The painful anxiety of the king, as he viewed the hostile flag on the distant Castle of St. Elmo, feeling both for the besiegers and the besieged, was excessive; but, when on the third day after his arrival, it was visibly lowered, as he stood on the deck, with Lord Nelson and Sir William and Lady Hamilton, he threw his arms round them in an extacy of gratitude, and hailed those generous friends by the appellation of his preservers and restorers. In fact, the castle surrendered, on the 12th, by capitulation, after a close siege of eight days, with open batteries; in which, the bravery of Captain Troubridge, and the other British officers serving under him, with a most heterogeneous army of British marines, and Russian, Portuguese, Albanese, Calabrese, and Swiss troops, was eminently conspicuous. The particulars of this siege, as well as it's success, will appear in the following letter sent by Captain Troubridge to Lord Nelson. "Antignano, near St. Elmo, July 13, 1799. "MY LORD, Agreeable to your lordship's orders, I landed with the English and Portuguese marines of the fleet, on the 27th of June: and, after embarking the garrisons of the castles of Ovo and Nuovo, composed of French and rebels, I put a garrison in each; and, on the 29th, took post against Fort St. Elmo, which I summoned to surrender. But, the commandant being determined to stand a siege, we opened a battery of three thirty-six pounders and four mortars, on the 3d inst. within seven hundred yards of the fort; and, on the 5th, another, of two thirty-six pounders. The Russians, under Captain Buillie, opened another battery of four thirty-six pounders and four mortars, against the opposite angle; intending to storm it, in different places, as soon as we could make two practicable breaches in the work. On the 6th, I added four more mortars: and, on the 11th, by incessant labour, we opened another battery of six thirty-six pounders, within a hundred and eighty yards of the wall of the garrison; and had another, of one eighteen pounder, and two howitzers, at the same distance, nearly completed. After a few hours cannonading from the last battery, the enemy displayed a flag of truce, when our firing ceased; and, their guns being mostly dismounted, and their works nearly destroyed, the inclosed terms of capitulation were agreed to and signed. "In performing this service, I feel much satisfaction in informing your lordship, that I received every possible assistance from Captain Ball, for the first seven days: when your lordship ordered him on other service, and did me the honour to place Captain Hallowell under my orders in his room; whose exertions and abilities your lordship is acquainted with, and merit every attention.