orders for so doing, as sufficient supplies of those articles are coming from Gibraltar; and it being more convenient to have provisions for the Fleet off Toulon, from thence, than Malta, our principal dependence will be on that place; but it must be remembered that His Majesty's stores under your charge are sufficiently kept up for supplying the Frigates and other Cruizers in your vicinity, and to answer any exigency, which from circumstances may occur. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CLARENCE. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 323.] [About 6th September, 1803.] Sir, I am happy to inform you that Captain Keats is much recovered. I sent him to Naples for a fortnight; but having stayed only nine days, he was so anxious, knowing my inferiority in numbers to the Enemy, that he came back and joined me. I need not tell your Royal Highness, that he is amongst the very best Officers in our Service. I have the highest respect and esteem for him. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO WILLIAM HASLEWOOD, ESQ., CRAVEN STREET, STRAND. [From White's "Memoirs of Nelson," Supplement, p. 70.] Private for yourself-and most secret. My dear Haslewood, [About 6th September, 1803.] I send you home a Codicil' to my Will, which you will not communicate to any person breathing; as I would wish you to open, read it, and if not drawn up properly, send me a copy, and I will execute it. It is possible that my personal estate, after the disposal of the furniture at Merton, may not amount to £4000; and sooner than this legacy, or any other, should ... 28th August. Superb, with the Eliza Victualler, parted. 5th September. H.M. Ship Superb rejoined with a Transport."-Victory's Log. 7 Vide p. 259, post. go unpaid, I would saddle Bronté, or any other estate with the legacies. I only mention this as a thing which might happen; and I want to give several other small legacies, and continue the annuity of £100 a year to poor blind Mrs. Nelson. I may congratulate you on the favourable termination, (I hope,) of my law-suit." You have acted not only as able lawyers, but a most friendly part through the whole business. I beg you will express my thanks to Serjeant Shepherd,' who has done so much justice to the cause; and be assured, I am ever, my dear Haslewood, your obliged friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. I have pretty near settled all my Bronté matters, and although I shall not probably at present be able to get the value of it, yet I shall secure, to be regularly paid, my £3000 a year nett. Burn it when read. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] My dear Sir, Victory, September 8th, 1803. I send you a letter sent to Sir Richard Bickerton; for although I do not believe that any such orders have been given, yet, as the former Neutrality of Naples only allowed four Ships of each Nation to enter their Ports, it is possible some stupid fellow may suppose her present Neutrality is the same as formerly; and, therefore, it may be very necessary to rectify any such misapprehension of orders. I am ever, my dear Sir, your faithful servant, NELSON AND Bronte. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] My dear Sir, Victory, off Toulon, September 8th, 1803. George is gone down the Mediterranean, as I wish to put £10,000 in his pocket, and then I have done with him. 8 The widow of his brother, Maurice Nelson. 9 With the Earl of St. Vincent. 1 Afterwards Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Scotland. He is an excellent young man, and a very good Officer. I had a letter lately from Lady Hamilton, wherein she says Sabatello Sabitino denies having Julia's money. He had near seventy pounds in money and valuables belonging to her, and now he refuses to pay her. Now, I know that Julia said in my presence, that Sabitino had taken her money, &c., and if he does not return it, I desire to withdraw my character of him, and so does Lady Hamilton; for he may serve others in the same manner: therefore, in behalf of a poor, injured woman, who he knows he has otherwise injured, I beg you will speak to him, and if he does not instantly pay the money to you to be sent home, Lady Hamilton desires not to be considered as recommending him, and I do the same; for I cannot bear such a monster of ingratitude. We have had very severe gales of wind for seven days past: it is now fine again. Report says that 1000 or 1500 Troops sailed on the 1st from Marseilles. I have Frigates looking out for them off Corsica, where I think they are bound, in their way to Sardinia. I am ever, my dear Sir, your most faithful servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. I never experienced anything like the health of this Fleet. We have literally not a real sick man in it. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. My dear Sir, [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] Victory, off Toulon, September 11th, 1803. I have directed the Gibraltar to remain fourteen days at Naples; and if she is not wanted there, her Captain has orders to return to me: but if the Court think, or wish for her remaining, Captain Ryves has orders, on your written requisition, to remain till further orders; for I never will neglect the personal safety of those good Sovereigns. I am ever, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO J. B. GIBERT, ESQ., BRITISH CONSUL AT BARCELONA. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 324.] 13th September, 1803. You will have the goodness to present my respectful compliments to the Captain-General, and assure him, that the return of Deserters shall be reciprocal on my part, and that I have forgiven them at his request. You will also inform his Excellency, that I have read with no small surprise, a Paper, purporting to have been given in during the year 1771, and now ordered to be put in force. I am ready to admit, that the King of Spain may order us to be refused admittance into his Ports, may refuse us, even when there, the rights of hospitality, as his Excellency has done those of civility, in not even asking Captain Whitby to sit down, although there were others in his presence seated. His Sovereign may certainly, if he pleases, go to War with us-I deny none of these rights: but I claim every indulgence which is shown to the Ships of our Enemies. The French Squadron at Corunna are acting almost as they please; the Aigle French Ship of War is not turned out of Cadiz, the French Frigate Revenge is permitted to go out of that Port, cruise, and return with Prizes, and sell them. I will not state that every Spanish Port is a home for French Privateers, for this is well known; and I am informed that even at Barcelona, English Vessels captured by the French, have been sold there. You will acquaint his Excellency, that I claim for every British Ship, or Squadron, the right of lying as long as I please in the Ports of Spain, whilst it is allowed to other Powers; that I claim the rights of hospitality and civility, and every other right which the harmony subsisting between our Sovereigns entitles us to. You will acquaint his Excellency, that I can mean no disrespect personally to himself; but that it is a British Admiral returning an answer to a Spanish Captain-General, through the same channel which conveyed the message. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN HOOKHAM FRERE, MADRID. [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 324. In transmitting the Captain-General's State Paper, with this letter, to Mr. Frere, our Envoy at Madrid, Lord Nelson added:] [About 13th September, 1803.] This conduct, I suppose, indicates a War with us: I have therefore earnestly to request, that you will send me immediate notice of such an event, that I may send to the West Indies, and act upon it myself. If your news of War passes through England, it will be two or three months before I shall know it officially, and the same in the West Indies. I would recommend to your Excellency, sending an express to Barcelona with an order to hire a Vessel, another to the Bay of Rosas, where our Ships of War often are, and another to Gibraltar to the Governor and Commanding Sea-Officer; and I only hope that your letter may be clear, whether it will be, or is, War. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS AND COMMANDERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS AND VESSELS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN STATION. [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Victory, off Toulon, 13th September, 1803. When British Seamen and Marines so far degrade themselves in time of War, as to desert from the Service of their own Country, and enter into that of Spain; when they leave one shilling per day, and plenty of the very best provisions, with every comfort that can be thought of for them-for twopence a-day, black bread, horse-beans, and stinking oil for their food; when British Seamen or Marines turn Spanish Soldiers, I blush for them: they forfeit in their own opinion, I am sure, that character of love of their own Country, which Foreigners are taught to admire. A Briton to put himself under the lash of a Frenchman or Spaniard must be more degrading to any man of spirit then any punishment I could inflict on their bodies. I shall leave the punishment to their own feelings, which, if they have any, and are still Englishmen, must be very great. But, as they thought |