It is but justice to observe that the Guerrier, when visited by Doctor Snipe, was found most perfectly clean and in good order, and also that Lieutenant Lloyd's active exertions in going to the assistance of any Vessel in distress, or in danger of capture by the Enemy's Gun-boats, deserve commendation. I am, Sir, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO NATHANIEL TAYLOR, ESQ., NAVAL OFFICER, MALTA.

[Letter-Book.]

Sir,

Victory, at Sea, 20th February, 1804.

The Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy, having by their letter of the 17th November last, acquainted me that there are superfluous quantities of some species of Slops at Malta, according to your opinion, and requested that I will order such part thereof to be sent to Gibraltar as may be judged proper, I am therefore, to desire you will send by the first Transport or Ship of War going from Malta to Gibraltar, such superfluous Slops as you may consider unnecessary to be kept in his Majesty's stores under your charge, and that are not likely to be wanted in this Country; but I desire to recommend you on no account to send to Gibraltar any article of Slops which may be wanted for the Companies of his Majesty's Ships on this station, and that you do also transmit me a list of such Slops as you may send to Gibraltar. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

6 Slops mean every kind of clothing, hats, shoes, stockings, &c., supplied to Seamen by the Purser, the cost of which are charged against their wages. The word is usually defined to mean trowsers; but a kind of shoe was called a slop, and the term was also applied to some other articles of dress. Palsgrave, in his "L'esclaircissement de la langue Francoyse," printed in 1530, translates "sloppes, hosyn," by "brayes à marinier." See a Note on the word in the "Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York,” p. 256.

TO CAPTAIN HENRY RICHARDSON, II.M. SHIP JUNO.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, off Cape St. Sebastians, 25th February, 1804. Whereas it is my intention to proceed immediately with the Squadron to the station mentioned in the accompanying Secret Memorandum, You are hereby required and directed to remain on the present Rendezvous No. 97, under Cape St. Sebastians, with his Majesty's Ship Juno under your command, for the purpose of acquainting any of his Majesty's Ships or Vessels which may come on the above Rendezvous where I am gone, and to direct their Commanders to proceed and join me, with the utmost possible expedition. You are to continue on this service till further orders, and upon no account to quit it in chase of any Vessel; but should you obtain positive information of the sailing of the Enemy's Fleet from Toulon, you are to join me on the above station with the utmost expedition. You will deliver my orders (herewith transmitted) to the Ships and Vessels named in the margin, agreeable to their address, the moment they join, and also deliver the present intended station of the Squadron, which accompanies this, to the Captains of his Majesty's Ships Belleisle, Seahorse, Phoebe, and Niger, who may be hourly expected to arrive at this place, and acquaint them that it is my directions they join me, agreeably thereto, without loss of time.

NELSON AND Bronte.

TO CAPTAIN THOMAS STAINES, H. M. SLOOP CAMELEON.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, off Cape St. Sebastians, 25th February, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to proceed immediately with his Majesty's Sloop Cameleon, under your command, to the Bay of Rosas, and communicate with Mr. Edward Gayner of that place, or his partner in his absence,

Active, Narcissus, Amazon, Cameleon, Childers.

for the purpose of obtaining any intelligence of the Enemy's Fleet at Toulon, or of the line of conduct which Spain is likely to pursue, with any other information which you may deem necessary, and join me with an account thereof, on the present intended station of the Squadron, (herewith transmitted,) with the utmost dispatch, bringing with you any letters, &c., which Mr. Gayner may have for me.

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.] Victory, February 26th, 1804.

My dear Lord,

I feel confident that there is not an Officer in the Service that bows with more respect to the orders of the Admiralty than myself; but I am sure you will agree with me, that if I form plans for the sending home our Convoys, and the clearing the different parts of the station from Privateers, and the other services requisite, and that the Admiralty in some respects makes their arrangements, we must clash. For instance, I judged it necessary, from the force of the Enemy in Toulon, to call the Donegal from watching L'Aigle at Cadiz, and I directed Captain Gore to take the Agincourt, and with her to attend to the French Ship; for although the Agincourt could not catch her in running, yet she would protect the Trade coming to and from the Mediterranean; but being taken away, I admit on an important service, has left L'Aigle at liberty, although Gore has collected the three Frigates, Medusa, Amphion, and Maidstone, and means to attack her if she puts to sea. But this laudable purpose interferes with the protection it is necessary to give to the Mouth of the Tagus; and I much fear the Amphion, who was ordered to Lisbon, not going, has exposed our commerce to the depredations of a large French Privateer. Lord Robert Fitz-Gerald calls out, but I have not the means of doing all that is necessary. Having also given credit for the Diana's coming to this station, I had ordered the Braakel and Stately home with the Convoy. Had I known she was going back again, I should have saved the Braakel for the next Convoy, in May. The

Gibraltar and the worst of the Sloops were intended for that Convoy, but the orders of the Admiralty relative to that Ship will prevent her going home; so that, in fact, I have not at present any further arrangement to make relative to Convoys. I have been anxious to get all the Troop-Ships home, knowing they must be wanted. I hope the Gibraltar when fitted will answer the Board's expectation; but I firmly believe, when done, she will only be fit for a summer's passage to England. I shall send her to Otway, when she can be spared from Naples. She is a very fine Ship, and in excellent order. My letter to Sir Evan Nepean, on my first arrival, I find every day was perfectly correct. The Kent is under jurymasts. I had rather have bestowed new masts upon her than the other. However, we must very soon have a Battle, and then we shall all want new masts, &c. I have done. All my wishes are to meet the intentions of the Admiralty as far as I

can.

We

I am, my dear Lord, happy to hear from Dr. Baird that you are not only well, but your health improved. I wish I could say the same; but I hope to hold out till after the Battle, when, if successful, I shall probably ask for rest. have had a most terrible long winter, and from the 26th of January, we have not been twenty-four hours without a gale of wind. The Fleet is healthy beyond anything I have seen; and if we meet the French, I trust we shall give a very good account of them. With every kind wish, I am ever, my dear Lord, yours most sincerely,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

Captain Murray has been laid up with a bad leg; but Hardy is well, and equal to everything.

Sir,

TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY.

[From a Copy in the Admiralty.]

Victory, at Sea, 27th February, 1804.

I herewith transmit you an extract of a letter from MajorGeneral Villettes, together with a copy of a letter from Doc

Commissioner Otway, at Gibraltar.

tor Franklin, therein alluded to, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that such direction may be given thereupon as their Lordships shall judge proper. It only remains for me to observe that much credit is due to the Military Medical gentlemen, for their great care and attention to Naval patients at Malta, and that they are certainly entitled to some remuneration. I am, &c.

NELSON AND Bronte.

P.S.-Sir Richard Bickerton acquaints me that the Medical gentlemen before alluded to, were paid up to the 24th February 1803; it is, therefore, to be presumed that they want the payment to be continued from that time till the removal of our Seamen from the Military Hospital, on the 1st January 1804.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN HENRY RICHARDSON, H. M. SHIP JUNO.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, off Cape St. Sebastians, 27th February, 1804.

You are hereby required and directed to proceed immediately in his Majesty's Ship Juno, under your command, to Barcelona, and send a Boat with an Officer on shore to Mr. Gibert, his Majesty's Consul at that place, with my dispatches, and for any letters or intelligence which he may have for me. You are not to anchor, but stand off and on till your Boat returns from the shore, and immediately after, join the Squadron on its present Rendezvous. But should circumstances render my leaving this necessary, previous to your return, you will remain on your station, and put my order of the 25th instant into execution; and if you receive any information from Mr. Gibert, you will forward it to me by any of the Ships which you may fall in with, and cancel the order to Sir William Bolton. But in the event of the Consul's absence, or you should not be able to procure any intelligence, the Childers, in that case, will proceed to Barcelona, in the execution of my orders to her Commander.

NELSON AND BRONTE.