Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/721

Rh them closely in La Valetta—and what means we are now pursuing to force them to surrender. On the 2nd September, 1798, the inhabitants of Malta rose against the French robbers, who, having taken all the money in the island, levied heavy contributions, and Vaubois, as a last act of villainy, said, as baptism was of no use he had sent for all the church plate. On the 9th I received a letter from the deputies of the island, praying assistance to drive the French from La Valetta. I immediately directed the marquis do Niza, with four sail of the line, to support the islanders. At this time the crippled ships from Egypt were passing near it, and 2,000 stand of arms, complete with all the musket ball cartridges, were landed from them, and 200 barrels of powder. On the 24th October I relieved the marquis from that station, and having taken the island of Gozo, a measure absolutely necessary in order to form the complete blockade of La Valetta, the garrison of which at this time was composed of 7,000 French, including the seamen and some few Maltese, the Maltese in arms (volunteers), never exceeded 3,000. I intrusted the blockade to Captain Alexander John Ball, of the Alexander, of seventy-four guns, an officer not only of the highest merit, but of the most conciliatory manners. From that period to this time it has fallen to my lot to arrange matters for the feeding 60,000 people (the population of Malta and Gozo), and the arming of the peasantry. The situation of Italy, and in particular the kingdom of Naples, ofttimes reduced me to the greatest difficulties where to find food. Their Sicilian Majesties, at different times, have given more, I believe, than £40,000 in money and corn. The blockade has, in the expense of keeping the ships destined alone for this service, cost full £180,000 sterling. It has pleased God hitherto to bless our endeavours to prevent supplies getting to the French, except one frigate and two small vessels with a small portion of salt provisions. Your Majesty will have the goodness to observe that, until it was known that you were elected Grand-Master, and that the Order was to be restored in Malta, I never allowed an idea to go abroad that Great Britain had any wish to keep it. I therefore directed his Sicilian Majesty’s flag to be hoisted,