not act. feel I have done perfectly right. No desire of wealth could influence my conduct; for I had nothing to take worth twopence to me. Sir John Orde was sent, if it was a Spanish War, to take the money; but until he saw my orders, he did I suppose he was fearful of that responsibility which I am ever ready to take upon me; and now he is to wallow in wealth, whilst I am left a beggar. But such things are. I receive the kindest letters from Lord Melville and the Secretary of State, but they think the French Fleet is prize enough for me. You will believe, my dear Sir, that if I had small Vessels, that one should be with you every month, or oftener, but I have them not. No, not half enough for the different services, and they are decreasing daily by Convoys going to England. Not one has arrived for these fifteen months. I will try and forward your letters to Lisbon, or it's possible the Renown may carry them to England. She will have orders to stay till the 20th instant at Naples, and I shall wait three or four days for her at this place. I hope both Austria and Prussia may be induced to oppose the upstart Emperor, and I think the ancient Monarchy nearer being established than since 1793. The Fleet, as Captain Sotheron will tell you, cannot be in better health. There has been much pains taken to make Europe believe that we were all dying of the fever. General Fox is arrived at Gibraltar, and the Rock was considered in pratique, and the yellow flag struck upon January 1st. But I fear the dead have been buried so very incautiously, that danger may be feared in the summer heats. Your Excellency will be so good as to present my humble duty to both the King and Queen, and believe me ever, with the highest respect, your most faithful, obliged, and obedient NELSON AND Bronte. servant, TO CAPTAIN MALCOLM, H.M. SHIP RENOWN. My dear Sir, Victory, January 13th, 1805. Long looked for is come at last. Captain Sotheron will relieve you. I hope you will be able to sail with all Mr. Elliot's dispatches on the 20th, when he assures me he shall be ready. If you still keep in the mind to have an exchange into the Donegal, Sir Richard is ready for you, and I have given my consent, to oblige both him and you. I am ever, dear Sir, faithfully yours, I will take care of your Russians." NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ, NAPLES. [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] Secret. Victory, January 13th, 1805. My dear Sir, Sir John Orde brought me out my leave to go to England for the re-establishment of my health, and many suppose that, the moment I had passed the Straits, he would take upon him the command. Others suppose Sir John Colpoys will be my successor, and there are others that think I shall return, if my health permits, and that my services will continue to be acceptable. However, I have kept my permission a profound secret in the Fleet. Everybody expects that it will come; therefore do not mention my having received it, to either Captain Sotheron or Captain Malcolm, although you may to the King and Queen. I do assure you that nothing has kept me here, but the fear for the escape of the French Fleet, and that they should get to either Naples or Sicily in the short days; and that when I go I shall leave such instructions with Sir Richard Bickerton (who I am sure will follow them well up) to guard the Two Sicilies, as he would the apple of his eye; and nothing but gratitude to those good Sovereigns could have induced me to stay one moment after Sir John Orde's extraordinary Command, for his general conduct towards me is not such as I had a right to expect. Amazon is gone with my last dispatches to Gibraltar. I saw William for five minutes. He was to have dined here, but a fair wind came, and that cancels all invitations. I expected a much later letter from Mr. Jackson, at Rome, for I > The Russian young gentlemen before mentioned. have wrote to him twice since the date of his letter. I am ever, my dear Sir, your very much obliged and faithful servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. You may trust Captain Sotheron with your confidence. TO CAPTAIN FRANK SOTHERON, H.M. SHIP EXCELLENT. Victory, Madalena Islands, Sardinia, 14th January, 1805. Most secret and confidential. You are hereby required and directed, on this order being delivered to you, to receive, or to convoy them, if they embark on board their own Ships, the King, Queen, and Royal Family of Naples, to Palermo, or such other place as the King may choose to proceed to; and you will afford every protection and assistance to all those who may wish to follow their Majesties, and that they approve of; and you will also receive his Majesty's Minister and suite, and afford such other protection as in your power to all British Subjects, and their property, as the urgency of the case may require. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN KEATS, H. M. SHIP SUPERB. [Autograph, in the possession of Mrs. Gatty.] My dear Keats, Victory, January 15th, 1805. Many thanks for your Telegraph message, and I am sorry that, for form's sake, I must consider you, at least for one day, in Quarantine; but I think if Dr. Scott will go with one of your Officers to the shore, and state to the Governor and Officers of Health, that you have been as many days in Quarantine as you have been from Algiers, that the place is healthy, and you are healthy, with such winning ways as Dr. Scott knows so well how to use, I have no doubt but that you will have pratique; and let your Officer say that I have examined the state of the Ship, and find her proper to have pra tique, &c. &c., which I am ready to certify if the Governor wishes it; then I shall hope to have you to dinner; but if they will not give you pratique, I shall to-morrow. Ever, my dear Keats, your much obliged, I send you some late Papers. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, Madalena Islands, 16th January, 1805. It being my intention to send his Majesty's Ship Amphitrite (lately captured by the Donegal) to England, under charge of the Renown, in order to her being manned and completed for service, as their Lordships may think proper to direct, I have judged it necessary, for the good of his Majesty's Service, to appoint Sir William Bolton to be Captain of her, and herewith transmit you a copy of his Commission, and a copy of an acting order given to Lieutenant John Louis to command the Childers, in the room of Sir William Bolton; also a copy of an order given to Mr. George Martin Sutherland' to act as Lieutenant of the Royal Sovereign, in the room of Captain Louis, which I request you will be so good as lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their information, and move their Lordships to confirm the said appointments. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO EARL CAMDEN, K.G., SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE WAR DEPARTMENT. [Autograph, in the Colonial Office.] My Lord, Victory, January 16th, 1805. Yesterday his Majesty's Ship Superb, Captain Keats, returned from Algiers, having landed Mr. Cartwright, his Ma Now Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis, Bart. Mr. George Martin Sutherland: he appears to have died a Lieutenant, between 1806 and 1809. jesty's Consul-General to that place, who was received by the Dey, the Regency, and the Inhabitants, with much pleasure; and I have no doubt but that our footing at Algiers is as a most favoured Nation. Your Lordship will not fail to observe that the conduct of Captain Keats merits those encomiums which would fall far short of his merits, were I to attempt to express what my feelings are upon this, as upon all other occasions where the services of Captain Keats are called forth. I shall, therefore, leave your Lordship to represent them to his Majesty, in the manner and language your Lordship's superior judgment shall point out as most proper for their having the fullest effect. Captain Keats very handsomely attributes great credit to the services of the Reverend Mr. Scott, my confidential Secretary and Interpreter, and to the Reverend Mr. Evans, Chaplain of his Majesty's Ship Superb, and I beg leave to call your Lordship's attention to the merits of these gentlemen. They have, both in the last and present War, made themselves perfectly masters of all the European languages spoken in the Mediterranean, which has qualified them to be Interpreters on any important occasions, where confidence is required to be reposed. Our Navy Chaplains have not generally the good fortune to be in the road to promotion: their brethren ashore have all the advantage of being upon the spot (one exception, the present Lord Chancellor very handsomely having given my former Chaplain a Living,) I therefore presume to recommend both these gentlemen as proper candidates for Crown Livings; and it would be a great inducement for the Navy Chaplains to make themselves useful to the State, in a greater degree than they are at present, for we all want persons of learning and confidence to write our letters to Foreign Courts, which in the Mediterranean we are always in correspondence with. The Dey having received the Consul, as he expressed himself at the time, I receive you without presents;' and our amity with Algiers being, perhaps more firmly established than for many years past, I submit to your Lordship's consideration, whether it would not at this moment cement the friendship, was some presents to be made to the Regency, not upon account of the Consul, but as a particular present from his Majesty. I have, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. |