Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/716

680 first determination on receiving this intelligence was to raise the blockade of Malta and concentrate all his ships off Maritimo. For this purpose he wrote to Captain Ball to rendezvous with all his squadron at that point. It soon, however, appeared that the French fleet, although it had entered the Mediterranean, had no intention of fighting, but had made its way as rapidly as possible to Toulon. Under these circumstances, Ball’s orders were countermanded, and he was directed to resume the blockade with the Alexander, 74; the Audacious, 74; the Bonne Citoyenne, 20; the Stromboli, bomb ship, 10; and the Portuguese ship the Benjamin, 18. To these were afterwards added the Lion, 64; the Success, 32; and the El Corso, 16, English ships; and the Principe Real, 92; the Affonso, 74; the Rainha, 74; and the St. Sebastian, 64, Portuguese ships. The squadron reappeared before Malta on the 5th June, to the great dismay of the defenders, who had taken advantage of the suspension of the blockade to despatch several small craft for the purpose of harassing the communications of their besiegers with Sicily. Now, however, all was once more changed, and the Maltese hailed with joy the return of the fleet, which enabled them to prosecute the land attack without fear of interruption.

Throughout the blockade the greatest unanimity prevailed between the Maltese and the English. Ball, who was in command during this time, had endeared himself to the inhabitants, and had acted as their principal leader, organizing their forces, superintending the erection of their batteries, and supplying them, as far as his means permitted, with food and munitions of war. With the exception of this aid the land attack was maintained almost exclusively by the Maltese, who are entitled to claim that they, and they alone, confined the French within the fortress, and kept them there for a period of two years. This is clearly proved by the fact that during the fifteen days when the fleet was absent no attempt at a sortie was made by Vaubois.

Whilst such was the determined spirit shown by the Maltese against the French, their feelings on the subject of the return of the knights were by no means so unanimous, there being many amongst them who would have hailed that event with