PREFACE. A PERIOD of fifteen months of the life of NELSON is illustrated by his Correspondence in this Volume; and as his career approached its close, his Letters increased in interest and importance. These Letters extend from May 1804 to July 1805, during the whole of which time he was Commanderin-Chief in the Mediterranean, watching the French Squadron in Toulon, until it sailed, in April 1805, to the West Indies, whither it was pursued by LORD NELSON with a very inferior force. Besides showing NELSON'S unabated energy, his unwearied attention to the minutest details of his Command, his constant regard for the comfort of the Crews of his Ships, as to their provisions and clothing; his continual efforts to prevent any waste of stores, and the Government from being imposed upon by Contractors, the most remarkable parts of his Letters in 1804 are, perhaps, those relating to Vice-Admiral La Touche Tréville, the Commander-in-Chief of the French Squadron in Toulon, whose premature death, according to Monsieur Thiers, was the principal cause of England's not having been invaded!-to the refusal of Artillery Officers embarked on board of Bombs to submit to Naval discipline, which led to the formation of the Corps of Royal Marine Artillery-those to the Lord Mayor, on receiving the thanks of the Corporation of London for "blockading Toulon," when he assured the Lord Mayor, that instead of having "blockaded" that Port, he had, on the contrary, afforded the French Fleet every opportunity of putting to sea, and expressed his determination not to be separated in Thanks from the two Admirals under his orders, whom he considered to have been unjustly neglected by the Corporation-and the Letters in which he denounced the Gibraltar Privateers as a "horde of sanctioned robbers," whose piratical proceedings were disgraceful to the character of the British Nation." 66 His Letters respecting Vice-Admiral La Touche Tréville, are, however, so characteristic, as to justify particular attention being drawn to them. On the 1st of June 1804, LORD NELSON said he had sent Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton to another station; and that he was himself close off Toulon with five Sail of the Line, "in hopes to tempt Mr. La Touche out of Port." On the 7th, he said," Do not think I am tired of watching Mr. La Touche Tréville. I have now taken up a method of making him angry. I have left Sir Richard Bickerton, with part of the Fleet, twenty leagues from hence, and, with five of the Line, am preventing his cutting capers, which he had done for some time past, off Cape Sicie. Mr. La Touche has several times hoisted his topsail yards up; and on the 4th of June, we having hoisted the Standard and saluted, he sent outside Sepet, about one mile, five Sail of the Line and two Frigates, and kept three Sail and three Frigates with their yards aloft, himself one of them, and the Rear-Admiral another, therefore I did not believe him in earnest; however, we run as near as was proper, and brought to. They formed a pretty line at sunset, and then stood into the Harbour. A Ship of the Line and Frigate every morning weigh, and stand between Sepet and La Malgue. Some happy day I expect to see his eight Sail, which are in the Outer Road, come out; and if he will get abreast of Porquerolle, I will try what stuff he is made of." In the afternoon of the 14th of June, eight Ships of the Line of the Enemy came out of Toulon, and LORD NELSON, with only five Sail of the Line, formed in Order of Battle to receive them; but they returned into Port. He attached no importance to this proceeding; and writing, on the 18th of June, merely said, "We are as usual. The French Fleet safe in Toulon; but upon the 14th, Monsieur La Touche came out with eight Sail of the Line and six Frigates, cut a caper off Sepet, and went in again. I was off, with five Sail of the Line, and brought to for his attack, although I did not believe that anything was meant serious, but merely a gasconade." It is not difficult, from NELSON's chivalric sense of In the morning, at The insult sank deep honour, and deep love of truth, to understand the surprise and indignation with which he read Vice-Admiral La Touche Tréville's official report, wherein he ventured to assert that, on the 14th of June, the English Admiral "recalled his Ship and his two Frigates, which were among the Islands, and bore away. I pursued him until night; he ran to the South-East. daylight, I saw no more of him." in NELSON'S mind. To the Admiralty he merely said, that "Although I most certainly never thought of writing a line upon Monsieur La Touche's having cut a caper a few miles outside of Toulon on the 14th of June, where he well knew I could not get at him without placing the Ships under the batteries which surround that Port, and that, had I attacked him in that position, he could retire into his secure nest whenever he pleased, yet as that gentleman has thought proper to write a letter stating that the Fleet under my command ran away, and that he pursued it, perhaps it may be thought necessary for me to say something, but I do assure you, Sir, that I know not what to say, except by a flat contradiction; for if my character is not established by this time for not being apt to run away, it is not worth my time to attempt to put the world right;" but in his Private Letters he used the most emphatic language on the subject. "You will have seen Monsieur La Touche's letter," he said to his brother, "of how he chased me, and how I ran. I keep it; and, by God, if I take him, he shall Eat it;" while to |