It was an interesting article (September 2) about the "Portuguese squadron at Malta". Further information might be of interest.
The Portuguese arrival at Malta came about when the Maltese sent Publio Camilleri with nine men in a boat from Marsascala to Naples to ask King Ferdinand IV for help after the Maltese rebelled on September 2, 1798, but, while en route, an English ship, the 16-gun cutter Earl St Vincent under Captain Retalick, met up with the Maltese vessel.
When told that the Maltese had rebelled and French warships that had escaped from the Battle of the Nile were in Malta harbour, Captain Retalick reported the meeting to Nelson when he met up with the 74-gun flagship Vanguard 120 miles off Messina.
The Vanguard, in bad need of a refit, was unable to go to the assistance of the Maltese, but on September 13, 1798, when Nelson arrived at Messina he found at anchor Marquis de Niza commanding a Portuguese squadron which had been sent in to the Mediterranean to join Nelson's squadron. Nelson, therefore, immediately ordered the Portuguese squadron to sail for Malta and blockade the harbour where at anchor lay the French 80-gun ship Guillaume Tell and also two 40-gun frigates, Diane and Justice which had escaped from the Nile.
The Portuguese squadron that was sent to Malta consisted of Principe-Real (Rear Admiral the Marquis de Niza and Captain Puysigur), Rainha-de-Portugal (Captain Stone), San Sebastian (Captain Mitchell), Alphonso-Albuquerque (Captain Campbell) all 74-gun ships, and a brig Falcao (Captain Duncan). Four of the Portuguese ships were under the command of English naval officers.
In company with the Portuguese squadron were two English ships, the 64-gun Lion (Captain Dixon) and the Incendiary fireship (Captain George Baker). It was at this time that Captain James Saumarez of the Orion and his squadron arrived off Malta on September 23 escorting six French prizes captured at the Battle of the Nile. Saumarez however was unable to spare any British arms from his ships when a Maltese delegation went on board to ask him for arms and assistance. He was able to supply the Maltese with 1,062 muskets and ball cartridges, and cartouche boxes with 200 barrels of gun powder from the French prizes. On September 27, Saumarez reported in detail to Nelson the arms landed for the Maltese, which, in a letter in reply dated September 29, Nelson supported.
Nelson arrived off Malta on October 24 and relieved the Portuguese squadron which he sent to Naples, Marquis de Niza having completed the work his ships had been sent to do by Nelson: Blockade the Malta harbour to prevent the French ships from escaping.