TO J. B. GIBERT, ESQ., VICE-CONSUL, AT BARCELONA. [Letter Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. I have received your son's letter of the 16th instant, with the translation of an official Note from the Captain General of Barcelona therein mentioned, respecting a Catalonian Barque plundered by a Privateer under English colours: in answer to which, if the said Privateer belongs to Gibraltar, I would recommend sending the complaint to his Excellency, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Trigge, in order that the Commander of her may be punished as the law directs. The Master's name being known, the verification can easily be made at Gibraltar. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO J. B. GIBERT, ESQ., VICE-CONSUL, BARCELONA. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. I have received your letter of the 7th instant, acquainting me with the supplies of bullocks which can be had for the Fleet under my command, at Alfaquez; but as it will not be practicable to take them from that place, there not being sufficient water to carry the Squadron there with safety for that purpose; I must, therefore, with expressing myself much obliged by your ready attention to my wishes in this respect, decline using Alfaquez for the supply of bullocks, from the reasons above mentioned, as well as the very high charge made for them. The Fleet under my command can be supplied from different quarters on much more reasonable terms. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR VICTUALLING HIS MAJESTY'S NAVY, LONDON. [Letter-Book.] Gentlemen, Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. I herewith transmit for your information, copy of my letter to your Board of this date, sent to Mr. Gibert, His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Barcelona, together with copies and extracts of four letters from him on the subject of the wine, &c., said to be shipped for the Fleet under my command, as therein mentioned, in order that you may take the same into consideration, and make such allowance, for the losses he may have sustained, as you judge proper, which, notwithstanding what he sets forth, may not be so considerable, as it is natural to suppose men in business would have taken the precaution of insuring the safe delivery of their cargoes. Political reasons may, however, induce this last mentioned circumstance to be regarded in another point of view, and not to influence your decision against him. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. You will please to acquaint the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, that judging it necessary for the good of His Majesty's Service that some person should be appointed to the Ambuscade, to take charge of the provisions as Purser, I have appointed Mr. John Sullivan, late Clerk of His Majesty's Ship Belleisle, who has been upwards of six years in the Service, and recommended to me as a deserving young man. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND COMMISSIONERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAVY, LONDON. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. Gentlemen, Several Seamen having deserted from the Fleet under my command, at the Bay of Rosas, where the Ships have gone to wood and water, &c., I directed Mr. Gibert, his Majesty's Vice-Consul at Barcelona, to give forty shillings for each Deserter which might be apprehended, and acquainted him that the usual allowance of nine-pence per day would be made for their subsistence during the time they remained in custody. These sums Mr. Gibert receives from Mr. John Hunter, his Majesty's Consul-General at Madrid, who will draw upon your Board for the amount, and transmit the regular vouchers at the same time: the forty shillings will be charged against each of such Deserters, when they join their respective Ships. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO JOHN HUNTER, ESQ., HIS MAJESTY'S CONSUL-GENERAL. MADRID. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. Sir, I have received your letter of the 8th instant, and beg to observe that it is on the Navy Board you are to draw for the forty shillings allowed for apprehending each Deserter, as well as for subsisting them afterwards. I have wrote to the Commissioners of the Navy upon this subject, in order that the Bills you may have occasion to draw upon them for this service, may be duly attended to. The necessary vouchers for such disbursements must be regularly transmitted to that Board. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SPIRIDION FORESTI, ESQ., CORFU. [Autograph draught, in the possession of Earl Nelson.] Victory, off Toulon, 22nd October, 1803. Sir, I have received by the Niger, Captain Hillyar, duplicate of your letter of August 23rd, and triplicate of yours of July 25th, for which I am much obliged to you; and also your letter of September 23rd. In reply to the first part of your letter, I beg leave to acquaint you, that I have enlarged the Squadron destined to watch the French at Otranto, Brindisi, &c. &c., and have given Captain Cracraft, the Senior Captain, orders to call occasionally at Corfu, and to afford every assistance to the Republic of the Seven Isles, which I am sure he will do. To the second part of your letter: You say that you would 'write to Ali Pacha, that your Lordship had transmitted his letters, &c.' I am very sorry for my omission, but I transmitted them to Mr. Ad.... m [Addington ?] the moment I received them, the 24th August. I am really much interested for Ali Pacha; for he has always been a stanch friend to the English, and most particularly kind to me; and if I ever should go to Corfu, I shall certainly, if he is within a few days' reach, go and see him. I am very happy to find that the powder and ball sent by the Arab has been seized, and some of the troublesome Greeks removed. I have given Captain Cracraft such directions for the protection of our commerce, as cannot fail of the desired effect, unless the Republic allow the Enemy's Privateers to be sheltered in their Ports, and from thence make depredations, as has, I am sorry to say, been the case in Sicily. Your attention to every part of your duty leaves me nothing to recommend, and I only beg that you will assure the Government of the Republic of my sincere good wishes for its prosperity, and be assured I am, with the highest respect, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. You will be so good as to forward my letters; and you mentioned sending the two letters from his Excellency Mr. Drummond: I only received one dated July 13th. TO WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ESQ., PLYMOUTH DOCK. My dear Sir, [From a Fac-simile.] Victory, off Toulon, October 23rd, 1803. I return you many thanks for your kind remembrance of me, and I feel very much obliged by your present of Scilly ling, which Mr. Chapman delivered on the arrival of the Childers. I am watching and praying for the sailing of the Enemy's Fleet, and, with the Ships with me, I have no fear but we shall give a very good account of them. I sincerely condole on your loss; but some of us are always called before the others, and we know not whose turn may be next. We none of us can escape the grim gentleman, I beg you will give my remembrances to any of our joint friends at Plymouth. I have not time to answer Captain Spicer's' kind letter. Believe me ever, my dear Sir, yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO REAR-ADMIRAL MACNAMARA RUSSELL.8 [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii, p. 336.] 6 October, 1803. Here I am, waiting the pleasure of these fellows at Toulon, and we only long to get fairly alongside of them. I dare say, there would be some spare hats, by the time we had done. You are a pleasant fellow at all times; and, as Commodore Johnstone said of General Meadows, I have no doubt but your company would be delightful on the day of Battle to your friends, but damned bad for your enemies.' I desire, my dear Russell, you will always consider me as one of the sincerest of the former. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ. My dear Sir, [Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.] Victory, off Toulon, October 23rd, 1803. Be so good as to send my letter to Mr. Jackson, and answer such parts as relate to the Gibraltar, and if she can be spared for a few days to carry the Sardinian Galley with his Royal Highness over to Cagliari, I am sure Captain Ryves on being asked to do it, will perform this service with much pleasure. We are all well, and ever, my dear Sir, your faithful and obedient servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. 9 7 Captain Peter Spicer, then a Post Captain, who was a Lieutenant of the Agamemnon, and the Captain, under Lord Nelson's command. Vide vol. i. 300, vol. ii. 271. He died about 1830. • Rear-Admiral Thomas Macnamara Russell. A Memoir of this Officer, who died an Admiral of the White in 1823 or 1824, will be found in the Naval Chronicle, vol. xvii. The Gibraltar did convey the Sardinian Prince to Cagliari; for which service the King of Sardinia presented Captain Ryves with a gold snuff-box. |