TO THE RESPECTIVE OFFICERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S YARD AT MALTA. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 7th June, 1804. Gentlemen, Captain Schomberg of his Majesty's Ship Madras, having transmitted to me the valuation of the French Cutter L'Hirondelle captured by his Majesty's Ship Bittern, by which it appears that she is in good condition; and if you consider her in every respect fit for his Majesty's service, I am to desire you will mention it to Sir Alexander Ball, and submit to him (as she is intended for the service of Malta) the propriety of her being made a Schooner, as a more handy Vessel for the said service; and upon his approbation being signified, you will use every exertion in completing her for immediate service. The necessary orders for your proceedings herein shall be sent to Malta by the Transports, together with answers to your several letters, &c., as there is only time for the present to say they are received. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. N.B. Since writing the above, I understand that L'Hirondelle is not a Cutter, and therefore it is probable she will answer the service she is intended for better in her present state. But you will act in this as Sir Alexander Ball may think proper. N. & B. TO CAPTAIN RICHARD HUSSEY MOUBRAY, II. M. SHIP ACTIVE. [Letter Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 7th June, 1804. I herewith transmit you a letter which I have received from the Governor of St. Pierres, respecting two Sardinian Vessels employed in the Tunny Fishery, which, as their names are not mentioned, I cannot comply with his request; but in order to remove the evil as far as it is practicable, I have enclosed two blank Certificates, which you will see properly filled up, with the Vessels' names, and those of their Commanders, and explain to the Governor the reason of his letters not being answered in Italian is owing to Doctor Scott's being absent. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN VINCENT, H. M. SLOOP ARROW. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, June 8th, 1804. you I have received your letter of the 11th ult., addressed to Captain Cracraft, of the Anson, together with the defects of his Majesty's Sloop Arrow, under your command; and I must desire, on your return into Valetta harbour, that will put her in a state for being hove down, or otherwise, as the Builder may think necessary, to repair her defects. If the tanks cannot be repaired, water casks must be substituted in their room. I have sent an order to the Master Shipwright for this purpose; and must desire that every exertion which depends upon you, to facilitate her equipment, may be used, that the service of this Country may be deprived of so fine a Vessel but for as short a time as possible. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN VINCENT, H. M. SLOOP ARROW. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, June 8th, 1804. I have received your letter of the 6th of April last, acquainting me with your return from Smyrna on the 5th of that month, with such Trade as were ready to accompany you to Malta; and that you were about to proceed again to Smyrna, with two English Vessels and Transports, under the charge of Lieutenant Woodman, which you mean to escort into the Dardanelles, and afterwards bring the Trade from Smyrna to Valetta harbour. In answer to which, I approve of the line of conduct you mean to pursue in the execution of your orders, and also of your correspondence with his Excellency, Mr. Stratton, our Minister at Constantinople, relative to the conduct of the Governor of the Castle on the European side, on entering the Dardanelles; and make no doubt that the Ottoman Government will sufficiently account for the conduct of the Castle's firing upon the Arrow and Convoy, and make the necessary reparation to our Minister for the insult. The two letters, &c. from Mr. Thomas M'Gill, mentioned in yours of the 6th April, have also been received, and I observe, with some degree of surprise, the protection afforded the French at Ancona, contrary to the laws of Neutrality. You have done perfectly right in circulating the information of the Privateers and Corn Vessels to all the Captains on your station, and hope they may be intercepted. I have also to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th April, with the list of Vessels captured and detained, as therein mentioned. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original in the Admiralty, and "London Gazette," August 1804] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 8th June, 1804. I herewith transmit you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a letter dated the 3rd ultimo, from Captain Corbet, of his Majesty's Sloop Bittern, to Captain Schomberg, Senior Officer at Malta, giving an account of his having, on the 28th of April last, captured the French Privateer L'Hirondelle, and recaptured the two English Merchant Ships named in the margin,' her prizes. The conduct of Captain Corbet, the Officers and Company of the Bittern, entitles them to my warmest thanks for their very great perseverance and exertions in the capture of the above Privateer, which, I understand, is a remarkably fine Vessel, and had greatly annoyed our Trade in this Country. I am, &c. 7 Mentor, Catherine. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Toulon, 8th June, 1804. In addition to my letters of the 10th January and 15th March last, and in further compliance with their Lordships' direction, contained in Sir Evan Nepean's duplicate letter to me of the 9th November last, respecting the conduct of Lieutenant Shaw, of the Spider Brig, I herewith transmit you the copy of a letter from Captain Schomberg, of the Madras, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their information, and acquaint their Lordships that I consider Lieutenant Shaw's conduct on this occasion very meritorious and praiseworthy; and I have to hope that their Lordships' approbation of his conduct will be signified to him; for while the Sicilian Government, and that of the Republic of the Seven Isles, as mentioned in my letter to you of this date, hold forth such retreats, and allow such piratical proceedings by the Enemy's Privateers, from their Ports, in violation of the laws of Neutrality, it certainly becomes the duty of every British Officer to capture or destroy any Enemy's Vessel that attacks him, wherever the attack is made. Enclosed are the copies of a letter and note which I gave the Captains of the Anson and Thisbe on this subject. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. P.S.-Enclosed are affidavits from the Masters of the Vessels carried into Girgenti by a French Privateer. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Toulon, 8th June, 1804. Sir, I herewith transmit you a copy of a letter from Captain Shepheard of his Majesty's Ship Thisbe, dated the 1st ultimo, and of the one therein mentioned from Lieutenant Robert Vide vol. v. p. 205. Corner of that Ship, giving an account of his having taken possession of La Veloce Privateer, bearing the colours of the Italian Republic, and retaken a Brig, one of the Thisbe's Convoy, captured by the above Privateer, or rather Pirate, close in with a Bay in Great Cephalonia. I also transmit you a copy of Captain Shepheard's letter to me, dated at Corfu, 6th May, together with copies of the letters therein alluded to, and also a copy of one from Spiridion Foresti, Esq., his Majesty's Minister to the Seven Islands, on the subject of the said capture, in consequence of an Official Note from Count Moncenigo, the Russian Minister to the said Republic, a copy of which, with Mr. Foresti's answer, also accompanies this, which I request you will lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and, at the same time, acquaint their Lordships, that I very fully approve of every part of Captain Shepheard's conduct on the above occasion. The piratical conduct of the Enemy's Privateers, which are allowed to use the Harbours, Bays, Creeks, &c., of the Republic of the Seven Isles, from whence they capture our Trade, and, when attacked, complain of a violation of the Neutrality, is so notoriously practised, to the great annoyance and destruction of our Trade, that I submit to their Lordships the necessity of a very strong remonstrance being made to the Government of the Seven Islands, in order to prevent those Privateers the use of their Harbours and Ports, &c., for such piratical purposes. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN SCHOMBERG, H. M. SHIP MADRAS. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 8th June, 1804. I have received your letter of the 10th ultimo, inclosing one from Captain Corbet of his Majesty's Sloop Bittern, giving an account of his having captured L'Hirondelle French Privateer, and recaptured the two Merchant-vessels named in the margin,' her Prizes. I am very much pleased with Captain Mentor, Catherine. |