party of Marines will be sent in each of the Transports, for the purpose of attending the watering parties to prevent the casks from being stolen by the Inhabitants, and the men from getting drunk, or deserting, to which the utmost attention must be paid, as these people are very much in the habit of bringing down quantities of wine. To all and each of these circumstances I must desire to call your particular attention. During your stay at Porto Conte you will purchase as many live bullocks as may be necessary for the Bomb's Company, and you will also procure a hundred quintals of good onions, for the use of the Squadron. For the payment thereof the AgentVictualler will supply you with dollars, upon your granting the usual receipt for the same, and returning the proper and regular vouchers for the disbursement thereof. Having completed the service above mentioned, which is to be done with the utmost possible expedition, you will return and join the Squadron on Rendezvous No. 102, where you will find me, or orders for your further proceedings. NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN MOUBRAY, H. M. SHIP ACTIVE. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 16th July, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to take the Vessel named in the margin under your command, and after the close of day, you will proceed, with as much dispatch as possible off Marseilles, for the purpose of intercepting any of the Enemy's Frigates, Vessels of War, or Merchant-Ships, which may be going into that Port. You will afterwards stretch over to Cette, for the above purpose, taking care to join me on Rendezvous No. 102, with the first Westerly wind, and not to be longer absent from the Squadron than four or five days from the date hereof. • Thunder. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO REAR-ADMIRAL CAMPBELL. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 376.] 17th July, 1804. The French Ships have either altered their anchorage, or some of them have got to sea in the late gales: the idea has given me half a fever. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO REAR-ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD BICKERTON, BART, [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 376.] 17th July, 1804. I have been in a little alarm at the idea of Mons. La Touche having given me the slip, and it is not quite cleared I up. am sending Active and Thunder off Marseilles for informa tion; for I am sure if that Admiral were to cheat me out of my hopes of meeting him, it would kill me much easier than one of his balls. Since we sat down to dinner Captain Moubray has made the signal, but I am very far from being easy. I shall place Seahorse and Amazon close in shore, in order to examine Toulon every way to-morrow. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN MOUBRAY, H. M. SHIP ACTIVE. [Letter-Book.] Victory, July 17th, 1804. My dear Sir, I believe you mistook our signal this morning-it was to reconnoitre Toulon. After dark, you will part company, and I wish you good luck. Put Thunder' in the margin of your order. As I am still inclined to believe that a part of the Enemy's Fleet have put to sea, I request you will be very inquisitive for information from any Vessels coming from Marseilles; and indeed from all others, as somebody must fall in with them. Vessels from Tunis and the Levant, if they are bound to the Levant,' are most likely to meet them, and if you get any information which may be useful to me, I beg that you will join me directly. Ever, dear Sir, yours faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO LIEUTENANT H. B. LANE, ROYAL ARTILLERY, SERVING ON BOARD HIS MAJESTY'S BOMB-VESSEL THUNDER. [Letter-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 17th July, 1804. Sir, I have this moment received your letter of the 15th instant, stating, that finding it totally impossible from the difference of orders sent to you by command of the Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham, Master-General, and the Honourable Board of Ordnance, with the approval of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and those given by me to the Commanding-Officer of the Thunder, BombVessel, to agree with him on your different branches of duty, and to be responsible for the mortars and stores placed in your charge, by the Board of Ordnance, and comply with their orders in every respect;' in return, I beg leave to inform you that it is not in my power to allow any Officer under my command to quit his duty on any pretence. The orders to which you allude as given by me, were to enforce due obedience to Superior Officers, and the greater care of the mortars, stores, and artillerymen: I cannot comprehend that it is possible any disagreement can take place between you and the Commander of the Thunder-Bomb, under whose command you are, as you have only to obey. I have directed Captain Cocks to order you, when he thinks the service and weather will admit of it, to examine the mortars and stores under your charge, in order that they may always be kept in good condition, and fit for immediate service. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN GEORGE COCKS, H. M. BOMB THUNDER. Sir, [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 17th July, 1804. I herewith transmit you a copy of a letter from Lieutenant Lane, of the Royal Artillery, serving on board his Majesty's Bomb-Vessel Thunder, under your command, together with a copy of my answer thereto; and I must desire that you will cause the mortars and Artillery stores to be examined, when the weather and Service will admit, as mentioned in the copy of my said letter, and transmit me a report thereof for my information. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 18th July, 1804. Sir, I herewith transmit you the copy of a letter from Lieutenant Lane of the Royal Artillery, serving on board his Majesty's Bomb-Vessel Thunder, together with a copy of my answer thereto; and also, of my letter to Captain Cocks, Commander of the said Bomb-Vessel, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their consideration. It is painful for me to consider their Lordships' orders alluded to in Lieutenant Lane's letter, as in any degree sanctioning that Officer, and the others embarked on board the Etna and Acheron, to act or hold themselves independent of the Commanders of these Bombs, particularly so, as every day's experience more fully convinces my mind of the indispensable necessity of there being but one Commander in a Ship, and that every Land Officer (whatever his rank may be) if embarked to serve on board Ship, should most implicitly conform to, and comply with, the orders of the Captain or Commander of such Ship or Vessel. Having so fully wrote you on this subject in my letter dated 22nd of May, with the papers therein referred to for their Lordships' information; I have only to hope that their Lordships will see the immediate necessity of having this business fully cleared up, if any doubts can be entertained as to the construction of the Act of Parliament for the Government of his Majesty's Ships, Vessels, and Forces by Sea. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE NAVAL STOREKEEPER, MASTER SHIPWRIGHT, AND MASTER ATTENDANT OF MALTA YARD. [Original, in the Record Office in the Tower of London.] Gentlemen, Victory, at Sea, 28th July, 1804. I have received your letter of the 5th instant, acquainting me with the circumstances attending the unloading and measuring the coals from the Harmony Transport, and that there were sixty chaldrons detained and received into His Majesty's Stores at Malta, for my further directions; also, submitting your opinion that there did not appear any fraud, or intention to defraud, to be imputed to Mr. ——, Master of the Harmony, in the delivery of the coals to the Fleet under my command, as from his report there was great hurry and inattention in delivering them. In answer to which, I conceive it was improper to give a receipt for the sixty chaldron of coals which the Pursers were defrauded of by Mr.'s short measurement; and that it was extremely wrong in you, and not consistent with my order, to have offered an opinion exculpating the fraud of the said Mr. which you have taken upon yourselves to do from his. own ipse dixit; and imputed blame to those who received the coals, and of course were concerned to have just measure. I shall transmit a copy of your said letter to the Transport Board, that the conduct of Mr. may meet its deserts. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE, Vide p. 27, ante. |