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more could be urged on the propriety of this measure, but it would be presumptuous in me to say more.

The Blockade, for to have its full effect should be declared in England, as was done in February 1800, and all the Genoese Ports should be declared blockaded, and especially Port Especcia, which will otherwise be amply supplied from Leghorn, and through it the Italian Republic.

With respect to a blockade of Leghorn, the French having declared it in a state of siege, Government must decide how far we should have the complaisance to consider it otherwise, and not blockade it. The loyal Government, it is true, does nothing, but the French do everything, treating it as a conquered Country, even to hoisting the French Flag on the same staff as the Tuscan; the latter Flag of course is to save themselves, and the former to enable them in Tuscany to be hostile to us; such conduct deserves that Leghorn should be considered as blockaded whilst the French Troops remain in it, and that it is hostile to Great Britain. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON and Bronte.

TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B.

[Autograph in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] Amphion, off Monte Christo, July 2nd, 1803.

My dear Lord, Having wrote everything relative to every Ship in the Fleet, and of Naval matters, I do not think that the Papers I send you herewith are necessary to be laid before the Board of Admiralty, but if your Lordship thinks they are, then I beg that you will have the goodness to give them to Sir Evan Nepean for that purpose; but that if you agree with me, you will either lay them before the Cabinet, or send them to one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. I am ever, my dear Lord, your most faithful, humble servant,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EARL MOIRA.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 319.]

2nd July, 1803.

Another great plan of Buonaparte's is now perfectly clear; he will attempt the Morea, either by assisting the Greeks in an insurrection against the Porte, or this may be done in concert with Russia. On this important subject we are both agreed, that it is very probable those two Powers may have in view, by concert, the downfall of the Turkish Empire in Europe. Candia and Egypt would, of course, if this plan is followed, be given to the French, when, sooner or later, farewell India! But even supposing Russia has nothing to do with this plan, it would equally answer Buonaparte's purpose of alarming the Porte, to do it by the Greeks, or by assisting Ali Vizir in throwing off his dependence on the Porte; he would be equally ready to suppress or support even rebellion, provided the reward, Egypt, were the same. That is his great object at present, and for it he would sacrifice either Greeks, Russians, or Turks. We know he is not very scrupulous in the honourable means of accomplishing his darling object. Every State in Italy, except Naples, is at this moment as much France, as France itself, and in all things is obedient to his nod. And for fear that the Spanish Family, in his Kingdom of Etruria, should appear to the world not sufficiently degraded, he has ordered, and they fly on the same Flag-staff, both French and Tuscan colours to be hoisted. At Genoa, they literally obey the order of his Minister; a few days ago, he desired of the Government 5000 Troops-they answered that they had only 2000, but that they were very much at his service. My firm opinion is, that the Mediterranean will again be an active scene; and if Ministers do not look out, I shall have the Brest Fleet to pay me a visit; for as the Army can only be moved by the protection of a superior Fleet, that Fleet they will try to have, and a month's start of us would do all the mischief. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B.

[Autograph, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.]

Amphion, July 4th, 1803, 20 Leagues W.N.W. of Cape Corse.

My dear Lord,

Never was such miserably long passages, or any man móre anxious to join the Fleet. Sailing from Gibraltar the 4th of June, it was the 15th in the afternoon when we arrived at Malta. Having found that Sir Richard Bickerton had sailed on the 18th of May, to cruise between Naples and Sicily, I left Malta on the next night, but it was the 25th before I got off Capri, where I had appointed the Maidstone (who carried Mr. Elliot to Naples) to join me. Having received the letters which I have sent you, and answered them, it was, notwithstanding all our exertions, last night before I could get round Cape Corse.

The large French Army that is assembling in Italy must be placed there ready for a remove, whenever they have Fleet enough to keep us from looking them in the face; and although I know that can only be for a very short space of time, yet much may be done before reinforcements can arrive. Your Lordship knows what Admiral Bruix might have done, had he done his duty, and they may buy their experience. The 6000 Men marched with nine Generals into Leghorn on the 28th of June, can only be for embarkation. I look upon Naples as lost, unless we can have Troops to defend the Castles of Naples (the City) and Gaeta. In that case, the peasantry would, I believe, defend their mountains, and at least it would give a check to the movements of the French, and give us time to get a Fleet into the Mediterranean. You will see how fearful the Court of Naples is of our securing Sicily; for they know, and so do we, that the moment we take possession of Messina, they would make a conquest of Naples, unless we have Troops, as I before mentioned; and you will observe General Acton lays much stress on them. I shall write to Acton very soon; but my Lord, if I say too much, even of probabilities of what may happen, the Cabinet of Naples takes fright, and entreat us to do nothing; if, on the other hand, they are not a little alarmed, they will

think themselves so safe, that if we act, they will attribute all their losses to us; and losses they will have I much fear. However, no exertion of mine shall be wanting to bring the Fleet to Action the moment it is in my power; and I shall endeavour to keep such a look-out at the Mouth of the Straits, that I may fight one or the other, before they can form a junction. I shall only assure you that I will do my best, let what will happen, and endeavour to approve myself worthy the high honour of this Command. I again request that you will have the goodness to let my nephew, Sir William Bolton, come to me in a Sloop of War. George Elliot will go into the Termagant as you desired, Captain Stuart' being Captain of the Kent; and be assured, my dear Lord, that I shall be anxious to follow closely every wish of yours, and that I am, my dear Lord, your most faithful and obliged, NELSON AND Bronte. I am looking out very sharp for the Victory.

TO LADY HAMILTON.

[Extract from "Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton," vol. i. p. 113.]

[5th July, 1803.]

My dearest Emma, Although I have wrote letters from various places, merely to say, Here I am, and There I am,' yet, as I have no doubt but that they would all be read, it was impossible for me to say more than Here I am, and well:' and I see no prospect of any certain mode of conveyance, but by sea; which, with the means the Admiralty has given me, of small Vessels, can be but seldom.

Our passages have been enormously long. From Gibraltar to Malta, we were eleven days; arriving the fifteenth in the evening, and sailing in the night of the sixteenth—that is, three in the morning of the seventeenth-and it was the twenty-sixth before we got off Capri, where I had ordered the Frigate which carried Mr. Elliot to Naples, to join me. I

Captain John James Stuart, second son of Lord Nelson's friend, General the Honourable Sir Charles Stuart, K.B. (vide vol. i.): he died Captain of H. M. Ship Saldanha, at Lough Swilly, in Ireland, on the 19th of March, 1811.

send you copies of the King and Queen's letters. I am vexed that she did not mention you! I can only account for it by hers being a political letter.

When I wrote to the Queen, I said—I left Lady IIamilton, the eighteenth of May; and so attached to your Majesty, that I am sure she would lay down her life to preserve yours. Your Majesty never had a more sincere, attached, and real friend, than your dear Emma. You will be sorry to hear that good Sir William did not leave her in such comfortable circumstances as his fortune would have allowed. He has given it amongst his relations. But she will do honour to his memory, although every one else of his friends call loudly against him on that account.'

I trust, my dear Emma, she has wrote you. If she can forget Emma, I hope God will forget her! But, you think, that she never will or can. Now is her time to show it. You will only show the King and Queen's letters to some few particular friends. The King is very low; lives mostly at Belvedere. Mr. Elliot had not seen either him or the Queen, from the 17th, the day of his arrival, to the 21st. On the next day, he was to be presented.

I have made up my mind, that it is part of the plan of that Corsican Scoundrel to conquer the Kingdom of Naples. He has marched thirteen thousand men into the Kingdom, on the Adriatic side; and he will take possession, with as much shadow of right, of Gaeta and Naples: and, if the poor King remonstrates, or allows us to secure Sicily, he will call it War, and declare a conquest. I have cautioned General Acton, not to risk the Royal Family too long; but Naples will be conquered, sooner or later, as it may suit Buonaparte's convenience. The Morea, and Egypt, are likewise in his eye. An Army of full seventy thousand men are assembling in Italy.

Gibbs and Noble are gone to Malta. I am, you may believe, very anxious to get off Toulon, to join the Fleet. Sir Richard Bickerton went from off Naples, the day I left Gibraltar. We passed Monte Christo, Bastia, and Cape Corse, yesterday; and are now moving, slowly, direct for Toulon. What force they have, I know not; indeed, I am

Vide p. 84, ante.

Two English Merchants at Palermo.

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