same time, if Mr. Falcon either does not choose to land, or the Dey still refuse to receive him, and yet give up the Maltese, you will receive them, and comply with that part of your instructions-viz., not telling him whether we are at Peace or War; but that you will inform me that his Highness has not given satisfaction for the insult done his Majesty in sending away his Representative. If you could make him understand, he might complain of Mr. Falcon after receiving him, and it is possible his Majesty, as a mark of his friendship, might remove him, you will act properly; and if nothing can be done, you must come away, but bring nothing to me unless he gives up the Maltese. I am ever, my dear Sir, your most obedient and faithful servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN KEATS, H. M. SHIP SUPERB. [From a Copy, in the Admiralty.] January 17th, 1804. My dear Sir, If the Minister of the Marine is to send you out a Boat with any message, you can stand in, and to any message send the ultimatum,—all our demands must be complied with. If not likely to end to your wishes, do not condescend to go to him, but leave Algiers in doubt of the event. I am ever yours faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN KEATS, H.M. SHIP SUPERB. My dear Sir, Victory, January 17th, 1804, 7 P.M. use to stand in to-morrow I will not give up an iota If you think it may be of any morning, do so; if not, join me. of my original moderate demand; I should betray my trust if I did. But leave the question of absolute War, for the reasons you know, undetermined. I will have all the claimed Maltese delivered, and Mr. Falcon received. I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART. [Autograph, in the Colonial Office. On the 19th of January, the Victory and Squadron were lying to, off and on, off Algiers; in the afternoon, they made sail for their station off Cape St. Sebastians, and arrived there about noon on the 22nd.] My Lord, Victory, at Sea, January 19th, 1804. In obedience to His Majesty's commands, signified to me through the Admiralty of July 7th and August 26th, and through your Lordship on August 23rd, I lost not a moment after the arrival of Mr. Falcon, his Majesty's Agent and Consul-General, to detach His Majesty's Ship Superb, commanded by a most excellent Officer and sensible man, Captain Keats, to Algiers, with the Instructions No. 1, and Memorandum No. 2, together with every Paper necessary for his guidance; and, as I thought the appearance of the Squadron might add weight to the Mission (and the French Fleet being in Toulon on the 6th), I stood over to Algiers, and made my appearance on the 17th. By Captain Keats' letters your Lordship will observe that the Dey was immovable, both as to receiving Mr. Falcon, or giving up those persons the Government of Malta claimed as Maltese; therefore, I have apprised both Sir Alexander Ball at Malta, and Sir Thomas Trigge at Gibraltar, of the failure of our Mission, by the enclosed Memorandum. The insolence of the Dey is only to be checked (with due submission to whatever His Majesty may please to direct) by blockading Algiers, and his other Ports of Bona and Oran, and to capture his Cruizers; for the more that is given up to him the more he will demand with insolence in future. Therefore, I should propose, that, on the 28th day of April next, when, if he means to send his Cruizers to sea, they will be out, that, on that day, every Ship under my command should have strict orders (to open on that day) to take, sink, burn, and destroy every Algerine, and that, on that day, the Ports of Algiers should be declared in a state of Blockade. Thus, the Dey could get neither commerce, presents, or plunder; and, although the other Powers may rejoice at the War with us, yet, my Lord, I am firmly persuaded that it will be most advantageous to us (and humiliating to the other Powers whom he will squeeze) for the next one hundred years. If I should find his Cruizers at sea before that time, in consequence of what has passed, I shall, of course, take them, but my wish is to make a grand coup. I have, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. P.S.-I am so very unwell, that I have wrote very incorrectly, which I must request your Lordship to excuse, for I could not write another letter. GENERAL MEMORANDUM. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 19th January, 1804. The Dey of Algiers having refused to receive the British Consul, all Ships are cautioned to beware how they approach the Coast of Algiers, or permit themselves to be boarded by the Algerine Cruizers. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B. [Autograph, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] My dear Lord, Victory, January 19th, 1804. As the wind is Easterly, I hope the Frigate' which I send with the result of our Mission to Algiers, will catch the Cutter at Gibraltar, where I was obliged to send her to clean her bottom, and repair her mast, and to send my letters by the Childers. All the time the Cutter was with us, she was obliged to be towed. She sailed worse than any Ship in the Fleet. Before the summer is out, I dare say the Dey of Algiers will be sick of his insolence, and perhaps have his head cut off. I have recommended Mr. Falcon to go to England, and then he will be able to explain every part of his conduct; but it appears to me that Mr. Falcon's conduct has been spirited, but perfectly correct; and that the two women found in his house was greedily seized as the pretext for getting rid of a clear-headed, spirited man. I should do great injustice to my own feelings, if I did not state my opinion to your Lordship, and other his Majesty's Ministers. I have only a few hours to write all my letters, as the wind is Easterly, and you know that is not to be lost; but I am ever yours most faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN KEATS, H. M. SHIP SUPERB. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 19th January, 1804. Having with much attention read over your several letters communicating to me the purport of your conference with the Dey of Algiers, on the subject of his receiving Mr. Falcon, his Majesty's Agent and Consul-General to that place, whom he had so indecently turned out of his Dominions, as well as the several circumstances which you judged necessary to state to him by letter, in farther obedience to the instructions you received from me, I beg leave to express my full and entire approbation of the whole of your conduct, which appears to have embraced every proper and conciliating measure for the purpose of accomplishing the object of your mission to Algiers, and that everything has been done on your part consistent with the honour and interest of his Majesty's Government to bring the Dey of Algiers to a right understanding, which I have communicated to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and his Majesty's Ministers. I have the honour to be, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN THE HONOURABLE COURTENAY BOYLE, [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 20th January, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to receive Mr. Falcon, his Majesty's Consul, Secretary, and Suite, on board his Majesty's Ship Seahorse under your command, and give them a passage to Gibraltar; and immediately on your arrival at that place, you will deliver the Public dispatches which you will herewith receive, to Commissioner Otway, to be forwarded to England, as mentioned in my order to the Senior Officer, which accompanies this. You are to use the utmost exertion in completing the provisions, water, and necessaries of the said Ship to the usual time: having so done, you will join me, with all possible expedition, on my Rendezvous No. 97, under Cape St. Sebastians. NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE CAPTAIN OR COMMANDER OF ANY OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS OR VESSELS AT GIBRALTAR, BOUND TO LISBON. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 20th January, 1804. Whereas it is my intention that Mr. Falcon, his Majesty's Consul-General at Algiers, shall proceed, with as much expedition as possible to Lisbon, in any of his Majesty's Ships or Vessels bound to that place, You are therefore hereby required and directed to receive the said Mr. Falcon on board his Majesty's Ship or Vessel under your command, together with his Secretary, suite, and baggage, and give them a passage to Lisbon, (with every necessary accommodation,) should the communication between us be open. You will also, in the event of my Public dispatches, forwarded by the Seahorse, being too late to go to England in the British Fair, Hired Armed Cutter, receive them on board, and on your arrival in the Tagus you will deliver them to the Post-Master at that place, taking his receipt for the same: having so done, pursue the object of your former instructions. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART. [Autograph, in the Colonial Office.] My dear Lord, Victory, January 20th, 1804. I have had much conversation with Captain Keats, but the whole of the conference with the Dey, if such a meeting can be called a conference, was nothing but rage and violence on the part of the Dey, and firmness on the part of Captain Keats, |