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TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN, BART., ADMIRALTY.

[Original, in the Admiralty. On Monday, the 20th June, the Niger joined, and, with the Amphion, passed through the Faro, and was joined by the Phoebe. On the 21st, Lord Nelson sent the Boats to board a Ship, which proved to be a Greek Vessel.-Amphion's Log.]

Sir,

Amphion, off Strombolo, 22nd June, 1803.

Mr. Falcon, our Consul at Algiers, having by his representation made to Lord Pelham,' been sent away in a very improper manner (supposing it a Civil Court) from Algiers, for the commission of an offence in his house which never will be forgiven by a Moor,' I have not, as I have done to the States of Tunis and Tripoli, sent any civil message or notification of my arrival in these Seas; it must depend on the wisdom of Administration what line of conduct they mean to pursue, for, as is known to many Lords of your Board, our conduct must be decisive, whether it is under all circumstances to force the present Consul on the Dey, or to submit to the Dey's having another Consul named. The two Jews mentioned by Mr. Falcon I know are entirely in the French interest, indeed they are known partners in Mercantile houses at Marseilles; how far our Government would go in insisting on the banishment of these Jews, it must determine: all I wish and submit to their Lordships with great respect is, that if the business is left to me, my orders may be decisive. The insolence of the Dey's Cruizers is beyond whatever I have known, and if we give up one tittle of what we originally demand, we shall always be troubled with his insolence. The striking a sudden blow on his numerous Cruizers is the only way we have of bringing him to terms. Should the business be left to me, I shall go to Algiers, and if the Dey refuses a complete acquiescence in our demands, instantly take all his Cruizers.

As Mr. Falcon has sent triplicates of his letter to Lord Pelham, and as it is a business the Cabinet, and not the Admiralty Board, must settle, I have not thought it necessary

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Two Moorish women were discovered in Mr. Falcon's house at Algiers. This affair was the subject of many subsequent Letters.

to send you a copy of Mr. Falcon's letter to Lord Pelham, but enclose you a copy of his letter of the 4th ultimo to me, for their Lordships' information. I am, Sir, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ.

[Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.]

June 25th, [1803,] off Capri.

Wrote before the Maidstone joined."

My dear Sir,

I did myself the pleasure of writing you a line from Messina, under cover to Sir John Acton: I am now anxiously looking out for the Maidstone; for my passage has been so long-nine days from Malta-that I am miserable at not having joined the Fleet, when so much depends on my arrival to make the necessary arrangements. I shall not touch on the politics of Italy, or fancy what the French are after at Genoa and Leghorn. That I expect from your Excellency.

I cannot sufficiently reprobate the Paper that our Consul and Merchants have been weak enough to sign at Leghorn, if what I have is the true account. The moment they were detained Prisoners of War, then the whole matter ended. It was not necessary for them to give any opinion or any pledge, beyond what Prisoners on parole usually give. I send the Niger with this letter-she is not to anchor; and if she does not join me in twenty-four hours, or less, from her leaving me, she must follow me off Toulon; for I cannot stay another

moment.

I wrote to General Acton from Messina reprobating the conduct of the Cyclops, in sending her Boats, when at anchor in the Bay of Naples, to board and capture French Vessels. One, I find, was given up, and the other I have ordered, if she arrives at Malta; for as I would not suffer the French to do it with impunity, so I will not allow any Ship under my command to break any Neutrality, much less that of Naples,

5 When off Capri, at 10 A.M., on the 25th of June, Lord Nelson recalled the Maidstone and Redbridge from Naples, and they joined the Amphion at noon.Log.

whose situation I commiserate from the very bottom of my soul.

Your Excellency will, I am sure, say every kind thing for me to Sir John Acton, and be assured that I am, with the highest respect, your Excellency's most obedient and faithful NELSON AND Bronte.

servant,

Noon. The Maidstone just joined, and I am looking at dear Naples, if it is what it was; God send me good news!

TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ.

No. 1.
My dear Sir,

[Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.]

M., June 25th, [1803,] off Capri,

I have read your letter, and those of General Acton's, with much attention; and it could not cost me one minute's reflection, under all the peculiar circumstances of the Two Sicilies, what line of conduct I would pursue at the present moment, (but this must be subject to change, as the French may alter their conduct,) Great Britain having nothing else in view than the preservation of the Two Sicilies. It is a most important point to decide (the French having invaded the Kingdom, although with a pretence not just or honourable,) when Sicily ought to be placed in a state of security. For the present, I am content to say that Messina need not be taken possession of; but the strictest watch must be kept by Sir John Acton, that we are not lulled into a fatal security, and thus lose both the Kingdoms. If the French assemble a greater number of Troops than usual at Brindisi, Otranto, and Tarento, or assemble any number of large Boats at those places, particularly Tarento, then I think that not a moment

In a Letter from Lord Hobart, Secretary of State for the War Department, to Major General Villettes (vile vol. i. p. 378,) or the Officer commanding the Troops in Malta, dated on the 17th of May, 1803, his Lordship said, "if Lord Nelson, in the prosecution of his instructions, judged it expedient to take possession of the Citadel and Fort of Messina, and should apply to you for the co-operation of a detachment of the Troops under your command, you are to comply with his application, provided that the force which you shall so detach do not exceed 2000 men, and that the said force can be spared from Malta without evident risk to the security of that Island."-Copy, in the possession of the Right Honourable John Wilson Croker.

should be lost to secure Sicily. In a small degree we risk it every day, in hopes of preserving the Kingdom of Naples; but for the present moment I am, if Sir John Acton coincides with me, induced to participate in the risk. I shall instantly send two Ships of War to cruise off Cape Spartavento, and towards the Gulf of Tarento, to give a check to the movements of Troops by sea. By land I cannot judge of the time, but a few Boats would very soon bring over from Reggio some thousands of Troops; nor could all the Navy of Europe prevent the passage, the current running seven miles an hour. Therefore I shall only observe again, that to save for the moment Naples, we risk the two Kingdoms, and General Acton must join me in this heavy responsibility. Every defence against such a voyage by sea shall be taken. With respect to securing an asylum, and safe retreat to the Royal Family at this moment, I will leave a Frigate, and either a Ship of the Line or Frigate shall always be at Naples. With respect to the other part of Sir John Acton's letter, we have ever thought the same, in which most cordially has coincided Lord Minto, that not less than 10,000 men should be kept for the service of the Mediterranean.

The moment I get off Toulon, I shall send a Vessel to England, and something to Naples to replace the Phœbe, and everything shall be stated most fully. Your Excellency will have the goodness to assure their Majesties and Sir John, that as it is my orders, so it will ever be a most cheerful part of my duty, to do everything for the personal security of the Royal Family, and for the security of their Kingdoms, and I assure your Excellency that it will be my pride to co-operate with you in this desirable work, for I am ever, with the greatest respect, &c.

NELSON AND Bronte.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR JOHN ACTON, BART.

[From a Copy in the Elliot Papers.]

My dear Sir John,

Off Capri, June 25th, 1803.

Your Excellency having done me the honour to call upon me for my sincere opinion, I have given it to the best of my

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judgment, and with a view to all the different circumstances of the case, viz.-that the French having made a (false) pretence for taking possession of Pescaro, Brindisi, Otranto, and Tarento, would, if Great Britain was to secure Sicily from their insatiable grasp, probably come to Naples; and thus the King (God bless him) lose one of his Kingdoms. In this view I have given my opinion for the present moment, to his Excellency Mr. Elliot, who will, if you please, give your Excellency a copy of my letter and opinion. In forming it, I have endeavoured to conform to the spirit of my instructions -to do everything in my power, for the security of the dominions of his Sicilian Majesty.' I am as anxious as your Excellency can be, to run every reasonable risk for the preservation of the Royal authority over the rest of the Kingdom of Naples; but both you and myself are bound to take care that the probability of the loss of two Kingdoms, does not outweigh the momentary honour of ruling (by 'la grace de la Republique Française') over a great part of one of them; and we must always recollect, that although Naples may be lost, Sicily is secure; but if Sicily is lost, so is Naples. I will not trouble your Excellency with combating the reasoning of such a Power as France, and with such an Army at your door. Will not Russia support our guarantee? The honour of Monarchs is fled. My dear Sir John, you have my opinion; and I am ready, jointly with your Excellency, to run the risk of Sicily for a short time, till we can form some further ideas of their plans, by the movements of their Troops. On this I must rely on your Excellency. If the French approach near enough to Naples to make prisoners the Royal Family, then all is lost; for then the struggle would be, shall the French or English get Sicily? If the English got it in possession, the French would not believe (or pretend so) but that the King gave his approbation, and they would treat him accordingly. If his Majesty gave the French possession, it would be lost for ever, and the King would hold Naples durante bene placito.

I am aware of the difficulty of deciding, but as an honest man, and with the best judgment which God has given me, I think your Excellency should not advise his Majesty to run too much risk of his person falling into the hands of the

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