Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 14th March, 1805. I have received your letter of the 14th November, together with a copy of his Majesty's Order in Council, authorizing an increase to be made to the salaries of the Secretaries to Flag Officers; also, that no Secretary is to be allowed more than one Clerk as an assistant, and that no Purser of any of his Majesty's Ships in Commission shall be allowed to officiate at the same time as Secretary to a Flag Officer. In answer to which, I have transmitted to Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton a copy of his Majesty's said Order in Council, with that of your letter of the above date, and request you will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships that due attention shall be paid to the instructions therein contained, and that the name of my Secretary and that of Sir Richard Bickerton's are mentioned underneath. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. John Scott, Secretary to Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson. J. D. Boyes, Secretary to Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton, Bart. N.B.-Mr. Truppo's name in his Commission has, by mistake been inserted Peter Stuppo instead of Truppo; you will, therefore have the goodness to correct the mistake. TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE HENRY EDWARD FOX, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF GIBRALTAR. [Autograph, in the possession of John Bullock, Esq.] Victory, March 14th, 1805. Sir, I have been honoured with your letters of February 5th, and I feel truly happy that all appearance of the epidemic has disappeared, and that a free communication with the Garrison is again permitted without danger. The cautions respecting the performance of Pratique are certainly very proper, although I am entirely at a loss to know where Vessels can lay their Quarantine with safety out of the Mole. With respect to the Naval force necessary for the protection of the Bullock Vessels going to Lisbon with your mails, and bringing them back to the Garrison, I hope the Admiralty will send me the proper Vessels for that service; for I do assure you, Sir, (and, I trust, my general attention towards the comfort of the Garrison will induce you to believe my assertion) that the care and comfort of the Garrison of Gibraltar is ever uppermost in my mind; and it is the cause of much regret to me, that the Officer down the Mediterranean is not under my command, as his instructions would be similar to that formerly given to Sir Richard Strachan and Captain Gore-viz., to take care and afford every assistance and comfort to the Garrison of Gibraltar, and I flatter myself it has been closely attended to. I have long ago pre sumed to recommend to Lord Melville that Gibraltar should be placed under the immediate care of the Officer commanding off Cadiz, and I hope, before this time, it has been attended to. The Raven was destined for the especial service of Gibraltar; and I lament the loss of her, and also of the services of Captain Layman, whose activity, zeal, and judgment, would have been of much use to the Garrison. I have the honour to remain, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 14th March, 1805. In answer to your letter of the 17th December, relative to their Lordships being furnished with an account of the proceeds of the several Vessels captured by the different Ships of the Squadron, and sent to Malta for adjudication, being the property of the Subjects of the Ligurian and Italian Republics, I beg you will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I do not feel myself authorized to call upon the Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Malta for the proceeds of the said Vessels, which, I understand, was his Majesty's pleasure should be given to the Captors immediately: their Lordships will, therefore, be pleased to adopt such measures as to them may appear proper on the occasion. It only remains with me to observe, that the Captors have frequently applied to me on this subject. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO ADMIRAL LORD RADSTOCK. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear-Admiral Lord Radstock, C.B.] My dear Lord, Victory, March 15th, 1805. I am sorry you should find a difficulty in getting your son promoted. If he is to remain a Lieutenant I should rather recommend him to be in a more active Ship than this. Promotion here, unless from the Admiralty, is out of the question. Was I in this Command seven years, I could not expect to get through the Admiralty recommendations which every Ship increases. I must not enter upon the business of Sir John Orde's appointment, but I think whoever has that Command should have this. They ought not have been divided, and so much did I expect Orde to relieve me in toto, that all my things were sent to the Superb, where they still remain. I am ever, my dear Lord, yours most faithfully, ... NELSON AND BRONTE. TO EARL CAMDEN, K.G., SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE WAR DEPARTMENT. [Original, in the Colonial Office.] My Lord, Victory, March 15th, 1805. Flattering as are the enclosed letters from their Sicilian Majesties, yet I should not do them justice was I not (without any consideration for my feelings) to transmit them to your Lordship, and in your wisdom you will, if you think it proper, communicate them to His Majesty. My wretched state of health ought, long since, to have induced me to go to England for its re-establishment: but I could never bring myself to quit my post when the Enemy was coming to sea. This motive has induced me to remain, and I shall stay until after the Battle, or that I believe the French Fleet will not put to sea for the summer months. I have the honour to be, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 17th March, 1805. Having understood that Mr. Peter Truppo,' Midshipman on board the Belleisle, had served his time and passed in England for a Lieutenant, I gave him a Commission for the Amphitrite; but on delivering it, and after my letter of the 14th instant, inclosing copy thereof, was sealed up in a packet with the other public letters, and sent on board the Renown in charge of Captain Layman, I discovered that the said Mr. Truppo had not served his time. I therefore request you will be so good as cancel the said Commission, and move their Lordships to confirm the one (a copy of which is herewith transmitted) which I have this day given to Mr. Peter Crawfurd, Midshipman of the Victory. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 18th March, 1805. Sir, I herewith transmit you a copy of a duplicate letter from the Navy Board, dated the 22nd November last, together with a copy of my answer thereto; also an Account from Mr. Edward Gayner, Merchant of Rosas, of the expenses incurred by the late Hindostan's Officers and Company, together with Captain Le Gros' agreement for the hire of a Vessel sent out to me with an account of that misfortune off Toulon; also two certificates relative to the hire of a house, and of fifteen Deserters 'He died a Lieutenant, about 1823. 2 Now a Retired Commander. taken up by the Civil power at Gerona, and put on board the Seahorse at Rosas, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their information, and move their Lordships to order that the impress which the Commissioners of the Navy have thought proper to put against me, on this account, may be taken off. I cannot help noticing to their Lordships, the objections made by the Commissioners of the Navy to this Account, as well as their calling for Vouchers, under the circumstances of the misfortune from Mr. Gayner, who had behaved with so much friendship to the unfortunate sufferers, and paid the money out of his pocket for their accommodation. There are circumstances which justify the rigid forms of Office being dispensed with, and the present I humbly conceive to be one. Their Lordships, I trust, will believe that previous to my giving a bill to Mr. Gayner, I examined every particular charge, and was satisfied from Captain Le Gros, and also from Mr. Ford, Agent-Victualler, who was at Rosas purchasing wine, &c., for the Fleet at the time, consequently, witnesses to the whole transaction, that Mr. Gayner was still a loser on the occasion. It also strikes me particularly hard that a Commander-in-Chief is liable to have his Accounts impressed for every disbursement that the Service imperiously demands of him. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN P. S. MOUAT, AGENT FOR PRISONERS OF WAR, GIBRALTAR. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 18th March, 1805. Sir, I have this morning received, by the Amazon, your letter of the 28th ult., together with the lists from No. 1 to 18, of the French and Spanish Prisoners of War received and exchanged; also copies of Vice-Admiral Sir John Orde's letters, and translations of General Castano's letters respecting the exchange of Spanish Prisoners agreeable to the usual custom, as mentioned in your said letter. I very much approve of your having sent the Officers and Company of the late Raven |