that great Admiral. He dissuaded all such plans, considering them either as quixotic, or the invention of hidden traitors.

Soon after this accounts came of a disaster occurring to our army in Egypt. A detachment had attempted to penetrate into the country, which was repulsed, and had retreated, with loss, to Alexandria. General Fraser, the commander, requested that, to enable him to maintain that city, supplies should be immediately sent to him of money, men, and provisions. Accordingly between fifteen and sixteen hundred soldiers, together with other supplies, were transmitted to Egypt.

News likewise came from England of a change of Ministry, and that the War Department was assigned to Lord Castlereagh; but no instructions were sent as yet to General Fox.

In the meanwhile, the Court of Palermo persevered in the project of conquering the kingdom of Naples. For as the secret counsellors of the Queen designed evil, the more hopeless the scheme appeared, the more eagerly it was pushed forward. Accordingly the Prince of Hesse Philipstadt landed at Reggio, with between three and four thousand sorry Sicilians; all that could be mustered, though Circello had boasted of having fifteen thousand soldiers in Sicily. He ventured to advance, and the French fell back, to entice him from the coast; which obvious stratagem was mistaken for fear. Accounts of the retreat of the French were despatched to Palermo, when the shallow Queen exclaimed, Now we shall recover our lost do'minions, with little thanks to the English *.'

This exultation was soon reversed; for before the Sicilians reached Mileta the French retraced their steps, and routed them. The Sicilians flew to Reggio, and to the sea

*Con meno riconoscenza agli Inglesi.

sacre, with the speed of deer, leaving cannon and baggage behind. The panic was great, that Moere apprehended the Castle of Regge would be abandoned. To preserve which be first sent over Lord Proby, and then went himself to encourage the garrison to maintain the place.

la de month of July, General Fox received fuli instructions from the War Mimister, as to Turkish affairs. The new * CaHisset acted towards the Ottoman Porte on epposite principles from the former. Hos

lities with the Turks were to be abstained from; and an Envoy, Sir Arthur Paget, was sent out to negotiate a pacification with that power; while General Fox was directed to employ the British and Sicilian forces against e Drench, who occupied Naples.

Tse instructions had been formed press to the repulse of the British in Egypt, and to the dispersion of the Sicilian forces in Calabria Ning known in England. And it

• M: Mercial was Prime Minister,

appeared that the Secretary of State had calculated upon there being a disposable cfficient army of twenty thousand men in Sicily; nearly double the real numbers. This misinformation could only have proceeded from the Court of Palermo, or Mr. Drummond.

General Fox wrote back a correct statement of every thing; and gave assurances that he would keep the British troops, of whom alone he had the command, in readiness for whatever service was ordered. But the General's health was declining more and more; and the Duke of York, considering that he was incapable of acting in these turbulent times, judged it proper to recall him. This was done in the most conciliatory manner, and the command was conferred on Sir John Moore; who, on being appointed, wrote to Lord Castlereagh a private letter *, as to a friend, in which, with his characteristic candour, he laid open to him the frivolity of

* Letter to Lord Castlereagh (dated Messina, July 13, 1807), MS. Correspondence, p. 6.

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the Court of Palermo, and the real state of affairs. The whole power was, he assured him, in the hands of the weak-minded Queen, and she was influenced by French and Neapolitan emigrants, who flattered, di' rected, and betrayed her.' He proved to his Lordship the folly of the expedition to Naples, which she was bent upon, with the small British force which could be spared from the defence of Sicily, and with such a corps of wretched Sicilian troops as might accompany, but could not assist them. Discomfiture must follow so absurd an operation, and possibly the loss of Sicily.

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'The re-establishment of their Sicilian Majesties on the throne of Naples, required,' he added, a very superior com'manding military force. It is to such a one only that their friends, if they have any, 'would venture to declare themselves.' And afterwards he repeats, that to do anything ' effectual in Italy, our force should be much larger; and by shaking ourselves, for a time, free from the shackles of this Court,