English admiral--as a favour to me, as a favour to my country--that
you will give me the slaves. In doing this, you will oblige your
faithful friend,


"Nelson."

The marquis very handsomely gave up, instantly, all the Moors and Turks
he had oh board, twenty-five in number; and they were sent, by his
lordship, to the Turkish ambassador, Secretary Kelim, who took them with
him to Constantinople, blessing their noble benefactor.

On the 11th, intelligence was received at Palermo, that Commodore
Campbell had prematurely burned all the Neapolitan ships of war; though
the French were not then at Naples, or near it: "for," says his
lordship, "while an army was covering Naples, the enemy could not be
considered as near taking it." Of this conduct, Lord Nelson expressed
his entire disapprobation; and his Sicilian majesty was, as he had just
reason to be, greatly displeased on the occasion. The commodore,
however, who had evidently acted too precipitately, yet with the best
intentions, being under a Portuguese commander, happily escaped the
enquiry of a court-martial; to which he would undoubtedly have been
subjected, had he served in the British fleet. The King and Queen of
Naples, indeed, satisfied of Commodore Campbell's upright, though
unadvised conduct, graciously condescended to intercede in his behalf;
and Lord Nelson, shortly afterwards, though he had at first been
exceedingly angry, convinced the worthy commodore that he retained not
the smallest animosity, by employing him on a confidential expedition to
the Bey of Tripoli.