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army in Upper Italy. The proceedings of the expedition thus undertaken will be seen by the Rear-Admiral’s official letter to Lord Collingwood, of which the following is an extract:

“H.M.S. Canopus, off Ischia, July 2, 1809.

“My Lord,– I have the honor to acquaint your Lordship that I sailed from Melazzo on the 11th June, in company with the Spartiate, Warrior, Cyane, and Espoir^[1]; and the same day I detached the Philomel (brig) with four transports, containing two regiments of infantry, which Sir John Stuart wished to be landed on the coast of Calabria, for the purpose of destroying the enemy’s batteries, and of undertaking the siege of Scylla, should it be found practicable. I proceeded with the remainder of the transports, gun-boats, &c., amounting in the whole to cue hundred and thirty-three sail, into the gulf of St. Eufemia, and close along the coast of Calabria, in the hope of diverting the attention of the enemy from Lower Calabria, and of enabling the two regiments detached by the Lieutenant-General, to effect the purpose for which they were sent^[2]. For four or five days it was nearly calm; and the whole expedition continued in sight of Calabria. On the 15th, the transports from Palermo, amounting to nearly one hundred sail, accompanied by two Sicilian frigates, and H.M. ship Alceste, joined us; H.R.H. Prince Leopold was on board one of the frigates, and Lieutenant-General Bourcard, appointed to command the Sicilian troops employed on this expedition, in the other. Sir John Stuart, upon being joined by this force, expressed a desire, that General Bourcard should continue with his division on the coast of Calabria, putting some men on shore to effect a diversion, and that in the mean time we should proceed with the British and Sicilian troops (15,000 in number) which had sailed with us from Melazzo, to make an attack on the islands of Ischia and Procida^[3]. On the 24th, I anchored to the northward of the said islands; and on the morning of the 25th, a landing was effected on the

1. The two former were 74-gun ships, commanded by Captains Sir Francis Laforey and John William Spranger. The Canopus 80, bearing Rear-Admiral Martin’s flag, was commanded by Captain Charles Inglis; and the Espoir, an 18-gun brig, by Captain Robert Mitford. The Cyane joined this squadron at Melazzo on the 26th May.
2. On the appearance of this detachment, the enemy abandoned their posts opposite Messina, which were immediately seized and dismantled by the British.
3. On the 20th Captain Staines was detached, with the Espoir and twelve Anglo-Sicilian gun-boats under his orders, to cruise between Procida and Point Miseno, for the purpose of preventing any reinforcement or supplies from being conveyed to the enemy’s garrisons.