TO CAPTAIN ROSS DONNELLY, H. M. SHIP NARCISSUS. Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Cape St. Sebastians, 9th January, 1804. I am to desire you will deliver the letter which accompanies this to Mr. Edward Gayner, Merchant at Rosas, who has been, some time ago, directed to purchase twenty tons of onions, and one hundred head of oxen, for the Fleet under my command. If the onions before-mentioned are perfectly ready, you will receive them on board for the use of the Squadron; and if the one hundred oxen are purchased, you will direct Mr. Gayner to have them ready for shipping at a moment's notice; and you will take such a number of the said hundred oxen as you may judge proper, for the use of your Ship's Company, giving the proper and necessary vouchers for the onions and oxen you may so receive. And it having been mentioned to me, that a Quarantine of fifteen days must be performed by any of his Majesty's Ships going to Rosas, I am to desire you will make particular inquiry respecting this very extraordinary circumstance, and demand of the Governor whether he has orders to prevent our receiving water and refreshments at Rosas? I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte TO J. B. GIBERT, H.M. VICE-CONSUL, BARCELONA. Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Cape St. Sebastians, 9th January, 1801. I have this moment received your letter of the 24th December last, with its enclosures, for which I am much obliged. On the subject of the eighty pipes of wine at Rosas, the original price so far exceeds any wine purchased for the Fleet under my command, that I do not feel justified in putting Government to such an additional expense. With respect to a duplicate and triplicate of my letter to the Commissioners for victualling his Majesty's Navy, as requested in your said letter, I have to observe that a copy thereof has been already transmitted to them; and I shall, by the first opportunity, send another, and also one to you, in case that any accident should happen to the original, which you have received. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO EDWARD POWNALL, ESQ., NAVAL STOREKEEPER, GIBRALTAR. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804. I am to desire you will immediately on the arrival of any of his Majesty's Ships or Vessels at Gibraltar, muster their Companies very strictly agreeably to your instructions on that head, and that you will weekly (or oftener, as it may be deemed necessary) muster any Ship or Vessel which may remain there; and you are to be particularly strict in mustering all the Hired Armed Cutters in his Majesty's Service which may arrive at Gibraltar, that it may be known whether the Officers commanding them cause strict compliance with their Charter Parties, and that the said Hired Vessels are complete in their Crews, and found in provisions, &c., agreeably thereto, which you will transmit to me through Commissioner Otway. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND COMMISSIONERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAVY, LONDON. [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804. Gentlemen, I yesterday received your letter of the 21st October last, acquainting me with the directions you had given the Naval Storekeepers on the several Foreign Stations respecting their transmitting to your Board their periodical Returns of the remains of stores in the magazines under their charge, and, also, their demands for replenishing the same, in due time, throughout the War, together with every other informa tion in their power for enabling you to send out timely and proper supplies for the respective Squadrons, requesting also, that I will from time to time communicate to you the present or expected want of stores for his Majesty's Ships and Vessels under my command. In answer to which, I have to observe, that the Ships in general, at present under my command, are very much in want of cordage, sails, and other stores, and that the temporary supplies which have hitherto arrived from England, are by no means adequate to their indispensable necessities. Commissioner Otway informs me, that they are so bare of stores at Gibraltar as to be unable to supply the Ships cruizing in that vicinity, who are consequently much distressed for almost every article. I am fully aware of the large demand for stores from all quarters; and, therefore, have to observe, that the utmost care and attention shall be paid to the preservation of every description of Naval stores, and as far as is practicable, I shall acquaint you with the probable wants of the Squadron; but as the Admiralty, who are aware of the force which may be wanted for the service of this Country, are consequently the best judges of the necessary stores to be deposited in the magazines at Gibraltar and Malta—the latter place, from the Storekeeper's account, is equally bare as the former. I must here desire to mention, in justice to the Storekeepers at Gibraltar and Malta, that blame is not imputable to them on that account, as the Ships that were in this Country previous to and during the short interval of Peace, being now obliged to keep the sea, have entirely eat up the stores, and their real wants not half complied with. I have applications from the different Line of Battle Ships for surveys on most of their sails and running rigging, which cannot be complied with, as there is neither cordage nor sails to replace the unserviceable stores, and, therefore, the evil must be combated in the best manner possible. I have some time ago directed the Naval Storekeeper at Malta to purchase a quantity of hemp in the Adriatic for the purpose of making cordage, which shall be done as far as is practicable. I herewith transmit for your information an extract of a letter from Captain Gore of the Medusa, respecting the miserable state of that Ship's sails, running rigging, &c., which has obliged him to purchase these stores at Lisbon. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO COMMISSIONER OTWAY, GIBRALTAR. [Letter Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804. I am very much obliged by your letter of the 20th November, transmitting me an account of the arrival and sailing of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels and Transports to and from Gibraltar, since the 20th October last: also, by your letter of this date acquainting me that it was necessary, for the reasons therein mentioned, to heave down the Ambuscade to come at the leak in the hudding ends, which was effectually stopped by heaving out only one side, and that she was perfectly ready for sea. I am very glad the Ambuscade's bottom and timbers were found sound and good, and much pleased with your exertions on the occasion, as well as by the ready dispatch the Weazle has met with in refitting, under the present scarcity of stores, and hope she will prove an effective and useful Vessel for the destruction of the Enemy in your neighbourhood. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO COMMISSIONER OTWAY, GIBRALTAR. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804. I have received your letter of the 26th November, returning the vouchers for the payment of the Caulkers employed in caulking the Victory, which accompanied my letter to you of the 22nd October last; and as the Carpenter of the Victory (who is a very good, intelligent man) informs me, that he was paid for caulking the Culloden, off Cadiz, by Commissioner Coffin, I shall transmit the said vouchers to the Navy Board, and request the Admiralty to give the necessary orders for their being paid, if such was usual during Lord St. Vincent's command in these seas. I am informed that Mr. Carey, the Builder at Gibraltar, was paid five shillings a day for superintending the caulking of the Ships off Cadiz, when he was Carpenter of the Victory; and, therefore, consider him reprehensible for not having made you acquainted with such circumstance. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. A A 2 TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS AND COMMANDERS OF ANY OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS, VESSELS, OR HIRED ARMED CUTTERS, WHICH MAY ARRIVE AT GIBRALTAR. [Letter-Book.] Memorandum. Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804 It is my particular directions that you afford the Naval Storekeeper at Gibraltar every assistance in mustering the Crews of his Majesty's Ships or Vessels under your command, on their arrival at that place, or at such time as he may judge proper, agreeably to the rules of the Service; and it is my most positive directions that the Lieutenants or Commanders of any of his Majesty's Hired Armed Cutters or Tenders who shall arrive at Gibraltar, do strictly attend to this Memorandum, that it may appear on mustering their Crews whether their Vessels are found agreeably to their Charter Parties, which they are hereby directed to produce to Commissioner Otway and the Storekeeper on mustering them. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE COMMANDERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SLOOPS HALCYON AND WEAZLE, OR ANY OTHERS WHICH MAY HEREAFTER BE STATIONED AT GIBRALTAR, [Letter-Book.] Sir. Victory, at Sea, 10th January, 1804. As the most active service against the Enemy's Privateers in the Straits of Gibraltar, as well as for the protection of our Trade and the comforts of the Garrison at that place, is expected of his Majesty's Sloop under your command, and Commissioner Otway being perfectly able to advise you on many points of service, which the present situation of affairs with Spain may render necessary, I am to desire that you will on all such occasions consult with the said Commissioner, as well as receive his advice, respecting any temporary refit the Sloop under your command shall require, which I expect will be seldom, and that when you are taken into the Mole for such purpose, the utmost exertion will be used to repair |