had a grant from the Irish Parliament of £1000 a-year, which, from not having been recommended by Government here, was not bestowed upon me. I presume to make only one remark: Was it, or not, the intention of his Majesty's Government to place my rewards for services lower than Lord St. Vincent or Lord Duncan? I had the happiness to be a sharer of the glory of the 14th of February; and I had the honour to command the Fleet which gained the Victory of the Nile, which, till that of Copenhagen, was, I believe, the most complete one ever obtained. I have the honour to be, &c. 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, Admiralty, Saturday, [March, 1803.] My old Shipmate, and one who your Lordship has been very good to, Captain Richard Williams," is desirous of returning to his old post of Regulating at Belfast, and has this moment requested of me to say one word for him, which is, that giving him that appointment will much oblige yours most faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO LADY COLLIER. [Autograph, in the possession of Commodore Sir Francis A. Collier, K.C.II.] March 21st, 1803. Dear Madam, I am very happy to hear that your good son is made a Lieutenant. His commission should be enclosed to Sir Evan Nepean, requesting him to move the Lords of the Admiralty for the confirmation: a letter, also, to Lord St. Vincent, asking him to confirm Francis, will be proper. I am sorry to be obliged to be from home to-morrow, but sensible of the honour intended me; and I am your Ladyship's most obedient servant, NELSON AND Bronte. 7 Captain Williams was made a Post-Captain in June 1799, and died about 1815. Lord Nelson's request appears to have been complied with. TO CAPTAIN GEORGE MURRAY, H.M.S. SPARTIATE, PLYMOUTH. [Autograph, in the possession of George Murray, Esq.] My dear Murray, March 22nd, 1803. Many thanks for your kind letter: As far as my knowledge goes, we are in the same state of uncertainty as to War or Peace, as when you left London. The plan is still for us eventually to embark in the Amphion. Sam. Sutton is to fit out the Victory for us, which I am very glad of, as she will be well fitted. My best regards to all friends, and every good wish towards you, from your most faithful, NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir William and Lady Hamilton desire their kind regards. MEMORANDUM. [Autograph, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] March 24th, 1803. Lord Nelson requests the kindness of Lord St. Vincent to send to the Mediterranean a very near connexion of his, This distinguished Officer won Lord Nelson's admiration and friendship by the gallant manner in which, in command of the Edgar, he led the Squadron to the attack of Copenhagen. On being appointed Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, Lord Nelson determined on having Captain Murray as Captain of the Fleet, but he hesitated to accept the situation, saying, the nature of its duties often led to disagreements between the Admiral and First Captain, and that he should be very unwilling to risk a diminution of the regard and respect which he entertained for his Lordship. Lord Nelson, however, assured him that under no circumstances would he forget the intimacy which subsisted between them; "and that even should anything go contrary to his wishes, he would waive the rank of Admiral, and explain or expostulate with him as his friend Murray." Captain Murray, accordingly, became his First Captain; and was made a Rear-Admiral of the Blue on the 23rd of April, 1804. After the return of the Squadron to England, RearAdmiral Murray was induced, from his private affairs, to leave the Victory; and when, on going off Cadiz, in July 1805, other Captains applied for the vacancy, Nelson's reply was, that, "if ever he had another Captain of the Fleet, it must be Murray;" and he sailed without one. See the Memoir of Admiral Murray, in the Naval Chronicle, vol. xviii. pp. 189, 190. On the extension of the Order of the Bath, in January 1815, Vice-Admiral Murray was nominated a Knight Commander, and he died a Vice-Admiral of the Red, on the 28th of February, 1819. Captain William Bolton,' a Master and Commander; and Lord Nelson also recommends Captain Frederick Langford' to Lord St Vincent's notice and protection. TO CAPTAIN SIR EDWARD BERRY. [Autograph, in the possession of Lady Berry.] My dear Sir Edward, Piccadilly, March 26th, 1803. I have only a moment to answer your questions-War or Peace? Every person has a different opinion. I fear perhaps the former, as I hope so much the latter. If War, I go to the Mediterranean in Hardy's Frigate: the Victory is to be my Ship-Sam Sutton to fit her out. You know how happy I should be to have you in any Fleet I command, particularly on the day of Battle: I should be sure of being well supported. You must judge for yourself about applying for employment; but I should think you will have no fears for a Ship being forced upon you. In Peace, Mids. may be difficult to get on board Ship; but our establishment, even if blessed Peace continues, will be large. You will be truly sorry to hear that good Sir William is, I fear, very near his last breath: he is all but gone. You may readily conceive Lady Hamilton's and my feelings on such an occasion: indeed, all London is interested. Ever, my dear Sir Edward, yours most sincerely, NELSON AND BRONTE. Reports say, but I know not how truly, that changes are in agitation. • Captain William Bolton, eldest son of the Rev. William Bolton, brother of Thomas Bolton, Esq., who married Susannah, Lord Nelson's eldest sister. He was at that time engaged to his first cousin, Catherine Bolton, Lord Nelson's niece, whom he married on the 18th of May, 1803, the evening before the Installation of Knights of the Bath, when Captain Bolton was Knighted, as a qualification to act as Lord Nelson's Proxy at the Ceremony. Sir William Bolton was Posted on the 10th of April 1805, and died on the 16th of December 1830. 1 Vide vol. iv. p. 467. * The Victory was selected for Lord Nelson's Flag Ship, but it was doubtful whether she would be ready at the time he was to proceed to the Mediterranean. He did, however, sail in her, under the command of his friend, Captain Samuel Sutton, accompanied by the Amphion, Captain Thomas Masterman Hardy. TO LADY COLLIER. [Autograph, in the possession of Commodore Sir Francis A. Collier, K.C.H.] Merton, March 30th, 1803. Madam, Although Lord St. Vincent, or those under him, have not had the attention to answer your letter, yet I can have no doubt that they will confirm your son. A note to Troubridge, or Markham, or Sir Evan Nepean, will draw an answer, and, I doubt not, a favourable one. It is no use writing Lord St. Vincent again on the subject. With every kind wish for Francis, I am your Ladyship's most obedient servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO MRS. BOLTON, CRANWICH. [Autograph, in the possession of James Young, Esq., of Wells.] Wrote last Saturday, and forgot. My dear Sister, I have strongly memorandumed Lord St. Vincent for Captain Bolton to be sent to the Mediterranean, and if we unfortunately have a War, his promotion may be looked upon as sure, and as he is likely to be related, my interest for his welfare must increase. I really believe him to be a most excellent young man. Dear Sir William is very, very bad: he can't, in my opinion, get over it, and I think it will happen very soon. You will imagine Lady Hamilton's and my feelings on the occasion; indeed, all London is interested in the fate of such a character. Kind regards to all at Cranwich; and believe me ever, your most affectionate brother. NELSON AND BRONTE." Mr. Collier's commission as Lieutenant was dated on the 11th of April 1803. Captains Sir Thomas Troubridge and John Markham, both Lords of the Admiralty. To this letter, Lady Hamilton added—“I have only to say, dearest Mrs. Bolton, Sir W. was so ill yesterday, he could not live, we thought; to-day he is better. I am worn out, but ever yours affectionately, E. H." THE EXAMINATION OF VICE-ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, DUKE OF BRONTE, TAKEN UPON OATH, BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS OF NAVAL INQUIRY, ON THE 1ST OF APRIL, 1803. [From a Copy in the Admiralty. The passages in brackets are written in the margin by Lord Nelson himself.] From my own knowledge and experience I am warranted in observing that Prize Money does not get into the pockets of the Captors so expeditiously as it ought, and in many instances not at all: great sums of money having been lost by the failure of Agents. I am of opinion that Prize Agents should be appointed by the Captors as at present, but that at the time of registering their Powers of Attorney in the Admiralty and Vice Admiralty Courts, they should give security in the sum of two or three thousand pounds, for the purpose of securing a faithful discharge of their duty and excluding improper persons from acting as Agents. [To keep out bad characters, but not exclude men of small fortune with good characters.] That Government should establish a general Prize Agency Office in London, and an Agent or Receiver at each of the Foreign Stations. That no Prize Money or Prize Goods should be liable to the Debts of Agents. That if the Agents make the distribution within three months from the day of the condemnation, they should be allowed the full commission of five per cent, and at the expiration of that period, deliver into the Prize Office (or if abroad to the Receiver) an Account of Sales, and pay over the amount of unclaimed shares remaining in their hands. That if the Frize shall have been disposed of and distribution made not in three months, the Agent shall deliver an Account of Sales to the Prize Office or Receiver as aforesaid, and pay over the whole of the nett proceeds with a deduction of from the rate of the commission allowed him, unless he shall have been prevented making distribution by the absence of the Ship on service, in which case, should her return into Port be soon expected by the Commander-in-Chief, the Prize Agent shall, on a certificate from him to that effect, be allowed a further time of six weeks for making such distribution. If the Prize or the whole of the goods shall not be sold, he |