TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B. [Autograph, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] Victory, April 6th, 1804. My dear Lord, I cannot allow Captain Layman' to present himself before you without bearing my testimony to his abilities and active conduct during his command of the Weazle; and I am sure his re-appointment to the Gibraltar station would give general satisfaction to the Rock, which you have always (and I continue it) endeavoured to please. I am always, my dear Lord, most affectionately yours, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO REAR-ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD BICKERTON, BART. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 360.] 7th April, 1804. As the Enemy's Fleet has been out, and may still be at sea, and as I should be very sorry to baulk their inclinations of a Battle by your superiority of numbers, You will, therefore, whenever I make the signal, haul from us to the Southward, furl your top-gallant sails so as not to be discovered from the shore, and just keep sight of us from the masthead; and make Captain Layman having been acquitted by a Court-Martial of all blame for the loss of the Weazle, he was soon after appointed to command the Raven Sloop, as will appear from subsequent letters. In the Memoir of that Officer in Marshall's "Naval Biography" (vol. iii. p. 327) is the following passage:-"On the 2nd of April 1804, Nelson, then unaware of the disaster which had befallen his protegé, wrote to a mutual friend, as follows: 'I hope the Admiralty will confirm Layman; for he is not only attached to me, but is, indeed, a very active Officer. It was his venturing to know more about India than Troubridge did, that made them look shy upon him. His tongue runs too fast. I often tell him neither to talk nor write so much."" In his letter to Mr. Rose, written on the 8th April, (vide p. 488,) Lord Nelson said, that, in the preceding week, two Sail of the Line came outside Toulon, and that on Thursday the 5th, in the afternoon, they all came out. On that day the Victory was off Cape Corse, on her way to her station off Toulon, and Lord Nelson appears to have been informed of the circumstance on the morning of the 7th, when he was rejoined by the Superb, Canopus, and Active. Clarke and M‘Arthur (vol. ii. p. 360) say that Lord Nelson, when informing Mr. Frere of these movements of the French Fleet, added-"If they go on playing out and in, we shall some day get at them." the signal for your Division, (except Excellent, who is going towards Toulon,) and do you call in Belleisle, unless I should call her by signal to me. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE REVEREND ROBERT ROLFE. [Autograph, in the possession of the Reverend Robert Rolfe.] My dear Mr. Rolfe, Victory, April 7th, 1804. I am just favoured with your kind letter of January 5th, and you may be assured that if it is in my power, I will most assuredly promote Mr. Bedingfeld;' and if it should not, that I will leave him as a legacy to my successor. I must apprise you that we have no deaths in this fine climate, and the French Fleet will not give us an opportunity of being killed off. I am well aware of your obligations to Sir R. Bedingfeld, and of the pleasure it must afford to show your goodness of heart. I will not say all which I could on this subject. Remember me most kindly to your good mother, my Aunt; and believe [me] ever, my dear Rolfe, your most affectionate cousin, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GEORGE ROSE. [Autograph, in the possession of the Right Honourable Sir George Rose, G.C.H,] Victory, April 8th, 1804. My dear Sir, I was favoured with your kind letter of December 15th, a few days ago. I have not as yet heard a word of the entailing the English pension; and if common justice is done me, Parliament ought to give me the £1000 a-year that your Administration gave to Lords St. Vincent and Duncan ; but, if our reports are true about the King, very great alterations must take place. 'Mr. Thomas William Bedingfeld, second son of Frank Bedingfeld, Esq., was distantly related to Sir Richard Bedingfeld, Bart. He was wounded in the hand in an attack made by the Boats of the Narcissus, Seahorse, and Maidstone, on some French Vessels in Hières Bay, in the night of the 11th of July 1804; was immediately made a Lieutenant, and died in July 1811. 2 Vide vol. i. pp. 17, 18. Last week, at different We are on the eve of great events. times, two Sail of the Line put their heads outside Toulon; and on Thursday the 5th, in the afternoon, they all came out. We have had a gale of wind and calm since; therefore, I do not know whether they are returned to Port or have kept the sea. I have only to wish to get alongside of them with the present Fleet under my command; so highly officered and manned, the event ought not to be doubted. That event shall, if possible, be useful to your recommendation, Captain Strachey, who I shall be glad of an opportunity of promoting. With many thanks for your obliging offers of service, for which I hope to thank you soon in London, believe me ever, my dear Sir, your much obliged friend, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN SOTHERON, H.M. SHIP EXCELLENT. [Letter-Book. "Monday, 9th April. At Noon, Cape Sicie bore N.W., distant five leagues. P.M. Amazon took possession of a French Merchant brig between Cape Sepet and Porquerolle. Observed the batteries at Sepet firing at the Amazon, and that three Frigates came out of Toulon, and stood for the Amazon and her Prize. Donegal's and Active's signals made to close the Amazon. Observed four more of the Enemy's Ships coming out of Toulon round Sepet; the Prize standing off the land for the Squadron. At 6.30, the Enemy's Ships tacked, and stood into Toulon. Superb closed the Donegal, Active, and Amazon."-Victory's Log.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 9th April, 1804. I am to desire you will proceed immediately with his Majesty's Ship Excellent, under your command, (taking with you the Frigates named in the margin,3) to Rendezvous No. 100, where you will remain until I shall join you with the Squadron, which will most probably be in three or four days from this date. You will detain the Argo, Agincourt, or any other Vessel of War or Transport which may come on the said Rendezvous, till my arrival; and every two days, or as often as you may, from circumstances or information, judge necessary, send two of the Frigates to reconnoitre the Enemy at Toulon. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. 3 Active, Phoebe, Seahorse, Amazon. TO J. B. GIBERT, ESQ., HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S CONSUL, Sir, BARCELONA. [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 10th April, 1804. I have received your letter of the 24th ultimo, together with the one therein alluded to, transmitting a packet from Mr. Frere, and am very much obliged by your sending me the several French and Spanish Papers, with the four copies of the Courier de Londres, which have all been received safe. I am aware that a Bill of Health is required from his Majesty's Ships and Vessels using either Barcelona or Rosas, and am sorry to observe that every difficulty and impediment is thrown in the way of our procuring the small supplies of bullocks and refreshments for the Fleet under my command, very unusual between two Nations in peace and amity. I trust, however, that Mr. Frere's remonstrance with the Court of Madrid may do away the necessity of such Bill of Health, and also procure us more liberal supplies of bullocks, &c., free from the immense duties imposed on them. I enclose a letter to the Captain-General on the subject of the Captain of any of his Majesty's Ships giving his word of honour, that his people are in perfect health and pratique, and ought to be received as such. You will, therefore, have the goodness to explain to the Captain-General, that the word of honour of the Captain of a British Man-of-War is as sacred as a Monarch's, and equal to any Bill of Health from me. I am, with much respect, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Sir, Victory, off Toulon, 10th April, 1804. I herewith transmit you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of the Active's log on the 6th instant, and request you will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships that yesterday forenoon the Squadron under 1 my command stood close in with the entrance of Toulon Harbour and reconnoitred the Enemy's force, the same as mentioned in my letter to Sir Evan Nepean of the 19th ultimo. They are certainly, however, upon the alert, as an Admiral, with four Sail of the Line and three Frigates, came out in the evening, in order to recapture a small CoastingVessel taken by the Amazon close under their batteries; but finding her covered by the Donegal, Superb, and Excellent, they returned into Port. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO LADY HAMILTON. [Extracts from "Lord Nelson's Letters to Lady Hamilton," vol. ii. p. 26.] Victory, off Toulon, April 10th, 1804. .... The amorins will go under the care of Captain Layman; who, unfortunately, lost his Sloop: but, with much credit to himself, he has been acquitted of all blame. I rejoice that dear Horatia is got well; and, also, that you, my dearest Emma, are recovered of your severe indisposition. In our present situation with Spain, this letter, probably, may never reach you. I have wrote fully; and intend to send them by the Argus, who I expect to join every minute. Elfi Bey, I hear, has had all his fine things taken from him. He escaped into the Desert, and is pursued; probably, his head is off, long before this time. The French Fleet came out on the 5th, but went in again the next morning. Yesterday, a Rear-Admiral and seven Sail of Ships, including Frigates, put their nose outside the harbour. If they go on playing this game, some day we shall lay salt upon their tails; and so end the campaign of, my dearest Emma, your most faithful and affectionate. I am glad to hear that you are going to take my dear Horatia, to educate her. She must turn out an angel, if she minds what you say to her; and Eliza and Ann' will never forget your goodness. My health is so so! I shall get through His nieces, daughters of his sister, Mrs. Bolton. The former married the Reverend Henry Girdlestone, and the latter died unmarried in October 1830. |