RELICS OF THE BATTLE OF ABOUKIR BAY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1133, 2 January 1884, Page 3

RELICS OF THE BATTLE OF ABOUKIR BAY.

ore limit 80 years ago,-in August, a terrible navalbiittle was fought kbonisir Bay tb(? English v and Fxmh .fle&ws, Tfip,former, under Nelson*- *-!»« Mediterranean in search of Napolenn for weeks before this, but* the good fortune'which so constantly attended le petit corporal enabled him to give the-English Admiral the ''Failing v to intercept General Bonaparte, Nelson,, succeeded, however, in finding the French fleet, and, ncCording. to his ! custom, he did not keep hia enemy Ipng in qnspense. Sending some of his yessejs in between the French, Une&u end . Abe i.Shore, he succeeded in (placing thejjj between two fires, and after tWCnty hours’ hard fighting two ships, so knocked about a* to be hardly, seaworthy, managed to escape the' Cliches of the Brilisfo tars. . Of the battle, of which Nelson himself said that it was “ not a yictory but a conquest,” it is probable, if the news i that? has been published by a scientific journal be true, that some interesting relies will ’ shortly be brought to light. A company has been formed at Abonkir with the object of searching for the wrecks of the vessels sunk by the English balls more than three-quarters of a century ago. Already their efforts have been rewarded by a find consisting of three cannons-—two of bronze and one of- iron—besides-cannon balls, muskets, Cutlasses, and a beautifully ornamented sword, which, evidently belongefotoian officerofhighrank.. The divers employed have ascertained the exaci^ositioir^^hß;;wreckg-; , -oif':.*fiw vessels ; hot* bwing to the accumulation ■ r .— 4jf sand in iheir hnlls, it has been found matter of considerable difficulty to

explore their interiors. When once this obst notion to tlieir proceedings has been removed, the company may discover some still more interesting relics of the days of England’s wooden walls.