HISTORY OF MALTA.

159

The little remaining money in the public coffers Avas em-ployed in preparations for this expedition. A considerablefleet was fitted out Avith unheard-of celerity. The troops, dis-tinguished by the name of the army of England, Avere embark-ed on board six hundred transports in the ports of the Medi-terranean. The greatest part of these troops, Avhose hopes hadbeen raised, and Avho had flattered themselves with gainingimmense riches on the banks of the Thames, little imaginedthey were destined to fight against an allied power, and losetheir lives or liberty on a friendly shore.

It is impossible to imagine any thing more truly absurdand ridiculous in diplomatic affairs than the official pro-clamations and manifestoes published relative to Malta.When the French fleet appeared before the island, the com-manders announced themselves as friends to the order, and, assuch, demanded free entrance into the port, to take in water;notAvithstanding Avhich the French government soon after pub-licly affirmed, that it had regarded Malta as an enemy eversince the year 1792*. The generals also declared to theknights, that it Avas very fortunate they had offered no re-sistance, since, on a signal agreed on Avith the French fleet,they Avould all have been instantly massacred. They likeAviseconfessed that this atrocious conspiracy had been long formedby the directory. The commander in chief frankly OAvned,

* See Appendix, No. XIII. Message of the Directory.