ried her to England under the White colours. He is on halfpay from us, five shillings a-day. He has a wife and family. He set up a Store at Bastia, and again at Naples, from both which he was obliged to fly, by the circumstances of the times. He has sent to me for my interest, to endeavour to get him something in order to maintain his family. He is a sensible, active man, and, what he has always been respected for, not above doing anything, which an honest man might do, for the benefit of his family. Can you assist this gentleman? He is not a French, but Dutchman by birth. kind assistance. Perhaps MusterMaster, or something belonging to the Lazaretto, or in the Commissariat line. He speaks four languages. His wife is born a gentlewoman, and he has a family. Whatever you can do, if you knew the family, I am sure you would. It will be a real act of charity to a worthy family, and you will also truly oblige, my dear General, your most faithful and obliged, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO ABRAHAM GIBBS, ESQ., PALERMO. My dear Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 12th August, 1803. My letter about Bronté, as it will be necessary for you to write to General Acton, you are at liberty to send him either a copy, or extracts from it, as you may judge proper. Good, and great good, must come to me, if you will take the business for me. Mr. Broadbent made a sort of an offer to hire the farm, and when I passed the Faro of Messina, I wrote him a letter to explain himself more fully on that subject, but I have not heard from him since. If that farm was let with its improvements, all the others are so let that a person resident in Sicily sees in a moment what the whole lets for, and taking an average for seven years, would probably make an offer to give me so much a year for three, five, or seven years, as might be agreed upon. pointed out that I could be useful in getting him Lemploy]. I will write to Sir Alexander Ball and General Villettes this very day to recommend him, and I will write to Mr. Hammond, Under-Secretary of State about the Consulship of Sardinia, but I fear that is beyond my power to obtain. But I have a great respect for Captain Vankempen, as I never knew him above trying to get bread for his family in an honest way. As for yourself, I can only assure you, that whenever you want to go to England or anywhere else, only let me know as long as possible before you want to go, and I will manage that you and Miss Gibbs shall go in some good Manof-War. Leave this to me to manage. I beg you will present my compliments to Mr. Tough, and all the Princes, Princesses, Dukes, &c., &c., at Palermo that you see, and believe me ever, my dear Gibbs, your much obliged, faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO THE IMPERIAL CONSUL AT MALTA. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 13th August, 1803. When any Port is blockaded, I shall certainly notify it to all Ministers and Consuls. With respect to Genoa, I only beg leave to tell you that I expect orders to blockade that Port and Leghorn, of which I shall give all proper persons due notice. I have the honour to be, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE FRENCH OFFICERS, PRISONERS OF WAR, AT MALTA. [Letter-Book.] Gentlemen, Victory, August 13th, 1803. I have sent to offer the French Admiral in Toulon an exchange of Prisoners. After keeping the Boat waiting three hours, a message came down that the French Admiral would receive no letter or message, and ordered the Boat to return: therefore, you must blame the cruelty of your own Admiral for keeping you Prisoners. At the same time, I shall be happy to do all in my power to render your captivity as easy as possible-always remembering, Do as you would be done by. I am, Gentlemen, with great respect, your most obedient servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. Vide p. 153, ante. TO SPIRIDION FORESTI, ESQ., HIS MAJESTY'S RESIDENT MINISTER TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE SEVEN ISLANDS. Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 13th August, 1803. I am much obliged by your very explicit letters on all the points which I wanted to be informed of, [and] now send the Spider for answers from Constantinople. I sincerely hope that the Republic of the Seven Islands will be able to maintain its Neutrality, and not suffer French Privateers to make their Ports a home. I am sending a Squadron to the Mouth of the Adriatic, which of course will occasionally visit Corfu. I am, dear Sir, with great respect, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. My letter for Mr. Drummond to go by the ordinary con From an intercepted letter from Odessa, I find that one of the French Vessels there had orders to take out a Letter of Marque, and cruise against the English in the Black Sea; if that is the case it will be necessary for your Excellency to be informed from the Sublime Porte, whether there is any objection to our sending Vessels of War for the protection of our commerce in the Black Sea. I have every reason from appearances to believe that the French Fleet in Toulon is on the eve of putting to sea, and we are perfectly ready to give them a meeting. I am, with the greatest respect, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO ABRAHAM GIBBS, ESQ., PALERMO. [Letter-Book.] August 13th, 1803. My dear Sir, I wish you could get me the Arms of Bronté; for I want them for the Heralds' College. I think they could be got from the Great Hospital at Palermo, or Mr. Græfer could get them drawn at Bronté, and you would much oblige your faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA. [Letter-Book.] August 13th, 1803. 8 My dear Ball, The French Admiral will not receive my letter, which I sent a few days ago, relative to an exchange of Prisoners. From this circumstance combined with others, I am sure they are on the eve of coming to sea; and if they have read all your letters about Sicily, I should not be surprised if they push for Sicily, or they may be bound out of the Straits. I have no Vessel to send to Naples, with the account that probably the letters from Malta [have been captured] and it distresses me. Send away the Phoebe; for I am confident I shall want her very soon, to tow either an English or French Ship of the Line. Ever, my dear Ball, yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO. [Letter Book. The address is not given.] [Apparently about August, 1803.] Sir, I have received the honour of your letters of May 31st and 28th. My Agents, of course, are already named. You mention the Dutch Ship Orion not being addressed to any one in particular; she was addressed by all the Captors, to Alexander Taken in the Redbridge. Davison, and, by their desire, I wrote him so; but, I understand an unauthorized person pretended to have received contrary orders from Captain Hardy, but which Captain Hardy declares is false-that he never saw the person who has taken possession of the Orion, nor ever gave him any order so to do. You are [aware] that the French Brig Three Consuls was taken by the Victory, then under my orders, but I believe Captain Sutton has appointed Agents for her. I am, with respect, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Toulon, 18th August, 1803. You will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that Rear-Admiral Campbell joined me yesterday off this place in His Majesty's Ship Canopus, and that I have received by him their Lordships' printed orders, &c., as particularly acknowledged by my letters of the above date which accompany this. The Seahorse and Arrow were to proceed from Gibraltar with the Convoy to Malta, the moment the wind would permit, from whence I have ordered them to join me immediately; unless any of the said Convoy should be bound up the Adriatic, or to any Port in the Archipelago; in which case, I have directed the Honourable Captain Boyle to send the Arrow with them, and join me in the Seahorse as above-mentioned. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN THE HONOURABLE COURTENAY BOYLE,' H.M. SHIP SEAHORSE. ["Naval Chronicle,” vol. xxx. p. 34.] My dear Boyle, Victory, off Toulon, [about 18th August, 1803.] I am very happy to have you in so fine a Frigate under my command, for I am ever, yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. "Afterwards Admiral Sir George Campbell, G.C.B.: he died in January 1821. 1 Vide vol. i. p. 108. |