A. D. 1798. 45^ 



It is devoutly to be wifhed, that an inftitution, fo eminently bene- 

 ficial to the public revenue, to the commercial intereft which is the 

 great fupport of the revenue, and to the morals of the lower clafs of 

 the people, may, as far as circumflances will permit, be extended to 

 every confiderable and thronged port in the kingdom. 



The flames of war were now kindled in almoft every kingdom and 

 ftate of Europe. Already had a Ruffian fleet joined a Britifh fleet in 

 the North fea to adl againfl: the Dutch. A Swedifli frigate, and a fleet 

 of merchant fliips loaded with naval fl:ores under her convoy, were de- 

 tained, and brought into a Britifli port. The ifland of Malta, which 

 had maintained its petty fovereignty above two centuries, together w'ith 

 its dependent ifland of Gozo, funk under the arms of the French gen- 

 eral, Buonaparte, in his paflage to Egypt (June 11"'). The Grand 

 Turk, fliruck with aflonifliment at the convulfions of Chriflendom, did 

 not know, whether he fliould liften to the propofils of the Erench for 

 co-operation, or take up arms againfl: their encroachments. In the 

 weftern hemifphere the United ftates of America, provoked by the 

 captures of their veflels, fitted out lome fliips of war for the protedion 

 of their trade, one of which took a Erench privateer fchooner of twelve 

 guns near Egg-harbour, which was the firft adual hoflility in retaliation 

 of the many lofl'es they had fuffered from the French. In addition to 

 the fleet fitted out by authority of congrefs at the national expenfe, the 

 merchants of Philadelphia undertook to furnifli a fliip of forty-four 

 guns ; and thole of Bofton, New York, Baltimore, Richmond, Alex- 

 andria, Norfolk, Charleflion, and moft of the confiderable towns of 

 the United ftates, made contributions for fimilar purpofes. 



The French army, commanded by the renowned General Buonaparte, 

 proceeded from Malta for Egypt, and was luppofed to be deflined to 

 penetrate from thence by the Red fea to India in order to ad in con- 

 jundion with Tippoo Saib, the fultan of Myfore, and to ruin the Britifli 

 commerce in that quarter of the world, which the French conceived to 

 be the great fupport of the profperity ot this country, and the principal 

 fountain oi" the fupplies for carrying on the war agamft them. Admiral 

 Nelton had been detached with a confiderable Iquadron from the fleet 

 before Cadiz to attack them on their pafl!age : but having arrived on 

 the coaft of Egypt before them, he went to look for them elfewhv^re. 

 In the mtantime the French fleet arrived at Alexandria, and Buonaparte 

 took pofllflion of the poor remains of that antient commercial capital 

 cf the world (July 5""), whence he proceeded to reduce the reft of Egypt. 



The French tranfports, after landing the army, were iecured withm 

 the harbo^ oT Alexandria ; and the fleet, confifting of thirteen fliips of 

 the line and four large frigates, were anchored in the Bay of Aboukir 

 in a line of battle, one fide, as was fuppofcd, fufficiently guarded by 

 the land, and the other fide flanked by numerous gun-boats and a bat- 

 tery on a fmall ifland. Nelfon's iorce confifted of fourteen fliips of 74 



3 M 2 



