have one but on degrading and dishonourable terms—sooner than which, we had better spend the last shilling in resisting, like men. The Italian Papers mention Mr. Yorke as First Lord of the Admiralty. If so, what becomes of the virtuous Sir T. T. and Tucker? But I care not who is in or out-I shall endeavour to do my duty to the Country. I wish you would get me the opinion of some learned man about the Commons, on the Bills of Lading. I maintain that under the description of the Bill of Lading, that the goods are risked by the Shippers until they are received, and are, therefore French property; and I should be glad to have this opinion as soon as possible, as, yesterday, not less than £40,000 worth of goods passed for Smyrna; but the Captains were afraid to touch them. I cannot blame them: our rules of Admiralty have been so undecided. I am longing for Victory;' but when will she appear? I know your goodness about my wine, &c., from Guernsey, and that I shall have it out by some way or other. But tell me principally about yourself; for believe me ever, your most obliged and faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY ADDINGTON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 320.] 27th July, 1803. Europe seems so degraded, that I declare I would rather die with my sword in my hand resisting, than hold any Territory by means of a degenerate guarantee. Can a Kingdom be said to be free, which pays contributions at the order of a Foreign Power? No; yet such is the state of Naples, Tuscany, and Genoa. General Murat demanded at Genoa a contribution of five millions of livres on the 7th; the Government said they could only raise three; the rest must be paid in men for the Army: 1600 men marched into Genoa on the 17th of July. Yesterday and to-day, three Corvettes have been trying to proceed to the Eastward: I am confident they want to get to the Heel of Italy and the Adriatic, and it is very • His Ship. difficult to prevent their passing along shore. At Marseilles they are fitting, as reports say, eighty or ninety Gun-boats, and intend sending them, by the Canal of Languedoc, to Bordeaux; but I am sure this is not true. They are to go along shore to the Heel of Italy, and to embark and protect their Army either to Sicily or the Morea, or to both; and the Navy of Europe can hardly prevent these along-shore voyages. However, I am placing an addition to the Squadron I have already stationed upon that Coast; but from Cape St. Vincent, where it is absolutely necessary I should have a look-out for the Ships of War coming from the Mediterranean, to the Head of the Adriatic, I have only eight Frigates; which, with the service of watching Toulon, and the necessary Frigates with the Fleet, are absolutely not one half enough. I mean this as no complaint, for I am confident the Admiralty are hard pressed, and will send me more when the Service will admit it. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Amphion, off Toulon, 27th July, 1803. Sir, From the various circumstances of service attached to the Naval part of my duty in these seas, which imposes upon me a correspondence from several quarters that requires a knowledge of the different languages, I have felt it necessary to apply to the Rev. Alexander John Scott, Chaplain of His Majesty's Ship Victory, who very handsomely offered his services as Interpreter, and as this imposes upon Mr. Scott a very laborious duty, and Interpreters having been rewarded on former occasions, I am, therefore, to request you will please to communicate this letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and move them to grant such salary to the Office as they may think proper. I am, Sir, &c., 5 NELSON AND Bronte. Mr. Scott was allowed £100 per annum, as in former instances of an Admiral's interpreter. Sir, TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Amphion, off Toulon, July 30th, 1803. Having some days ago sent His Majesty's Sloop Termagant to the Bay of Rosas, for the purpose of ascertaining the facility of watering any of His Majesty's ships under my command, which I might find necessary to send there, and also with respect to the procuring live bullocks and other refreshments for the Fleet; You will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that Captain Elliot found the Spaniards very much inclined to be civil, and that any number of bullocks may at present be had there for ready money; but he found considerable difficulty in paying for three bullocks which he purchased for the Termagant's Company, and was obliged to apply to the Neapolitan Consul to take bills on the Victualling-Board for the value thereof. I only mention this as an instance, to show the necessity of Public money being supplied to the Fleet. Captain Elliot was directed not to salute the Fort of his Catholic Majesty, but upon a positive assurance of an equal number of guns being returned; finding the Governor would only return the intended salute of a Private Ship, with four guns less, the Termagant did not salute the Fort. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] My dear Sir, Amphion, July 30th, 1803. Since I wrote to your Excellency on Tuesday the 26th July, by the Raven, I have only to inform you, that three Corvettes from Toulon have twice come out of the Harbour, and were chased back again. They were, apparently, bound to the Eastward; and, in time, the French must get a force to the Heel of Italy to attend their Army. It must be a mere chance if any of our Ships could lay hold of them from Point to Point, which is all the sea voyage these sort of gentry make. But I must apprise you, that a much more formidable description of Vessels are said to be fitting at Marseilles; but this circumstance Sir John Acton ought to know from the Neapolitan Consul there. Our reports from twenty Vessels, all agree that a printed requisition is stuck up for obtaining eighty or ninety small Vessels of about forty tons each. Reports say that they are to be fitted as Gun-boats, and sent by the Canal of Languedoc to Bordeaux. If it is true that these Vessels are fitting out, it is perfectly clear they are destined for the Heel of Italy, to attend upon the Army; and I need scarcely tell you-certainly not Sir John Acton-that nothing but Vessels of similar descriptions, and with the same facilities of going into all the little Ports in bad weather, can prevent their passage alongshore-no, not all the Navies of Europe therefore, if this report is true, and as yet I have no reason to doubt it, the consequences are foreseen, and we must more and more look to Sicily. I see, my dear Sir, all that will happen: so must General Acton, the Queen, and yourself. It may be a little sooner, or a little later, as may suit the convenience of the French for their other great objects, the Morea and Egypt. If we do not occupy Messina, I am free to say, that the French will not make a conquest of the whole Kingdom of Naples, because that would bar their possession of Sicily, which is their first and great object. That accomplished, Naples falls of course; and if not as a conquest, ten times more humiliating-the King being left as an odious Commissary to raise contributions from his unhappy Subjects for the French. For God's sake, let us reflect. I have sent an additional force to the Mouth of the Adriatic; and wherever the French possess, will, of course, not be regarded as Neutral ground. I have serious thoughts of notifying those Ports as blockaded, but I wish not to do anything hastily. I wish General Acton to tell me whether the City of Naples draws any, and what, supplies from those places occupied by the French; and whether a blockade, preventing any supplies going to those places, would not be attended with more advantage to the Common Cause, than receiving at Naples those supplies which the French not wanting, allow to be exported? I have, my dear Sir, finished stating for ever all my ideas about Naples and Sicily. Whatever happens, I feel that I have done all in my power to prevent misfortune; and for the future I leave the rest to wiser heads, but to none, I assert, more devoutly attached to the happiness and welfare of their Sicilian Majesties, and to the real security of their Kingdoms. Fourteen days ago, a French Seventy-four got into Cadiz from Saint Domingo, and two French Frigates, with some Merchant-ships; but, I have kept everything here to save Italy, if in my power; and you know I was ordered to send a Squadron outside the Straits. What will they say at home? However, I feel I have done right, and care not. I am ever, your Excellency's most obedient Servant, NELSON AND Bronte. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers. "Saturday, 30th July. The Victory made her number. At 10-30 bore up and made sail."-Amphion's Log. "5, P.M., joined this Ship, Captain T. M. Hardy, and superseded Captain Sutton. Hoisted Lord Viscount Nelson's Flag."-Victory's Log.] Private. My dear Sir, Amphion, July 30th, 1803. Untoward events have most assuredly lost me two Sail of the Line, and probably two Frigates; for had we been allowed to come out in the Victory, the Jemappe would have gone with us to Malta; and, if I had, which the Admiralty expected, found Sir Richard Bickerton there, with his Fleet ready for sea, two Sail of the Line would have been outside the Straits, and have taken the others. Instead of which, finding Sir Richard at sea, short of provisions, and a crippled Fleet, I have only been able to watch Toulon, and to attend Naples, and send Ships into Port to be re-fitted. The Monmouth is a very fine Sixty-four, and Captain Hart a very worthy man; before his turn is out at Naples, something decisive must take place. The Victory is just in sight, and Monmouth parts in the morning. I have the pleasure to tell you that Captain Davers of the Active, from ill-health going to England, George Elliot will to-morrow be Captain of the Maidstone. All here are well, and desire their kindest 5 Captain George Hart: he died a Rear-Admiral of the Blue in April 1812. |