from the bay of Naples, to join Lord Nelson at Palermo, the blockade of the port devolved upon Captain Edward James Foote, of the 38-gun frigate Seahorse; who, on the 22d of May, anchored off Procida with, besides his own ship, the Perseus bomb-vessel, Captain James Oswald, and Mutine and San-Leon brigs, Captains William Hoste and John Harward. In the mean time, important operations were carrying on upon shore. An immense Austro-Russian army, under the famous general Soworow, had since the middle of April entered Italy, and was now bearing down all opposition.

On the 5th of June Cardinal Ruffo defeated the French near Naples. On the 14th the fortified rock of Rivigliano, and on the 15th the important fortress of Castel-à-Mare, capitulated to the Seahorse and squadron. The terms were, that the respective garrisons should march out with military honours, and such of them as chose be allowed to avail themselves of the protection of the British flag. On the 17th the Seahorse and Perseus quitted Castel-à-Mare, and proceeded to the bottom of Naples bay, in order, with the aid of the gun and mortar boats at the Piedi-Grotta, to attack Castel-del' Uovo, which, with Castel-Nuovo, constituted the principal sea-defence of the capital. The latter is in the heart of the city, and has a communication with the palace ; but the former runs out into the bay, and is joined to the land by a narrow pass and drawbridge. These two forts, and that of St.-Elmo on the western side of the city, were the only strong holds at this time possessed by the French in the immediate neighbourhood of Naples.

On the 18th Captain Foote despatched Captain Oswald of the Perseus, with a letter to the commandant of Castel-del' Uovo, offering him and his garrison an asylum under the British flag. To this a verbal and a very offensive negative was returned ; such as, "Nous voulons la république une et indivisible: nous mourrerons pour elle. Voila votre réponse. Eloignez-vous, citoyen; vite, vite." We should have premised that, among the orders which Captain Foote had received for his guidance, was one, that he should co-operate with Cardinal F. Ruffo, the chief of the royalist army on shore, and the vicar-general and confidential agent of his Sicilian majesty. Captain Foote had all along done so, and now acquainted the cardinal with the reply which he had received to his letter, and his intention of immediately attacking the fort. In this the cardinal appeared heartily to concur ; but, on the 19th, after the naval attack had commenced ; Captain Foote, to his surprise, received a letter from the cardinal, requesting him to cease hostilities, and not to recommence them while the flag of truce was flying, as a negotiation had taken place. On the same night Captain Foote, sent an officer to the cardinal to acquaint him that the British were not accustomed to grant so long a suspension of arms ; and that, as the King of England was a principal ally of

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