Page:Authentic narrative of the proceedings of His Majesty's Squadron.pdf/6

 being in constant readiness for battle. On this point their zeal anticipated his utmost wishes, for the decks of all the ships were kept perfectly clear night and day, and every man was ready to start to his post at a moment's notice. It was a great satisfaction to him, likewise, to perceive that the men of all the ships were daily exercised at the great guns and small arms, and that every thing was in the best state of preparation for actual service.

The Admiral knew that the enemy had sailed with a N. W. wind, which naturally led him to conclude that their course was up the Mediterranean. He sent La Mutine to Civitta Vecchia, and along the Roman Coast to gain intelligence, and steered with the fleet for Corsica, which he reached on the 12th of June. Several vessels had been spoken with, on the passage thither but no intelligence whatever had been obtained from them. He continued his course on the 13th between Corsica and Elba, and between Planosa and Elba, through the latter of which passages large ships or fleets had not been accustomed to pass. We made the Roman Coast, and were rejoined by La Mutine, without gaining any intelligence, notwithstanding the active exertions of Capt. Hardy. The Admiral now determined to steer towards Naples, in the hopes of some satisfactory information. It had been reported that the plundering Algiers was the object of the French Armament; but this account was too vague to warrant the Admiral in implicitly adopting it. We saw Mount Vesuvius on the 16th, and detached Captain Troubridge, in La Mutine, to obtain what information he could from Sir Wm. Hamilton. He returned with a report only, that the enemy were gone towards Malta. The Admiral now lamented that even a day had been lost by visiting the Bay of Naples, and determined, by the shortest cut, to make the Faro di Messina, which the fleet passed through on the 20th, with a fair wind. The joy with which the Sicilians hailed our squadron, when it was discovered by them to be