Though Lord Nelson had hitherto failed in taking the fugitive ships from
Egypt, and the transports were not yet destroyed at Alexandria; he never
relinquished the idea, that some of his "band of brothers," the heroic
captains of the Nile, might finally fall in with, and either take or
destroy, the two line of battle ships, and two frigates, which had alone
escaped, and thus complete the destruction of all the ships of war. Nor
had the comprehensive mind of our hero limited it's hope to these alone:
he trusted that some of his brave band would at least assist in
effecting the destruction of the transports; as well as in preventing
every remaining Frenchman, who had been landed in Egypt, from ever
returning to France. For this purpose, he had not only left Captain Hood
on the coast; but solicited, both at home, and of our allies, the
requisite bomb-vessels, &c. by repeated most urgent epistles.

At length, the necessary preparations had been made, and dispatched from
England, under the command of Sir William Sidney Smith, brother of the
English minister, Mr. Spencer Smith, at the Ottoman court. The high
character of Sir Sidney Smith--as he is usually called--for intrepid
gallantry, as well as for incomparable dexterity and address in that
species of naval exploit which may be denominated incendiary warfare,
seemed to justify sufficiently the judgment of the Admiralty in
selecting a character so respectably enterprising for this service, and
the measure was certainly extremely popular at home. Every thing,
indeed, was expected from Sir Sidney Smith's ability: and truth requires
the acknowledgment, that neither government, nor the people, were
finally disappointed; as the history of the siege of Acre, where he
commanded on shore, and fairly defeated Bonaparte, will for ever afford
a most satisfactory and substantial proof.