ish　fleet　accordingly；　with　every　sail　set；　stood　once　more　for　the　coast　of　Egypt。　On　the　1st　of　August；　about　10　in　the　morning；　they　came　in　sight　of　Alexandria：　the　port　had　been　vacant　and　solitary　when　they　saw　it　last；　it　was　now　crowded　with　ships；　and　they　perceived　with　exultation　that　the　tri…coloured　flag　was　flying　upon　the　walls。　At　four　in　the　afternoon；　Captain　Hood；　in　the　ZEALOUS；　made　the　signal　for　the　enemy's　fleet。　For　many　preceding　days　Nelson　had　hardly　taken　either　sleep　or　food：　he　now　ordered　his　dinner　to　be　served；　while　preparations　were　making　for　battle；　and　when　his　officers　rose　from　table；　and　went　to　their　separate　　stations；　he　said　to　them；　〃Before　this　time　to…morrow　I　shall　have　gained　a　peerage　or　Westminster　Abbey。〃
  The　French；　steering　direct　for　Candia；　had　made　an　angular　passage　for　Alexandria；　whereas　Nelson；　in　pursuit　of　them；　made　straight　for　that　place；　and　thus　materially　shortened　the　distance。　The　comparative　smallness　of　his　force　made　it　necessary　to　sail　in　close　order；　and　it　covered　a　less　space　than　it　would　have　done　if　the　frigates　had　been　with　him：　the　weather　also　was　constantly　hazy。　These　circumstances　prevented　the　English　from　discovering　the　enemy　on　the　way　to　Egypt；　though　it　appeared；　upon　examining　the　journals　of　the　French　officers　taken　in　the　action；　that　the　two　fleets　must　actually　have　crossed　on　the　night　of　the　22nd　of　June。　During　the　return　to　Syracuse；　the　chances　of　falling　in　with　them　were　become　fewer。
  Why　Buonaparte；　having　effected　his　landing；　should　not　have　suffered　the　fleet　to　return；　has　never　yet　been　explained。　This　much　is　certain；　that　it　was　detained　by　his　command；　though；　with　his　accustomed　falsehood；　he　accused　Admiral　Brueys；　after　that　officer's　death；　of　having　lingered　on　the　coast　contrary　to　orders。　The　French　fleet　arrived　at　Alexandria　on　the　1st　of　July；　and　Brueys；　not　being　able　to　enter　the　port；　which　time　and　neglect　had　ruined；　moored　his　ships　in　Aboukir　Bay；　in　a　strong　and　compact　line　of　battle；　the　headmost　vessel；　according　to　his　own　account；　being　as　close　as　possible　to　a　shoal　on　the　N。W。；　and　the　rest　of　the　fleet　forming　a　kind　of　curve　along　the　line　of　deep　water；　so　as　not　to　be　turned　by　any　means　in　the　S。W。　By　Buonaparte's　desire　he　had　offered　a　reward　of　10；000　livres　to　any　pilot　of　the　country　who　would　carry　the　squadron　in；　but　none　could　be　found　who　would　venture　to　take　charge　of　a　single　vessel　drawing　more　than　twenty　feet。　He　had　therefore　made　the　best　of　his　situation；　and　chosen　the　strongest　position　which　he　could　possibly　take　in　an　open　road。　The　　commissary　of　the　fleet　said　they　were　moored　in　such　a　manner　as　to　bid　defiance　to　a　force　more　than　double　their　own。　This　presumption　could　not　then　be　thought　unreasonable。　Admiral　Barrington；　when　moored　in　a　similar　manner　off　St。　Lucia；　in　the　year　1778；　beat　off　the　Comte　d'Estaign　in　three　several　attacks；　though　his　force　was　inferior　by　almost　one…third　to　that　which　assailed　it。　Here；　the　advantage　in　numbers；　both　in　ships；　guns；　and　men；　was　in　favour　of　the　French。　They　had　thirteen　ships　of　the　line　and　four　frigates；　carrying　1196　guns　and　11；230　men。　The　English　had　the　same　number　of　ships　of　the　line　and　one　fifty…gun　ship；　carrying　1012　guns　and　8068　men。　The　English　ships　were　all　seventy…fours；　the　French　had　three　eighty…gun　ships；　and　one　three…decker　of　one　hundred　and　twenty。
  During　the　whole　pursuit　it　had　been　Nelson's　practice；　whenever　circumstances　would　permit；　to　have　his　captains　on　board　the　VANGUARD；　and　explain　to　them　his　own　ideas　of　the　different　and　best　modes　of　attack；　and　such　plans　as　he　proposed　to　execute　on　falling　in　with　the　enemy；　whatever　their　situation　might　be。　There　is　no　possible　position；　it　is　said；　which　he　did　not　take　into　calculation。　His　officers　were　thus　fully　acquainted　with　his　principles　of　tactics；　and　such　was　his　confidence　in　their　abilities　that　the　only　thing　determined　upon；　in　case　they　should　find　the　French　at　anchor；　was　for　the　ships　to　form　as　most　convenient　for　their　mutual　support；　and　to　anchor　by　the　stern。　〃First　gain　the　victory；〃　he　said；〃and　then　make　the　best　use　of　it　you　can。〃　The　moment　he　perceived　the　position　of　the　French；　that　intuitive　genius　with　which　Nelson　was　endowed　displayed　itself；　and　it　instantly　struck　him　that　where　there　was　room　for　an　enemy's　ship　to　swing；　there　was　room　for　one　of　ours　to　anchor。　The　plan　which　he　intended　to　pursue；　therefore；　was　to　keep　entirely　on　the　outer　side　of　the　French　line；　and　station　his　ships；　as　far　as　he　was　able；　one　on　the　outer　bow；　and　another　　on　the　outer　quarter；　of　each　of　the　enemy's。　This　plan　of　doubling　on　the　enemy's　ships　was　projected　by　Lord　Hood；　when　he　designed　to　attack　the　French　fleet　at　their　anchorage　in　Gourjean　Road。　Lord　Hood　found　it　impossible　to　make　the　attempt；　but　the　thought　was　not　lost　upon　Nelson；　who　acknowledged　himself；　on　this　occasion；　indebted　for　it　to　his　old　and　excellent　commander。　Captain　Berry；　when　he　comprehended　the　scope　of　the　design；　exclaimed　with　transport；　〃If　we　succeed；　what　will　the　world　say　？〃　　〃There　is　no　IF　in　the　case；〃　replied　the　admiral：　〃that　we　shall　succeed　is　certain；　who　may　live　to　tell　the　story　is　a　very　different　question。〃
  As　the　squadron　advanced；　they　were　assailed　by　a　shower　of　shot　and　shells　from　the　batteries　on　the　island；　and　the　enemy　opened　a　steady　fire　from　the　starboard　side　of　their　whole　line；　within　half　gunshot　distance；　full　into　the　bows　of　our　van　ships。　It　was　received　in　silence：　the　men　on　board　every　ship　were　employed　aloft　in　furling　sails；　and　below　in　tending　the　braces　and　making　ready　for　anchoring。　A　miserable　sight　for　the　French；　who；　with　all　their　skill；　and　all　their　courage；　and　all　their　advantages　of　numbers　and　situation；　were　upon　that　element　on　which；　when　the　hour　of　trial　comes；　a　Frenchman　has　no　hope。　Admiral　Brueys　was　a　brave　and　able　man；　yet　the　indelible　character　of　his　country　broke　out　in　one　of　his　letters；　wherein　he　delivered　it　as　his　private　opinion；　that　the　English　had　missed　him；　because；　not　being　superior　in　force；　they　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　try　their　strength　with　him。　The　moment　was　now　come　in　which　he　was　to　be　undeceived。
  A　French　brig　was　instructed　to　decoy　the　English　by　manoeuvring　so　as　to　tempt　them　toward　a　shoal　lying　off　the　island　of　Bekier；　but　Nelson　either　knew　the　danger　or　suspected　some　deceit；　and　the　lure　was　unsuccessful。　Captain　Foley　led　the　way　in　the　GOLIATH；　outsailing　the　ZEALOUS；　which　for　some　minutes　disputed　this　post　of　honour　with　him。　He　had　long　conceived　that　if　the　enemy　were　moored　in　line　of　battle　in　with　the　land；　the　best　plan　of　attack　would　be　to　lead　between　them　and　the　shore；　because　the　French　guns　on　that　side　were　not　likely　to　be　manned；　nor　even　ready　for　action。　Intending；　therefore；　to　fix　himself　on　the　inner　bow　of　the　GUERRIER；　he　kept　as　near　the　edge　of　the　bank　as　the　depth　of　water　would　admit；　but　his　anchor　hung；　and　having　opened　his　fire　he　drifted　to　the　second　ship；　the　CONQUERANT；　before　it　was　clear；　then　anchored　by　the　stern　inside　of　her；　and　in　ten　minutes　shot　away　her　mast。　Hood；　in　the　ZEALOUS；　perceiving　this；　took　the　station　which　the　GOLIATH　intended　to　have　occupied；　and　totally　disabled　the　GUERRIER　in　twelve　minutes。　The　third　ship　which　doubled　the　enemy's　van　was　the　ORION；　Sir　J。　Saumarez；　she　passed　to　windward　of　the　ZEALOUS；　and　opened　her　larboard　guns　as　long　as　they　bore　on　GUERRIER；　then；　passing　inside　the　GOLIATH；　sunk　a　frigate　which　annoyed　her；　hauled　round　toward　the　French　line；　and　anchoring　inside；　between　the　fifth　and　sixth　ships　from　the　GUERRIER；　took　her　station　on　the　larboard　bow　of　the　FRANKLIN　and　the　quarter　of　the　PEUPLE　SOUVERAIN；　receiving　and　returning　the　fire　of　both。　The　sun　was　now　nearly　down。　The　AUDACIOUS；　Captain　Could；　pouring　a　heavy　fire　into　the　GUERRIER　and　the　CONQUERANT；　fixed　herself　on　the　larboard　bow　of　the　latter；　and　when　that　ship　struck；　passed　on　to　the　PEUPLE　SOUVERAIN。　The　THESEUS；　Capt　Miller；　followed；　brought　down　the　GUERRIER's　remaining　main　and　mizzen　masts；　then　anchored　inside　of　the　SPARTIATE；　the　third　in　the　French　line。
  While　these　advanced　ships　doubled　the　French　line；　the　VANGUARD　was　the　first　that　anchored　on　the　outer　side　of　the　enemy；　within　half　pistol…shot　of　their　third　ship；　the　SPARTIATE。　Nelson　had　six　colours　flying　in　different　parts　of　his　rigging；　lest　they　should　be　shot　away；　that　they　should　be　struck；　no　British　admiral　considers　as　a　possibility。　He　veered　half　a　cable；　and　instantly　opened　a　tremendous　fire；　under　cover　of　which　the　other　four　ships　of　his　division；　the　MINOTAUR；　BELLEROPHON；　DEFENCE；　and　MAJESTIC；　sailed　on　ahead　of　the　admiral。　In　a　few　minutes；　every　man　stationed　at　the　first　six　guns　in　the　fore　part　of　the　VANGUARD's　deck　was　killed　or　wounded。　These　guns　were　three　times　cleared。　Captain　Louis；　in　the　MINOTAUR；　anchored　just　ahead；　and　took　off　the　fire　of　the　AQUILON；　the　fourth　in　the　enemy's　line。　The　BELLEROPHON；　Captain　Darby；　passed　ahead；　and　dropped　her　stern　anchor　on　the　starboard　bow　of　the　ORIENT；　seventh　i