TO CAPTAIN RICHARD BUDD VINCENT, H. M. SLOOP ARROW. Sir, [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 28th July, 1804. I have received your letter of the 5th June, giving an account of your having, on the 3rd of that month, destroyed, and set fire to a French Privateer under the Island of Fano. The destruction of the Enemy's Privateers, who are so numerous in these seas (and contrary to all known laws of Neutrality, shelter themselves, and make a convenience of the Neutral Territory of the Powers at amity with Great Britain, from whence they commit the most unwarrantable depredations on our Commerce), becomes an object of serious consideration, and certainly justifies an attack upon these Pirates. I therefore feel pleased with your conduct in the destruction of the Privateer before mentioned, and shall write Mr. Foresti, his Majesty's Minister at Corfu (if necessary) to remonstrate against the conduct of those unprecedented and sanctioned Pirates, as I did in the instance of the Thisbe; for certainly the Neutral Territory that does not afford protection, cannot be allowed to give it to the original breaker of the Neutrality, and therefore, from the offensive state of the Privateer in question, and her firing upon the Arrow's Boats, I cannot but approve of your having destroyed her; but I must beg to be perfectly understood, that I would on no account have the Neutrality broken or disturbed by his Majesty's Ships or Vessels, &c., under my command, firing upon any of the Enemy's Privateers or endeavouring to destroy them under the protection of a Neutral Port, unless such Privateers shall first use such offensive measures, and fire upon his Majesty's Subjects; in which case, they forfeit the protection of the Neutral Port, and ought to be destroyed, if possible. I am sorry for the Arrow's loss in killed and wounded on the occasion, as stated in the list which accompanied your said letter. The paper of instructions saved from the Privateer before alluded to, has been received. I am, &c., NELSON and Bronte. TO CAPTAIN VINCENT, H.M. SLOOP ARROW. [Letter Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, July 28th, 1804. I yesterday received your letter of the 13th ult., acquainting me with your proceedings, in consequence of the orders you received from Captain Cracraft, of his Majesty's Ship Anson; that you had visited Zante, Corfu, Valona, and Otranto, agreeable to his directions; and that on your arrival at Corfu, you had received a letter, with an enclosure from Mr. Foresti, acquainting you with the loss of the Merchant Brig, General Moore, near Valona, on the 18th of November last; and also, with the treatment the Master and Crew of the said Vessel had received from the Bey and Vizir of Burat. In answer thereto, I am very much pleased with the whole of your conduct, and hope that your remonstrances will not only induce the Vizir to deliver up the English Subjects, but also make sufficient reparation for his treatment to the Master and Crew of the said Vessel, as well as for having detained them and others of His Majesty's Subjects. I am very much obliged for your communication of the different circumstances that are passing in the Adriatic, mentioned in your said letter and Log-book, which have been received, together with copies of Mr. Foresti's letter, and the paper which accompanied it; also, the list of Vessels boarded by the Arrow as stated therein. I am, &c., I have received your letter of the 12th instant, acquainting me with your having, on the preceding day, captured the Conception French Privateer, mounting two brass guns, and manned with forty-seven men. In answer to which, I am very much pleased with your success on this occasion, and hope your future exertions may soon enable you to capture or destroy more of those piratical Privateers, who so much annoy our Coasting trade. Your log and weekly account have been delivered me by the Captain of the Fleet. Let them in future be transmitted to me. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO PATRICK WILKIE, ESQ., AGENT VICTUALLER, MALTA. Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 28th July, 1804. I have received by the Etna, your letter of the 6th instant, and observe, by the abstract of the remains of provisions therein mentioned, the state of his Majesty's stores under your charge, which will meet with due attention, and I trust be soon recruited with every species of provisions from England, by the first Convoy, which it is to be presumed is at no great distance from its arrival. I observe what you say respecting the five hundred pipes of wine, contracted for at Marsala, and, consequently, shall approve of such steps as the Senior Officer may take to send the said wine to England. I am sorry to observe that the wine supplied his Majesty's Ships from the stores under your charge, is excessively bad of its kind, and very much inferior to what we receive from Gibraltar, or purchase in the vicinity of Rosas, and I presume higher priced. I therefore desire that you will write the Contractor on the subject, and insist upon good sound wine being sent, as I am satisfied that the Faro wine is excellent. You will, at the same time, transmit me a copy of the said contract, that I may judge how far a public remonstrance to the Victualling Board may be necessary to remedy this serious evil. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. P.S.-In future, let your Returns, or Remains of provisions, &c. in the stores under your charge, be transmitted to me. TO NATHANIEL TAYLOR, ESQ., NAVAL OFFICER, MALTA. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 28th July, 1804. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, with a copy of the list of cordage undertaken to be found by Mr. Dyson of Syracuse, also a list of canvas and timber which you have ordered from Fiume, for the use of his Majesty's stores at Malta, together with a list of canvas purchased at Malta with the approbation of the Senior Officer. In answer thereto, I herewith transmit you an order for the payment of the canvas purchased at Malta, and desire to observe, that as stores are now arrived in the Mediterranean, it's of little consequence whether the cordage you have ordered from Syracuse is received or not. As canvas was to be had at Naples, I cannot account for your having ordered such a quantity of it, and other stores, from Fiume, on your return to Naples from Malta, as there appears no necessity for such a measure; and my instructions only justify your making inquiry where Naval stores may be had in case of emergency, and not to purchase, except small quantities, and that in cases only of absolute necessity, with the concurrence and authority of the Senior Officer. I hope your conduct on this occasion will meet the approbation of the Navy Board, and that the disbursement of the Public money in your department for every article purchased may be perfectly correct, and entirely to their satisfaction. In future, it is my directions, that previous to the purchase of any description of stores, you consult with the Senior Officer on the necessity thereof, as well as to the exact quantity of every article wanted; and upon his being perfectly and fully satisfied of the absolute and indispensable necessity of such temporary purchase, you are to obtain from him an order for that purpose, which must specify the particular quantity of every article intended to be procured; a copy of which order, &c., you will transmit to me immediately, (in the event of there not being time to make application to me in the first instance, which is always to be done when practicable,) and also an account from the person of whom the purchase is made, setting forth the quantity and price of every article, in order that I may, on any future occasion, satisfy myself with the correctness thereof. I approve L'Hirondelle's being fitted in her present state, and hope she will soon be ready for active service. Her valuation, and a list of the remains of stores under your charge, have also been received. I am very much surprised that directions were not given to the Master of the Louisa, to receive the lime for the use of the Fleet. Your application ought to have been to the Senior Officer, who would have taken the necessary steps for this purpose. I shall, however, direct the Agent of Transports to attend to your request on all future occasions. The Jolly-boat for the Childers has been received, and also the Victory's hammock-cloths; but I am extremely concerned to observe the inattention which they have met with in Malta Yard. They have been badly painted (if it may be called painting), as it is all run in flecks, and peels off with the least touch. In addition to this, a considerable part of one of them is entirely rotten. The want of these hammockcloths will be severely felt, and there is none on board to cover the men's bedding. A survey shall be ordered upon them, and a report thereof sent to the Admiralty for their Lordships' consideration. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. P.S.-In future, let the monthly return of the stores under your charge be transmitted to me. Your letter of the 14th July, acquainting me that the Jalouse had sprung her mainmast, has been received. TO CAPTAIN SCHOMBERG, H.M. SHIP MADRAS. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 28th July, 1804. I have received your letters of the 29th June, and 6th instant, acquainting me that the Bittern had landed Mr. Longford and suite at Tripoli, on the 26th June; transmitting me a list of Convoy under the protection of the Agincourt and Thisbe; and that it was your intention, if the Agincourt had not arrived, to have sent the Niger to Gibraltar with the |