TO THE RESPECTIVE ADMIRALS, CAPTAINS, AND COMMANDERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS AND VESSELS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN STATION. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1803. Having placed His Majesty's Schooner the Renard under the immediate directions of Sir Alexander John Ball, Bart., to be employed for the protection of the commerce of the Island of Malta, or on such other service as the Governor may think proper, You are therefore, hereby required and directed on no account to interfere with the said Schooner, or to give her Commander any order whatever, unless upon consulting with Sir Alexander Ball, you find her service for the time being can be dispensed with, and the urgency of the case shall require it. NELSON AND Bronte. TO LIEUTENANT WILLIAM PEMBERTON, LATE RESIDENT AGENT OF TRANSPORTS AT MALTA, HEREBY APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF THE NAVAL HOSPITAL AT MALTA. [From a Copy, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1803. Whereas I judge it necessary, for the good of his Majesty's Service, that a Governor, or Superintendant Officer should be appointed to the Naval Hospital established at Malta, (by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,) under the charge of Mr. John Gray, Surgeon, You are therefore hereby required and directed to take upon you the charge and employment of Governor of the said Naval Hospital, paying very strict and particular attention to the cleanliness and comfort of the Patients in their different apartments, so far as you may judge necessary, and the Surgeon recommend for their good; also to use every means to prevent desertions and irregularities of every description, for which purpose you are to apply to the Commanding or Senior Officer in Valette Harbour whenever you find his interference necessary to carry the same into effect. You are to transmit to the said Senior Officer, a list of such Seamen and Marines as the Surgeon may deem fit objects for invaliding, previous to the sailing of any Ship or Vessel of War for England, in order that a survey may be held upon them, and sent home by such opportunity; but strict regard is to be paid to this circumstance, and none put on the list for invaliding but such as cannot recover in this Country; regular lists of which, and the state of the sick in the said Hospital, you are to transmit to me monthly, and direct the Surgeon to send an account to the Sick and Hurt Board of the number of Seamen and Marines which may have been received into the Military Hospital, agreeable to the form and instructions left by Dr. Snipe. You are to continue in the employment of Governor of the said Naval Hospital until the pleasure of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty shall be known, with such an allowance for yourself and servant as is usual on similar occasions; and, for so doing this shall be your order. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1803. Judging it for the good of his Majesty's Service, that a Governor or Superintending Officer should be appointed to the Naval Hospital at Malta, as has been customary in this Country, you will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I have appointed Lieutenant William Pemberton (late Agent for Transports at Malta) to be Governor of the Naval Hospital at that place, until their Lordships' pleasure shall be known, which I hope they will approve and be pleased to confirm. Lieutenant Pemberton, from his late situation, requires no recommendation, and it only remains for me to observe, that he is an old Officer, and, in my opinion, very deserving of their Lordships' notice. Inclosed is a copy of his Order, for their information. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart. A Fragment.] [About 21st December, 1803.] I have to thank you very much for a number of baskets of very fine Malta oranges; and in the proper season, if you have people that pack them in paper, I wish they should pack some for me, and send the account; for I insist, as the only terms on which I shall take them, that, at least, you, my good friend, are put to no expense. By the Cameleon, who has just joined,' I find that a Cutter from England is hunting for me with dispatches; and the Niger is also off Toulon, with a mail for Malta. You shall have them as soon as possible, and every other assistance in the power of, my dear Sir Alexander, your most faithful and affectionate friend, NELSON AND Bronte. You will see how Mr. Stone calls out. I have now before me Captain Raynsford's letter, assuring me that there is not a Privateer on that Coast, from whence he is just returned, dated December 6th. December 28th, Madalena. We put in here to water and clear the Transports, and are this day moving out. I send you a complete list of the French Fleet, found among the papers of the Renard. TO LIEUTENANT WILLIAM PEMBERTON, MALTA. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 22nd December, 1803. I have received your letter of the 6th instant, and herewith transmit you an Order to act as Governor or Superintendent of the Naval Hospital established at Malta, agreeable to your wish, and have also wrote the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, requesting that you may be confirmed in the appointment; but, I would at the same time recommend your immediate application to their Lordships on the subject, and 5 December 21st. Cameleon rejoined."-Victory's Log. sincerely hope you may succeed. Mr. Gray, Surgeon of the Hospital, is directed to enter you and servant on the Hospital Books for wages and victuals. and victuals. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO MR. JOHN GRAY, SURGEON OF THE NAVAL HOSPITAL Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 22nd December, 1803. Having approved the contract made by Doctor Snipe, Physician of the Fleet under my command, and Inspector of Hospitals, I herewith return it to you, and desire it may be fully and strictly complied with, and that the Seamen and Marines who are received into the Hospital under your charge, may on all occasions derive the comforts of the said contract; and in case of any failure or non-compliance therewith on the part of Mr. Higgins, that you will immediately acquaint me, that such steps may be taken as the nature of the case shall require. I have appointed Lieutenant William Pemberton, Governor, and Mr. John William Ellice, Surgeon's Mate or Assistant, to the said Hospital under your charge, and desire you will enter them together with Lieutenant Pemberton's Servant, upon the Hospital Books for wages and victuals accordingly. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE WAR DEPARTMENT. My Lord, [Autograph, in the Colonial Office.] Victory, off Toulon, December 22nd, 1803. Your letter of September 23rd, I received by the Excellent, November 24th, and I immediately wrote to Captain Cracraft, the Senior Captain in the Adriatic, to proceed to Panormo, and, in secret instructions, charged him to examine the Country, its resources, &c., as your Lordship directed; and I likewise directed him, if the Pasha of Yannina sent to desire a conference with him, that he would go and hear what he had to say; and I wrote to the Pasha in his cipher, to say that Captain C. was gone to Panormo, if he wished to have any conversation with him; and I have no doubt but Captain Cracraft will execute his mission to your Lordship's satisfaction. With respect to raising the Corsican Corps, I shall give every facility in my power, and have on board two Officers to be landed at Madalena; some of the Corsican conscripts taken in their passage to France, have entered into the Corps, and we have picked up some of Dillon's, which I have sent to Malta. Messina, should it be entrusted to our care, shall, you may rely, be well guarded by a Naval defence. I have, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 344.] My dear Lord, December 22nd, 1803. In presuming to give my opinion on any subject, I venture not at infallibility, and more particular information may convince me that opinion is wrong. But as my observations on what I see are not unacceptable, I shall state them as they strike me at the moment of writing. God knows, if we could possess one Island, Sardinia, we should want neither Malta, nor any other: this, which is the finest Island in the Mediterranean, possesses Harbours fit for Arsenals, and of a capacity to hold our Navy, within twenty-four hours' sail of Toulon. Bays to ride our Fleets in, and to watch both Italy and Toulon, no Fleet could pass to the Eastward between Sicily and the Coast of Barbary, nor through the Faro of Mes sina: Malta, in point of position, is not to be named the same year with Sardinia. All the fine Ports of Sicily are situated on the Eastern side of the Island, consequently of no use to watch anything but the Faro of Messina. And, my Lord, I venture to predict, that if we do not-from delicacy, or commiseration of the lot of the unfortunate King of Sardinia-the French will, get possession of that Island. Sardinia is very little known. It was the policy of Piedmont to keep it in the background, and whoever it has belonged to, it seems to have been their maxim to rule the Inhabitants with severity, in |