money-getting man, for which I am probably laughed at. I am but very so-so, and probably you will soon see another Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean. But wherever I am, believe me always, dear Sutton, your much obliged friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CLARENCE. [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 381.] 15th August, 1804. If anything the least new was to occur here, your Royal Highness is sure that I should have written to you; but we have an uniform sameness, day after day, and month after month-gales of wind for ever. In July, we had seventeen days very severe weather; the Mediterranean seems altered. However, with nursing our Ships, we have roughed it out better than could have been expected. I have always made it a rule never to contend with the gales; and either run to the Southward to escape its violence, or furl all the sails and make the Ships as easy as possible. Our friend Keats is quite well; in his own person he is equal in my estimation to an additional Seventy-four; his life is a valuable one to the State, and it is impossible that your Royal Highness could ever have a better choice of a Sea friend, or Counsellor, if you go to the Admiralty. Keats will never give that counsel which would not be good for the Service. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty, and autograph draught in the possession of the Rev. Henry Girdlestone.] Sir, [No date; but about the 15th August, 1804.] It is with much uneasiness of mind that I feel it my duty to state to you, for the information of their Lordships, that I consider my state of health to be such as to make it absolutely necessary that I should return to England to re-establish it. Another winter, such as the last, I feel myself unable to stand against. A few months of quiet may enable me to serve again next spring; and I believe that no Officer is more anxious to serve than myself. No Officer could be placed in a more enviable Command than the one I have the honour to be placed in, and no Command ever produced so much happiness to a Commander-in-Chief, whether in the Flag-Officers, the Captains, or the good conduct of the Crews of every Ship in this Fleet; and the constant marks of approbation for my conduct which I have received from every Court in the Mediterranean, leave me nothing to wish for but a better state of health. I have thought it necessary to state thus much, that their Lordships might not for a moment suppose that I had any uneasiness of mind upon any account. On the contrary, every person, of all ranks and descriptions, seem only desirous to meet my wishes, and to give me satisfaction. I must, therefore, intreat their Lordships' permission to return to England for the re-establishment of my health, and that their consent may reach me as soon as possible, for I have deferred my application already too long. I have the honour, to be, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Autograph draught, in the possession of the Reverend Henry Girdlestone.] Victory, [about August 15th, 1804.] My dear Lord, Nothing but what I think an absolute necessity, your Lordship will, I trust, believe, could have induced me to write to the Board, desiring permission to return home in order to reestablish my health, and which, I flatter myself a few months' quiet, and asses' milk, will restore to me in a certain degree, and enable me to serve again next spring, either here, where I have served nine years, or wherever the Board may think fit to employ me. I therefore request your Lordship's influence with the Board, that they may grant me their permission, before the winter gets too far advanced. I know there are many Admirals desirous of this Command, with better health, and probably with greater abilities than myself, but none, my dear Lord, allow me to say, without being thought vain, who will serve with more zeal; therefore I can hardly expect, should even my health be perfect, to be allowed to return to this, my favourite Command: but should any such plan occur to your Lordship, it is my duty to state, and it is well known to the Board, that the Second in Command here, who has held that post, and the Command of the Fleet, for four years, Sir Richard Bickerton, is an Officer of not only distinguished merit, but also a most perfectly correct and safe Officer, and fit to command any Fleet. The Superb, from the state of the knee of her head, cannot be kept at sea this winter, without being docked; therefore, if it suited the Board's arrangements, I should prefer going home in her, to any other of the Ships who ought to go home. Six weeks in dock, will enable that Ship to run for two or three years. The same I may say of the Triumph and Renown. They are certainly amongst our finest Ships, and absolutely going to ruin for want of a few weeks in dock. The state of the Kent will show what would have been saved, had she gone home last year, as I ventured to propose; but as it is not my intention to criticise, I shall not touch upon these subjects, but conclude by assuring you of the respect with which I am, my dear Lord, your most faithful, N. & B. TO VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 382.] [About 16th August, 1804.] 3 I am sure that your Lordship will allow me to present to you Lieutenant Lumley, of the Seahorse, who had almost a miraculous recovery from his severe wounds. The arm is not only taken out of the shoulder-joint, but much of the shoulderbones has been extracted. His general conduct as an Officer has, from the report of the Honourable Captain Boyle, been such as always to merit approbation; and his conduct upon the occasion of losing his arm, has been such as to claim all our regard and esteem, and I am sure his good behaviour and sufferings will attract your Lordship's notice. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. Vide p. 109, ante. TO CAPTAIN JOHN CHAMBERS WHITE, H.M. SHIP KENT. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 16th August, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to receive my Public dispatches on board his Majesty's Ship Kent, under your command, and proceed with them immediately to Gibraltar, where you will deliver those for that place to Commissioner Otway, and inform yourself, without a moment's loss of time, whether the Merchants have any money to send home, and if there are any Ships perfectly ready to accompany you to England. Should there be any Trade (which I rather suppose not) ready and willing to avail themselves of your protection, you will take them under your convoy) but not to wait longer than forty-eight hours, as a Convoy will soon arrive there from Malta,) and proceed with them, with all convenient dispatch, consistent with their safety; and in order the more effectually to enable you to take the Trade from Gibraltar and Cadiz, I have directed the Senior Officer at Gibraltar to accompany you, or send a Sloop of War to escort the Kent, and such Trade as may be under her protection, from Gibraltar to Cadiz, twenty or twenty-five leagues to the Westward of the lastmentioned place, where you will call for such Vessels as may be ready, and also receive such money as the Merchants may have to send home. Having so done, you will proceed with the whole, as expeditiously as possible, to Spithead, dropping such as are bound to Ports in the Channel on your way up; and on your arrival at that place, you will deliver my Public dispatches for the Admiralty to Admiral Montagu, or the Commanding Officer at Portsmouth, who will forward them without delay. You will acquaint the Secretary of the Admiralty with your arrival, and transmit to him an account of your proceedings for their Lordships' information, and remain at the above anchorage for their further orders. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty. "Thursday, 16th August. H.M. Ships Belleisle, Kent, Active, Seahorse, Narcissus, Phoebe, Maidstone, and Niger, and Acheron, with the Transports, rejoined. H. M. Ship Fisgard, from England, joined company."-Victory's Log.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 16th August, 1804. You will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on the Squadron's return from Palma this morning, I was joined by the Fisgard, and as the Kent is just proceeding to England, I have only a moment to acknowledge your several letters, &c., which shall be duly attended to, and answered by the first opportunity. The Fleet is complete in provisions and water to five months, and in stores as far as we have been able, and I have the pleasure to add, is in most perfect health. Nine Sail of the Enemy's Line-of-Battle Ships, and seven Frigates, came out on the 14th instant a few miles from Sepet, and returned into Pori in the evening. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO THOMAS TYRWHITT, ESQ.* [Additional MSS. 12,102 in the British Museum.] Victory, August 16th, 1804. The box left by Mr. A'Court for H. R. H. the Prince of Wales must have gone home in either the Argo or Agincourt, as they were the only large Ships that left the Fleet, and I was fearful that in a small Vessel they would get wet. I hope they are, long before this time, safe arrived. I beg to present my humble duty to his Royal Highness. I have the honour to remain, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. Keeper of the Privy Seal, Private Secretary to H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, and Lord Warden of the Stannaries. He was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, and Knighted in 1812; and died at Calais, on the 24th of February 1833. |