The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON, MARCH 20.

Extract of a letter from Naples, dated the 17th of December, which did not arrive till last week.

"On the 14th, I supped at Sir Wm. Hamilton's when Lord Nelson shewed us the presents the Grand Seignor had sent him—they were brought here by an Effendi or Secretary, in the Alceste frigate, which sailed last from Alexandria. His Lordship says, that the Effendi and his Suit (13 in number) performed their part with great gravity and dignity. They put on their noble robes in his anti-chamber, and presented the aigrette on cushions, after the oriental custom. The robe is of scarlet cloth, lined with the finest sable imaginable, and of inestimable value. The aigrette is a kind of feather; it represents a hand with thirteen fingers, which are of diamonds, and allusive of the thirteen ships taken and destroyed at Alexandria—the size that of a child's hand about six years old when opened; the centre diamond and the four round it may be worth about 10,000l. each, and there are about 200 others well set. With these two presents, were several others of less value, and a letter full of assurances of friendship from the Grand Seignor. The Alceste's officers say, that Buonaparte is at Grand Cairo with 20,000 men; that he had sent a flag of truce to Capt. Hood, offering him fresh water if he wanted it. The Turkish army 50,000 in number had arrived at Damascus, but dare not advance into Egypt until spring, on account of the plague. The Arabs give no quarter, and they fight desperately on both sides. Buonaparte lives rather gaily at Cairo, and has opened the harems for his troops.—Very few of the transports are burnt as our ships could not approach them."