TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. My dear Sir, [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] Victory, December 19th, 1804. Since I wrote you last November, I have not had any Vessel with the Fleet which I could detach to Naples, and I have been the less anxious, as I heard from Captain Cracraft, of the Anson, that everything was as usual when he left it, November 7th. The Termagant is the first Vessel which has come to me, and I send Captain Pettet to inquire how you get on. Since the Spanish hostilities-for I hardly know whether I am to call it War—I have not had the smallest communication with the Continent; therefore I am in most total darkness. I received yesterday the enclosed from Sir John Orde. I have learnt not to be surprised at anything; but the sending an Officer to such a point, to take, if it is a Spanish War, the whole harvest, after all my toils (God knows unprofitable enough! for I am a much poorer man than when we started in the Amphion,') seems a little hard; but patienza. I suppose Sir John, in the end, will command here. I am but very, very so-so. My cough, if not soon removed, will stay by me for ever. On the 12th, the French Fleet were safe in Toulon; but I am firmly of opinion before this day fortnight they will be at sea. What would I give to know their destination! But I must take my chance, and I hope my usual good fortune will attend me. On the 14th of January, I shall be at Madalena; therefore if you want to send over in a Neapolitan Corvette any dispatches, it will be sure to find me there for some days-perhaps, a fortnight or upwards. That position secures Sicily and Naples, and you will assure their Majesties that must be an object ever most near my heart. It is now ninety days since I have heard from England; it is rather long at these critical times. Sir John Orde has three Cutters, and four or five fine Brigs attached to his Squadron; but, no; not one for me. Such things are. I am ever, my dear Sir, your Excellency's most faithful and obedient servant, NELSON AND Bronte. Mr. Elliot accompanied Lord Nelson from England in the Victory and Amphion. U TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. Private. My dear Sir, [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] Victory, December 19th, 1804. William is very well, and Captain Parker likes him very much. The Amazon has been so little with us, that I have not seen him; but I shall, very probably, before this letter goes off. Anything like complaints against the Sicilian Government vexes me very much; but the encouragement of what can be called nothing short of piracy in the Governor of Syracuse, is indeed of very serious import. You shall have the result of the Court of Inquiry upon Lieutenant Spencer as soon as I get it; but I hear from a gentleman who was passenger in her, that the Privateer came out of the Neutral Port, and within the limits of the Neutral Territory, fired upon the Convoy. I sincerely hope it will turn out so. If so, the punishment was well merited; and Chevalier Micheroux will get a rebuke from you, for not maintaining the Neutrality in Sicily. I am ever, my dear Sir, with most sincere good wishes, your most faithful and obliged, NELSON AND Bronte. Pray return me Mr. Hunter's letter from Madrid; and in case I should be superseded, desire the letter to be sent to England after me. TO THE QUEEN OF THE TWO SICILIES. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 392.] Gulf of Palma, 19th December, 1804. Although I have addressed a letter to the King, to assure him of my unalterable attachment, yet I cannot resist declaring the same to your Majesty, for my obligations are equal to both, and so is my gratitude. Never, perhaps, was Europe more critically situated than at this moment, and never was the probability of universal Monarchy more nearly being Vide p. 214, ante. realized, than in the person of the Corsican. I can see but little difference between the name of Emperor, King, or Préfet, if they perfectly obey his despotic orders. Your Majesty's illustrious Mother would not have so submitted. Prussia is trying to be destroyed last-Spain is little better than a Province of France-Russia does nothing on the grand scale. Would to God these great Powers reflected, that the boldest measures are the safest! They allow small States to fall, and to serve the enormous power of France, without appearing to reflect that every Kingdom which is annexed to France makes their existence, as independent States, more precarious. Your Majesty sees all this, and much more than I can; for your Majesty is the true daughter of the great Maria Theresa. Your good heart will forgive my free manner of writing, it may be the last I shall ever address to you; for if I do not very soon get quiet on shore, my thread of feeble life will break: but God's will be done. My last breath will be for the felicity of your Majesty, the King, and Royal Family. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1804. Sir, I herewith transmit you a copy of a letter and paper therein referred to, from Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, of his Majesty's Ship Donegal, dated the 23rd October last, acquainting me with his having on that day, in company with the Medusa, detained the Spanish Frigate Matilda, from Cadiz, bound to the Spanish West Indies, with quicksilver for their mines, and sent her to England, under the charge of Captain Gore, until his Majesty's pleasure shall be known respecting her, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and acquaint their Lordships that under the circumstances existing between the two Countries at the time the Matilda detained, and from the reasons mentioned in the copy Sir Richard Strachan's letter, and paper which accompanies was of it, I very much approve of the said Vessel having been detained, and sent to England under charge of the Medusa, until his Majesty's pleasure shall be signified; and trust their Lordships will also approve of Sir Richard Strachan's conduct on the occasion. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1804. I herewith transmit you copy of a letter from Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, of the Donegal, dated the 26th November, acquainting me with his having, on the morning of the 19th of that month, after a long chase, and an action of eight minutes, captured the Spanish Frigate Amphitrite, (whose Captain, it appears, refused to return with him to Cadiz,) which you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and acquaint their Lordships that I very fully approve of Sir Richard Strachan's exertions and zeal on this occasion, and hope it will also meet their Lordships' approbation. The Donegal has not yet joined the Squadron, but I am hourly in expectation of seeing her. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN PARKER, H.M. SHIP AMAZON. [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Victory, off St. Sebastians, December 23rd, 1804. My dear Parker, Neither Seahorse nor Active have been here, therefore I am very uneasy about Toulon; for I very much fear that Phoebe and Hydra are both so short of water, that they may have been forced to leave the station; therefore I am going off Toulon, to see that all is safe, and it is my present intention to return to 97; but should a heavy gale of N.W. wind come on, I shall not allow myself to be driven to the South ward of the Straits of Bonifaccio (upon that side the water) but shall go to Madalena, at which place I shall certainly be before the 7th January; therefore if you have no chance of getting hold of the Squadron, from the sketch I have given you of my intentions, and you have many bullocks for us, I would recommend your going to Madalena, and landing Mr. Ford and the cattle, that they may be taken care of. You must be very cautious in approaching Madalena, for it is very possible the French may be in possession. Should you have much spare time (in case you go to Madalena) between the time of your arrival and the 7th of January, I would recommend your cruizing off the Coast of Corsica, and try to get the Nourice, a Store-Ship, which loads timber in the Gulf of Savoni, a Gulf just to the Northward of the Lamprinare Islands. If she is there, you [may] either take or destroy her; and the French have 4000 Troops ready, they say, for embarking at Ajaccio. I am ever, dear Parker, yours faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN MARK ROBINSON, H. M. SHIP SWIFTSURE. [Autograph, in the possession of Commander Robinson.] My dear Sir, Victory, December 25th, 1804. I would not trouble you to come out of the Swiftsure' with this swell, not being sure that you are not in Quarantine, and therefore I might be deprived of the pleasure of seeing you on board the Victory; and also, hearing from Captain Cracraft that you have lately had the gout. I therefore have made the signal for a Lieutenant; and if you are in Pratique I shall be glad to see you when we get into smooth water, which will probably be to-morrow. I am very anxious at this moment to get off Toulon, for we have reports that the French Fleet are expected every moment to put to sea with Troops embarked; and it would not surprise me to find them sailed. I hope you have had a great deal of success, and pleasant cruizing, off Cadiz. I am, my dear Sir, with great esteem, your most faithful humble servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. "December 25. Swiftsure joined at 8 A.M."- Victory's Log. |