Neutrals; for they would soon be taken, and the expense would be enormous. I must do as well as I can. I want small Vessels; but instead of the Admiralty increasing my numbers, they are daily diminishing. It would be most desirable to hear from you every week; for events of great importance may be expected every day to arise; but I have them not. I must finish; for a gale of wind is coming on, and the Kent must part company. I do not think I can possibly write Mr. Jackson at Rome. Pray, say so for me; and that the King of Sardinia need not fear I shall force Troops upon his Territory. Ever, my dear Sir, yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO J. B. GIBERT, ESQ., HIS MAJESTY'S VICE-CONSUL, Sir, BARCELONA. [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 26th April, 1804. I have received your letter of the 7th instant, acquainting me with the capture of the Swift Cutter by the French Privateer Esperance, and trust, as the French prisoner landed from the Seahorse, at Rosas, was insisted upon by the Spanish Governor, as free from that moment, that you have, in like manner, insisted upon and obtained the freedom of the Swift Cutter's Crew, (in the event of their having been landed,) and put them on board his Majesty's Ship Juno, as the sending Seamen to Gibraltar is not only attended with great inconvenience, but contrary to my wish respecting them. I have also to acknowledge your letter of the fifth instant, with the circular one, therein mentioned, from Mr. Hunter, forbidding the sale of English Vessels (captured by the French) in any of the Ports of Spain, together with the French Papers which accompanied your said letter, for which I am very much obliged, as well as by the information respecting the King's recovery, and the political circumstances of news from Paris. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte, TO EDWARD GAYNER, ESQ., ROSAS. [Letter-Book.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 26th April, 1804. I have received your letter of the 4th instant, sent by Lieutenant Tailour, of his Majesty's late Ship Hindostan, giving an account of the total loss of that Ship by fire, that you propose examining the remains of that Ship to see whether anything can be got out, and that, from the exertions and assistance of Neapolitan divers, several articles of stores might be recovered, upon allowing them a salvage upon what they deliver; and also acquainting me that you had agreed to pay Pera Marti the sum of two hundred Spanish hard dollars for bringing Captain Le Gros's letter, and other intelligence to the Fleet. In answer to which, I am very much obliged by the kind attention you have paid to Captain Le Gros, the Officers and Company of the late Hindostan, and very much approve of every means being tried to save any article of stores belonging to the said late Ship, for which such salvage shall be made as may be judged proper. I must beg you will be good enough to make up and transmit me your account of the said two hundred dollars, with any other expense which you may have been at on this late occasion, that I may order it to be immediately paid. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO SIR JOHN ACTON, BART., NAPLES. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 361.] 26th April, 1804 The Emperor of Russia will, I hope, get his Troops into Italy. The insult offered his Father-in-Law, cannot, if there is any spirit in a young Emperor, be overlooked;" and I should 8 Lieutenant John Tailour was First Lieutenant of the Hindostan. He was made a Commander for his gallant services, in November 1809, became a Post Captain in October 1813, and died on the 1st of May 1829. 9 On the 15th of March 1804, the Duke d'Enghien was seized by a body of French Cavalry at Ettenheim, in the Electorate of Baden, taken to Paris, tried by a Military Commission, and shot. The Emperor Alexander having married a daughter of Charles Lewis, eldest son of Charles Lewis Frederic, Elector of Baden, the insult was offered, not to his father-in law, but to the father of that personage. also hope the Austrian eagle is not humbled. If the Emperor submits, it is not difficult to see that the Imperial diadem will be removed from that family. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS. [Autograph draught in the possession of James Young, Esq., of Wells, and from a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Memorandum. Victory, at Sea, 28th April, 1804. As it is my determination to attack the French Fleet in any place where there is a reasonable prospect of getting fairly alongside of them, and as I think that in Hières Bay, Gourjean Bay, Port Especia, Leghorn Roads, Ajaccio, and many other places, opportunities may offer of attacking them, I therefore recommend that every Captain will make himself, by inquiries, as fully acquainted with the above-mentioned places as possible-viz., for Hières Bay, the Petite Passe, Grande Passe, and Passage from the Eastward; Gourjean Bay, (of which I send a Chart from the latest surveys made,) Port Especia, and, in particular, the Northern Passage into Leghorn Roads, from which side it is only, in my opinion, possible to attack an Enemy's Fleet to advantage; and with the Gulf of Ajaccio. In going in to attack an Enemy's Fleet, it is recommended, if possible, to have the Launch out, and hawsers and streamanchors in her; and, with any other Boats, to lay out of gunshot, ready to act as circumstances may require. Ships, in bringing up, will anchor as the Captains may think best, from circumstances of wind and weather, and the position of the Enemy; but I would recommend strongly having the four large anchors clear for letting go; because I know, from experience, the great difficulty, with crippled masts and yards, getting an anchor over the side; and it is probable that it may be necessary to remove the Ship after an Action, and to leave some of her anchors behind. The Ships will anchor in such a manner as to give each other mutual support for the destruction of the Enemy. NELSON AND BRONTE. A Chart of Gourjean Bay to be delivered to each Line-ofBattle Ship. ΤΟ [Autograph, in the possession of James Young, Esq., of Wells. Neither the name of the Officer to whom this letter was written, nor its date, has been ascer tained. It is inserted in this place, from its appearing to relate to the previous Memorandum, though it may perhaps have been written at a different time.] My dear Sir, I scrawl this from recollection: but you may rely upon it I have beat [in], in the Captain in the Night, and gone in, in gales of Westerly wind. The approaching Leghorn must be regulated by what may call our attention. If the French Fleet is in the Southern anchorage you can certainly get within gun-shot of them, and perhaps if they are anchored amongst the Knowls alongside of them; and at all events you secure a safe retreat for our crippled Ships, for it would be impossible for a crippled Ship with the wind at W.S.W. or even West to clear the shore to the Southward of Leghorn, and if you are sure of passing over the Knowls after an Action, you are sure of a safe and smooth anchorage. Be so good as to return me this paper when copied, as I may add something to it, and at all events it will save me the trouble of writing another. Ever yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. DIRECTIONS FOR LEGHORN ROADS. [Autograph in the possession of James Young, Esq., of Wells.] The Knowls are shifting in a space of a mile (at least) from the Mazocco to the Malora. The whole shoal of the Malora is surrounded with Knowls, particularly to the South and North ends therefore, must be approached with caution. You have from twelve fathoms to five at one cast of the lead, and from nine fathoms I have known Ships strike. The mark for being clear of the Malora North end is the Guard-House on the Beach, (which has one window to the Westward), on with the last hillock of the nearest ridge of mountains. If the weather is hazy and the mountains cannot be seen, bring the Guard-House called Mezzo Spiago to bear E.S.E. by Compass, which will clear you of the North end of the Malora. If the weather is so hazy that the Guard-House cannot be made out, you may steer with safety towards the Mouth of the Arno: there is no danger in approaching the shore, and you will naturally in such weather haul to the Southward, or approach the shore with caution. The leading mark for running in, is the Light-House, on with the further point of Monte Nero, as laid down in the Chart. In working in, if you can make out the Church of Monte Nero, which is difficult for a stranger, as it has no steeple and looks like a long Barn in a clump of trees, the mark is perfectly safe in standing towards the Malora. In standing to the shore to the Northward of the Knowls and the Mazocco (a high white building exactly resembling a Light-House) you may safely stand in until the Light-House forms an Island, but the soundings are towards the shore so gradual that you may trust to your lead. TO CAPTAIN FRANK SOTHERON, H. M. SHIP EXCELLENT. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 28th April, 1804. Having ordered the Honourable Captain Capel to cruize with the Ship and Sloops named in the margin, between the Levant Islands, and the head of the Gulf of Frejus, you are hereby required and directed to proceed immediately in his Majesty's Ship Excellent, under your command, towards the Gulf of Frejus, where you will fall in with some of the said Vessels; and on doing so, you will direct the whole to join you immediately on Rendezvous No. 102, where you will continue till the return of the Squadron from Rendezvous No. 97, under Cape St. Sebastians, to which place I shall proceed this evening, in order to receive the Thetis Transport with wine from Rosas, and immediately after return to the first mentioned Rendezvous. Should the wind come from the 7 Phoebe, Niger, Childers, Termagant. |