was taken possession of by the British, in the name of his Sicilian
Majesty--a power who had no better claim to it than France. Having seen
this effected, and reinforced Captain Ball, he left that able officer
to perform a most arduous and important part, and returned himself to
cooperate with the intended movements of the Neapolitans.

General Mack was at the head of the Neapolitan troops. All that is now
doubtful concerning this man is, whether he was a coward or a traitor.
At that time he was assiduously extolled as a most consummate commander,
to whom Europe might look for deliverance. And when he was introduced by
the king and queen to the British admiral, the queen said to him, "Be to
us by land, general, what my hero Nelson has been by sea." Mack, on
his part, did not fail to praise the force which he was appointed to
command. "It was," he said, "the finest army in Europe." Nelson agreed
with him that there could not be finer men; but when the general, at a
review, so directed the operations of a mock fight, that by an unhappy
blunder his own troops were surrounded, instead of those of the enemy,
he turned to his friends and exclaimed with bitterness, that the
fellow did not understand his business. Another circumstance, not less
characteristic, confirmed Nelson in his judgment. "General Mack:" said
he, in one of his letters, "cannot move without five carriages! I have
formed my opinion. I heartily pray I may be mistaken."

While Mack, at the head of 32,000 men, marched into the Roman state,
5000 Neapolitans were embarked on board the British and Portuguese
squadron, to take possession of Leghorn. This was effected without
opposition; and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, whose neutrality had been
so outrageously violated by the French, was better satisfied with the
measure than some of the Neapolitans themselves. Nasseli, their general,
refused to seize the French vessels at Leghorn, because he and the Duke