Majesties that Nelson is Nelson still, and most zealously attached to their service; and I am, my dear Sir John, your Excellency's most faithful friend, NELSON AND Bronte. P.S.-I send two letters from Dumourier. Your Excellency will judge from his character whether he could at any period be useful to Naples: I have a very high opinion of his abilities. I had, to December 29th, letters from Lady Hamilton, who desires me to present her best compliments to your Excellency, and to Lady Acton. N. AND B. TO WILLIAM LAWSON, ESQ., MASTER-ATTENDANT, MALTA. [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Sir, Victory, Madalena Islands, 10th February, 1804. Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton having transmitted to me your letter to him of the 11th ultimo, acquainting him that the five and six-inch rope, sent out in the Ellice Transport, for the Fleet under my command, was not manufactured at Malta, but at Trieste, and sent from the last-mentioned place in June last, by Mr. Leard, to the stores under your charge. I am very glad to find that the rope above-mentioned was not manufactured at Malta, and also, much pleased with the improvement you are making in the manufacture of cordage at that Yard, as stated in Sir Richard Bickerton's letter on the subject. I am, &c., Nelson and Bronte. TO REAR-ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD BICKERTON, BART. Sir, [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Victory, Madalena Islands, 10th February, 1804. His Majesty's Ship Juno being ordered upon very important service, and must not on any account be detained from carrying the object of my instructions into execution, I am, therefore, to desire, if the accidental circumstance of her being for the moment forced to her present anchorage, inter feres with the Court-Martial ordered upon the four Seamen belonging to the Victory, that it is put off till she has proceeded to sea, as Captain Richardson cannot divert from the immediate prosecution of my orders. I have the honour to be, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA. Private. Victory, February 11th, 1804. Many, many thanks for your kind letters, oranges, &c., &c., as Hallowell' has been with you he will tell you all the English news, therefore, I have little to say, except that now all my force, except Gibraltar, is united, and for our numbers none better can be. If the Ferrol Squadron joins the Toulon, they will much outnumber us; but in that case I shall never lose sight of them, and Sir Edward Pellews will soon be after them. The loss of the Raven is very great, and the Admiralty seem determined not to increase my force. I, at this moment, want ten Frigates or Sloops, when I believe neither the Ferrol or Toulon Squadron could escape me; the Diana is ordered home from Gibraltar-it is shameful: Lord St. Vincent was not treated so. The moment I can possibly part with a Vessel, you shall have another in the room of the Raven. We are, my dear friend, on the eve of great events; the sooner they come the better; 12,000 men are ready for embarkation at Toulon, and 16,000 at Nice, and as they have not Transports, they must naturally expect more Ships of War; the Admiralty tells me nothing, they know nothing; but my private letters say, that the Brest Squadron, as well as Ferrol, is bound here-if so, we shall have work enough upon our hands. But, I am sure of my present force as far as it will go; we shall come 'Captain, afterwards Admiral Sir Benjamin Hallowell Carew, G.C.B. (vide vol. ii. p. 90) who joined the Mediterranean Fleet in the Argo, but soon after returned to England. Vide p. 416, post. Captain Sir Edward Pellew (afterwards Admiral Viscount Exmouth, G.C.B.) then commanded the Tonnant, with a small Squadron under his orders. to no harm. I send a packet for Mr. Drummond; when opportunity offers, pray send it to Patras, Corfu, or Smyrna, and ever believe me, dear Ball, yours most truly and faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. We are all well. TO THE GRAND VIZIR. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 358.] 11th February, 1804. If the French unite their Fleets outside of the Mediterranean with that at Toulon, it is not the Sublime Porte's being at peace with Buonaparte, that will prevent an invasion of both the Morea and Egypt: your Highness knows them too well to put any confidence in what they say. Buonaparte's tongue is that of a serpent oiled. Nothing shall be wanting on my part to frustrate the designs of this common disturber of the human race. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS HIGHNESS THE CAPITAN PASHA. [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 358.] 11th February, 1804. My letters inform me that you are appointed, by the Grand Seignor, Capitan Pasha, in the room of his late Highness, on which high honour allow an old friend most sincerely to congratulate you; and to wish that you may long live to enjoy it, and increase the splendour of the Ottoman Arms. Your Highness will soon have to fight the French; for the perfidious Buonaparte will certainly, if he can, attack some part of the Ottoman Empire. You have my sincere prayers for a complete victory over them. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE MARQUIS OF HERTFORD. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 353.] [About the 11th of February, 1804.] I was honoured with your Lordship's letter by Mr. Seymour,' the son of my oldest friend; who would at this moment, if it had pleased God to save his life, have most essentially served his King and Country. I am very much pleased with Seymour, and have given him the first Commission which has fallen since his arrival. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO MR. THOMAS FOTHERINGHAM, MASTER OF HIS MAJESTY'S HIRED TRANSPORT ELIZA. [Order-Book.] Victory, at the Madalena Islands, 12th February, 1804. Having directed the Commander of his Majesty's Sloop Termagant to escort you to the South end of Sardinia, or further, if he shall, from circumstances, deem it necessary, You are hereby required and directed to proceed to sea with the Transport under your charge, in company with the said Sloop, and make all possible dispatch to Valetta Harbour, taking care, after parting with the Termagant, to keep company with the Sea-Nymph, and on no account to separate; but use your utmost endeavours, if attacked by a Privateer, to defend your Vessels against the Enemy. You are to receive Captain Swaine, the Officers, &c., of his Majesty's late Sloop Raven, together with the eleven recruits named in the margin, on board the Eliza, for a passage to Malta; victualling the former at whole allowance of all species of Provisions, and the Recruits at two-thirds only, during their continuance on board. You will obtain a certificate from the 9 Mr., now Rear-Admiral Sir George Francis Seymour, G.C.H. and C.B., Commander-in-Chief in the Pacific, eldest son of Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour, and nephew of Francis, second Marquis of Hertford, to whom this letter was addressed. Lord Nelson promoted Mr. Seymour to a Lieutenancy, in the Madras, on the 11th of February 1804. Senior Officer at Malta for the number of days you may have victualled the said people, that the Transport Board may allow for it accordingly, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN HALLOWELL, H.M. SHIP ARGO. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear Admiral Inglefield, C.B.] My dear Hallowell, Victory, February 12th, 1804. Many thanks for your kind letter, and for your goodness in bringing out so many good things for me. I wish on your return you could join the Fleet for a day, to take my letters. You know me enough, to be sure, that I will not keep you from getting to the new Swiftsure, in which Ship I shall rejoice to have you here. I expect to retake your old Ship' before February expires, and believe me ever, my dear Hallowell, your most faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO JOHN WILLIAM MAGNON, ESQ., HIS MAJESTY'S CONSUL, Sir, CAGLIARI. [Letter-Book.] Victory, Madalena Islands, 14th February, 1804. I have sent his Majesty's Sloop Termagant for the Midshipman and Seaman belonging to the Phoebe, and also to bring such Deserters from the Fleet under my command, as may have been apprehended at Cagliari, and request you will be so good as to deliver them to Captain Pettet,3 who will grant a receipt for them; and if you will send me an account of the number of days each of the said men has been victualled, I will order the sum of 9d. sterling per day to be paid for their maintenance, in addition to 40s. for apprehending each of them, to any person you may think proper at this place, or otherwise if more convenient. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. 2 The Swiftsure, 74, which, while commanded by Captain Hallowell, was taken by a French Squadron, under the command of Vice Admiral Gantheaume, off the Coast of Barbary, on the 24th of June 1801, after a very gallant defence. 3 Captain Robert Pettet, of the Termagant, was made a Commander in 1804, and died in that rank in November 1833. |