On the morning of the 2nd, although the time and attention of the Admiral and all the officers of his squadron were very fully employed in repairing the damages sustained by their own ships and in securing those of the enemy which their valour had subdued, yet the mind of that great and good man felt the strongest emotion of the most pious gratitude to the Supreme Being for the signal success which by His Divine favour had crowned his endeavours in the cause of his country; and, in consequence, he issued the following memorandum to the respective captains of the squadron:-- "_Vanguard_, off the Mouth of the Nile, "_2nd August, 1798_. "Almighty God, having blessed His Majesty's arms with victory, the Admiral intends returning public thanksgiving for the same at two o'clock this day; and he recommends every ship doing the same as soon as convenient." [Handwriting: Horatio Nelson] At two o'clock accordingly on that day, public service was performed on the quarter-deck of the _Vanguard_ by the Rev. Mr. Comyn, the other ships following the example of the Admiral, though perhaps not all at the same time. This solemn act of gratitude to heaven seemed to make a very deep impression upon several prisoners, both officers and men; some of the former of whom remarked, "that it was no wonder we could preserve such order and discipline, when we could impress the minds of our men with such sentiments after a victory so great, and at a moment of such seeming confusion." On the same day the following memorandum was issued to all the ships, expressive of the Admiral's sentiments of the noble exertions of the different officers and men of his squadron:-- "_Vanguard_, off the Mouth of the Nile, "_2nd August, 1798_. "The Admiral most heartily congratulates the Captains, Officers, Seamen, and Marines of the Squadron he has the honour to command, on the event of the late Action; and he desires they will accept his most sincere and cordial Thanks for their very gallant behaviour in this glorious Battle. It must strike forcibly every British Seaman, how superior their conduct is, when in discipline and good order, to the riotous behaviour of lawless Frenchmen. "The Squadron may be assured the Admiral will not fail, with his Dispatches, to represent their truly meritorious conduct in the strongest terms to the Commander-in-Chief. "HORATIO NELSON." On the morning of the 3rd, the _Timoléon_ was set fire to, and _Le Tonnant_ had cut her cable, and drifted on shore; but that active officer, Captain Miller, of the _Theseus_, soon got her off again, and secured her in the British line. The British force engaged consisted of twelve ships of seventy-four guns, and the _Leander_ of fifty.