were advanced by his highnels on The Turkish force engaged on this occasion did not at any time exceed 9030. Wil I was congratulating his highnefs in the field of battle on the fuccefs of the day, we received additional fatisfaction by the arrival of the intelligence of the capture of fort Lesbie, at Damietta, and two fmaller forts depending on it, by a detachment from the vizier's army. I had the honour of acquainting your lordship, in my letter of the 2d May, that his highness intended fending a force against Damietta. This intention he carried into effect on the 6th, by ordering Ibrahim Pacha, with 2500 men, and five pieces of artillery, to march immediately for that putpofe; and it appears by Ibrahim Pacha's report to the vizier, that every arrangement had been made, for the attack of fort Lebie on the morning of the 14th-inftant, when it was difcovered that the fort was evacuated, and the garrifon had retired.. I beg leave to inform your lordhip, that during the action of the 16th inftant, myfelf and major Hope of the royal artillery were in the field with the grand vizier, captain Lacy of the royal engineers with Mehemmed Pacha, and captain Leake of the royal artillery with Tahir Pacha, to render every affiftance in our power. The combined forces under majorgeneral Hutchinfon and the capitan pacha, are about five hours distance in the Delta, but are expected here in a day or two. I received a letter from the general this morning, who informs me he has taken a convoy of 550 camels, and 600 French prisoners. I have the honour to be, &c. A Dispatch from Lieutenant-Generat Sir John Hely Hutchinson, K. B. to the Right Hon. Lord Hobart. Head-quarters, Camp near My lord, I have the honour to inform your lordship, that the French abandoned the pofition of El-Aft on the 7th of May, which we occupied the fame evening, and on the 9th we advanced to Rahmanich, where the French were pofted with upwards of 3000 infantry and 800 cavalry. We at firft imagined that they might have endeavoured to have maintained that potition, but our corps on the eaftern bank of the Nile having got into their rear, took the fort of Rahmanich in reverse, which probably induced the enemy to retire in the night between the 9th and 10th, leaving a garrifon in thè fort, which furrendered in the morning, amounting to 110 meu, com manded manded by a chef-de-brigade; we allo took the fame day about fifty cavalry and three officers coming from Alexandria. As the enemy retired towards Cairo, it became neceflary to follow them, in order to cover the army of the grand vizier, and to secure a junction with the expected reinforcement from India. Nothing happened of any importance until the 14th, when we fell in with a valuable convoy of germs on the Nile. They had come from Cairo down the canal of Menouff, which joins the Damietta and Rofetta branches of the river.. From this circumftance they knew nothing of the retreat of general la Grange from Rahmanich. About 150 prifoners fell into our hands, and feveral heavy guns, fome of them intended for the defence of Alexandria. The convoy in itfelf was very valuable, and is a great lofs to the enemy. We found on board all kinds of clothing, wine, fpirits, &c. and about five thousand pounds in money. On the 17th, when encamped at Alkam, we were informed by the Arabs that a confiderable body of French, coming from Alexandria, were advancing towards the Nile, near the spot where the boats of the capitan pacha then were. The cavalry were immediately ordered out, with two pieces of cannon, under the command of brigadier-general Doyle, fupported by his brigade of infantry. Colonel Cavalier, who commanded the French convoy, as foon as he perceived the boats of the capitan pacha, fufpected that our army must be near, and therefore retired into the Defert, where we followed him. The cavalry came up with him after a march of about three hours. A flag of trace was fent in to them, by major Wilfon of the Hompefch, requiring them to furrender, on condition that their private property should be refpeated, and that they fhould be fent to France by the first convenient opportunity. With thefe terms they complied, and laid down their arms. They amounted, in all, to about 600 men, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, together with a confiderable portion of the dre medary corps, one 4-pounder, and 550 camels. The prifoners taken are all Frenchmen, and of the best troops they had in Egypt. On the 17th of May the enemy retired from the fort of Libet, on the Damietta branch, and formed a junction with about 200 men which they had at Burlos: this fort they alfo evacuated, and embarked in five fmall veffels, four of which have been taken and carried into Aboukir bay; the fifth endeavoured to escape towards Cyprus, but a Tarkif frigate was left in chale of her, fo that it is more than probable she has fhared the fame fate. The garrifons of the two forts confifted of about 700 men; fo that in all we have taken, from the 9th to the 20th, near 1600 men, which makes a confiderable diminution of the enemy's force in this country. The French made a moft extraordinary rapid march from Rahmanich to Gizah, where they arrived on the 13th, and immediately croffed the river to Boulac. On the 15th, they marched to attack the grand vizier's army. His highnefs anticipated their intention, and made a forward movement with a confiderable body of cavalry on the night between the 15th and 16th. The armies remained for fome fome hours in prefence of each other, when the Ottoman troops attacked at abort eight o'clock-in the morning, and after an action of feven hours the French retired, having loft between 3 and 400 men killed and wounded. They were fearly the fame people who had reAreated from Rahmanich, and were about 4000 or 4500 men. I congratulate your lordship upon the event of this very important action; I have alfo much pleature in informing you, that the MamaJukes, under the orders of Ofman Bey (fiucceffor of Murad Bev), have joined us, to the amount of about 1500 cavalry, inferior, certainly, to none in the world: I am fanguine enough to hope that the moft ferious good effects will arife from this junction, as they have a most intimate Knowledge of the country, and the greatest influence among the inhabitants! *! I enclose you the capitulation of the fort of Ralimanich, and alfo a return of the killed and wounded on the 9th of May, which I rejoice has been fo very inconsidérable. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) J. Hely Hutchinson, To the right hon. ford Hobart, Fort of Rahmanich, May 10. The garrifon of the fort of Rahmanich will furrender to the Ottoman and British forees on the following conditions: 1. The officers fhall wear their fwords and retain their effects. They, as well as the foldiers, fhall Be prifoners of war.-Granted. 1. The garrifon fhall be fent back to France, and fhall not ferve against the king of England, nor anft his allies, until exchanged VOL. XLIII. I have nothing new or of very effential import to communicate, but I avail myfelf of the opportunity of a meffenger going to Conftantinople to inform you that we are now encamped near Gizel, which is on the oppofite fide of the river to Cairo. We mean to erect batteries in the courfe of twenty-four hours: it cannot hold out long, as it is a very weak place; but it covers a bridge of communication which the French have over the Nile, and it is therefore effential to us to have it in our poffeffion. This H operation operation cannot laft above four or five days at mcft. I then mean to crofs the river and join the army of the grand vizier, who is at prefent encamped very near Cairo: we fall then befiege the place, which is garrifoned by 4 or 5000 French, but their works are very extended, and would require a much greater number of men to defend them. Great delays have been occafioned in this operation from the low ftate of the river, and from the bar of the Nile at Roletta, which is frequently impaflable for ten days together, fo that our march has been much retarded. The difficulty of procuring provifions for the army, and the obitacles which we encountered in bringing the heavy artillery up the river (which has not yet been entirely accomplished), have been very great. However, we have now a fufficiency to begin the fiege. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) J. H. Hutchinfon. To the right honourable lord Hobart. Head-quarters, Camp before Gizeh, 29th June. My lord, The combined armies advanced on both fides of the river on the 21ft inftant. The British troops, and thofe of his highnefs the capitan pacha, invefted Gizeh on the left bank of the Nile, whilft the army of his highnets the grand vizier moved forward, and took a pofition nearly within cannon-fhot of Cairo. On the 22d, in the morning, the enemy fent out a flag of trace, and informed me that they wished to treat for the evacuation of Cairo, and the forts thereunto belonging, upon certain conditions. After a negotiation of feveral days, which was conducted by brigadiergeneral Hope with much judgement and ability, they agreed to forrender the town and forts on the conditions which I have the honour to enclose. i We took poffeffion of the gate of Gizeh at five o'clock yesterday evening, and alfo of the fort Sulkotki on the Cairo fide of the river: holtages have been amtually exchanged, and the final evacuation will take place in about ten days. I should fuppofe that there are near 6000 troops of all kinds in the town; but I fpeak without a perfect knowledge on the fubject, as I have not yet received any returns. This has been a long and arduous fervice: the troops, from the great heat of the weather, the difficulty of the navigation of the river, and the entire want of roads in the country, have fuffered a confiderable degree of fatigue, but both men and officers have fub.nitted to it with the greatest patience, and have manifefted a zeal for the honour of his majefty's arms that is above all panegyric; the conduct of the foldiers has been orderly and exemplary, and a difcipline bas been preferved which would have done honour to any troops. I am extremely obliged to lieutenant-colonel Anftruther, quartermafter-general, for the great zeal and ability which he has fhewn, under very difficult circumstances, in forwarding the public fervice. From generals Cradock and Doyle, who were the general officers employed immediately under my or ders, I have derived the greatest affiftance, and I beg leave to recommend them as highly deferving of his majefty's favour. The The exertions of captain Stevenfon of the navy have been extremely laborious and conftant during this long march; they have done every thing that was poflible to forward our fupplies; and indeed without their powerful aid, it would have been impoflible to have proceeded. Your lordhip will recollect that the river is extremely low at this feafon of the year, the mouth of the Nile impaflable for days together, and the diftance from Rofeita to Cairo between 160 and 170 miles. Captain Stevenson has been ably fup, ported by captains Morrison, Curry, and Hillyar, who were employed under him. The fervice in which they have been engaged has not been a brilliant one, but I hope it will be recollected that it has been moft ufeful, and has required conftant vigilance and attention; it has lafted now for many weeks; the labour has been exceffive, and the fatigue greater than I can exprefs. This difpatch will be delivered to you by my aid-de-camp, major Montréfor, who has been in the moft intimate habits of confidence with me fince my arrival in Egypt, and will be able to give your lordflip a moft perfect account of the fituation of affairs in this country. I beg leave to recommend him to your lordship's protection, as an officer of merit, and highly deferving of his majefty's favour. I have the honour to be, &c. To the right honourable [Here follows the convention, for which fee the State Papers of this volume.] I have now the fatisfaction to ins form your lordship, that the forts and town of Alexandria have furrendered to his majefty's troops, who, on the 2d inftant, took polfeffion of the intrenched camp, the heights above Pompey's Pillar, the Redoubt de Bain, and the Fort Triangulaire. By the capitulation, the garrifon are to be embarked for France in the courfe of ten days, provided the flipping is in a state of preparation to receive them. The operations against the enemy's works commenced on the 17th of Auguft. Major-general Coote embarked with a ftrong corps on the inundation, in the night between the 16th and 17th of Auguft. He effected his landing to the weftward of Alexan dria with little or no oppofition, and immediately invefted the ftrong cafle of Marabout, fituated at the entrance of the western harbour of Alexandria. On the eaft fide of the town two attacks were made to get poffeffion of fome heights in front of the intrenched pofition of the enemy. I intrufted the conduct of the attack againft their right to major-general Cradock, and that against their left to major general Moore. Thofe two officers perfectly executed my H 2 inten |