abroad are not particularly attentive to the Ships of War using the different Ports, and see that they receive every right and privilege of Neutrality, his Majesty's Flag will be insulted, and his Subjects deprived of the right they are entitled to. Their Lordships will, therefore, judge how far Mr. Matra's conduct has been consistent on the present occasion. I am, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EARL CAMDEN.

[From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 391.]

3rd November, 1803.

Sardinia, if it be possible, becomes every day in greater misery. The Stamenti, which is formed of proportions of the Nobles, Clergy, and the People, have dismissed themselves. They were summoned to meet in June or July; the two first Classes met, but the number of the last Class did not arrive until the Viceroy had opened the Session; when, instead of conciliating and promising to assist them in the formation of such regulations as might benefit the Island, he stated at once the distresses of the Government, and asked for one million of dollars. The last Class, finding that nothing was wanted of them but money, never filled up the legal numbers. The Clergy and Nobles agreed to the demand; but the meeting not being legal, no money could be raised. Yet as the Clergy and nobles had consented to the supply, 50 or 60,000 dollars have been squeezed out of them, not one farthing of which has gone to the real wants of the Island. The Clergy and Nobles are now, I hear, very much disgusted at being forced to pay this money, whilst the people pay nothing. This is the present state of Sardinia; it cannot last. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte.

TO LAMBTON ESTE, ESQ.

[Autograph in the possession of Dr. Lambton Este, who has obligingly communicated the following particulars of Lord Nelson:

"4th November, 1804.

"On joining the Victory, in my first interviews with Nelson, he complained of frequent pains in his right side, from former injuries,-that many warnings and

inabilities made him conscious of his shattered frame, and anxious for repose. The sight of his remaining eye was fast failing him; a thick opaque membrane had grown over and into a part of the transparent cornea, and, as far as it extended, was an obstacle to vision in the only eye left to him. His thoughts, his ambition, evidently tended to the Admiralty-to the management of the Naval Service of his Country. In his cabin, with his confidential friends, he occasionally alluded to what he would do if he were in power:' his anxiety, in either alternative, of retaining his command in the Mediterranean, or of returning to employment at home, seemed to be, to get all his known, tried, and experienced people around him. Addressing Dr. Scott, jocosely, as he generally did, and remarking on his knowledge of Spanish, and of Spanish affairs, he would exclaim, 'Ah, my dear Doctor! give me knowledge practically acquired-experience! experience! experience! and practical men!'

"In one of the early conferences with his Lordship, he told me he had been upwards of twenty months afloat, without putting a foot on shore; that he had made all his arrangements to return to England in about two months from the time he spoke; that the Superb, Captain Keats, would convey him home; that he was glad I had joined him; that he wished me to remain with him, and to return with him to England in the Autumn. His sentiments continued unaltered, in this respect, through September and part of October, when intelligence arrived of an approaching War with Spain.

"On the 1st of November he sent for me, after breakfast, and exclaimed, 'Oh, my good fellow! I have abandoned the idea of going to England, at present. I shall not go yet, and when I may go is quite uncertain-must depend upon events, and upon my own precarious health; at the same time, I am doing you an evident injustice, by detaining you here so long in uncertainty.' A little pause followed, and I commenced by saying, My Lord, if I could be of further use, I should prefer remaining in uncertainty with your Lordship, to' Anticipating the remainder of my an. swer, he turned upon me, abruptly, and exclaimed, "But my wish is that you should go, I am anxious that you should go, and go without further delay!' My Lord, I am ready to start at this moment's notice,' was my reply. From his short, sharp, emphatic manner, I was apprehensive I had given offence, and felt uneasy and embarrassed. Oh, not quite so soon as that! I shall want a day or two, at least,' he said, 'to prepare for you; but the point is settled, and being settled, we shall both know what to be at; I shall set to work accordingly, and forthwith. To tell you the truth, I am not entirely disinterested in this wish of mine. Go home; get confirmed in your appointment, according to my desire, and return to me as soon afterwards as you can. Should I retain my command in the Mediterranean, with the powers already conceded to me, I shall demand your re appointment, and require your assistance in Italy, Naples, Sicily, and in the Islands, and perhaps also in your former scenes of action to the Eastward, where there may be more occupation for us all hereafter than we just now foresee, or may expect. If, in the course of events, I should return to England, and realize my anticipations, you must let me see you at Merton as soon as you know of my arrival there. The Termagant Sloop will be going to Lisbon-she has had a long spell of service. I shall send you in her; you will find Captain Pettet a very worthy, agreeable companion. He has risen from humble origin by his own merits, with a little of my assistance; he has a family, too, to maintain from his pay.' The papers and states of the Fleet, which had been accumulating for some time, he had intended to take home himself. I shall send them by you,' he said, 'together with my dispatches and letters.' He then gave me VOL. VI.

S

A

the following letter, addressed to Mr. Chamberlain, the Agent at Lisbon. signal was made for the Termagant to move up to the Victory, and Captain Pettet, repaired on board; having received his instructions, and dined with the Admiral, we, shortly after dinner, took leave, and removed from the Victory to the Termagant.

"Here a trifling incident occurred, illustrative of the character of Nelson, and of his modes of proceeding. After the death of Mr. Lock, at Malta, I found myself in charge of the Affairs, with a large outfit provided for the Levant. As soon as the message was transmitted to me in the Lazaretto at Malta, by Sir Alexander Ball, that I was to join Lord Nelson in the Fleet off Toulon, I began to consider what I could do that might prove useful or gratifying to Lord Nelson, and to his associates, who, I knew, were in want of Naval stores, and who had been during many months afloat, exposed to rough usage and privations, in a tedious blockade. These consisted of two large tierces of the finest English porter, in bottles, thirtysix dozen in each; tongues, Bayonne hams, and some India pickles, &c.; all of which I sent on board the Phoebe Frigate, as presents for the Victory. When Lord Nelson saw the packages, he exclaimed, What's all this lumber? What the devil have you got here?' He seemed hurt at my explanation, Only a little ammunition for the Fleet, my Lord;' but directed them to be stowed away carefully; and he told old Gaetano, his Italian steward, to look well after them. Days and weeks passed away, without any of the porter or tongues or hams appearing, either on the Admiral's table, or in the Ward-room of the Victory. This seemed strange, but no remark was made. Soon after we got on board the Termagant, a boat arrived with a letter to Captain Pettet, and one to myself, of which I give the purport, if not the exact words, from memory:-'I have tasted and reserved some of your princely and delicious presents. Had we returned together in the Superb, these should have afforded consolation to all on board that Ship, on our homeward voyage. As our destinies are altered, I have taken the liberty of sending them to Captain Pettet, to whom they will prove highly acceptable; and before you have been long on board, I trust you will think with me, that they could not have been more worthily bestowed. I have added a few bottles of fine Marsala, lately sent me by Woodhouse from Sicily, that you may have the pleasure of drinking my health in my absence,' &c. &c.

"Off Cadiz, we joined Admiral Sir John Orde, who, a martyr to the gout, was then in bed, and had not quitted his cabin since he left England, and could not see us, and I delivered to Captain Robinson the following letter to Mr. Chamberlain :]

TO H. CHAMBERLAIN, ESQ., AGENT FOR THE PACKETS AT LISBON.

Sir,

Victory, November 4th, 1804.

Mr. Este has charge of my dispatches for the Admiralty, I have therefore to request that you will get him on board the first Packet bound for England. As no fever or ill health is in the Fleet, I hope the Termagant being directed not to communicate with Gibraltar, or any Ships who have had any communication, since the sickness, with that place, will not be

subject to Quarantine; but should she be subject to it, I then request that you will take the proper steps that Mr. Este and my dispatches may get on board the Packet destined for England. Captain Pettet will receive the Gibraltar and Malta mails. I am, Sir, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN ROBERT PETTET, H. M. SLOOP TERMAGANT.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 4th November, 1804.

Having charged Mr. Este (Secretary to the late Mr. Lock) with my Public dispatches for Government, You are hereby required and directed to receive him on board his Majesty's Sloop Termagant, under your command, and proceed with him direct to Lisbon, without calling at, or communicating with Gibraltar; and on your arrival in the Tagus, you will put Mr. Este on board any Packet which may be laying there for England, acquainting the Captain thereof, and also the Agent for Packets that he is charged with my Government dispatches. From the uncertainty of the present state of affairs, the greatest caution is necessary in entering the Tagus, and in communicating with Lisbon, as it is impossible to say what the intentions of the Portuguese may be; you will therefore do so with the utmost care and circumspection, that his Majesty's Sloop under your command may not be brought into any unpleasant situation, from want of a due regard to the necessary precaution. And as I would not, on any account, have you subject yourself to Quarantine, I herewith transmit you an order directed to all Captains and Commanders, not to communicate with the Termagant on any account, till after her return from Lisbon; and not then, if they have been at any place where the present dreadful malady is raging. You will therefore pay due regard to this, and regulate your conduct in these particulars accordingly.

Having put Mr. Este on board the Packet, or landed him at Lisbon, if there is none there, you will receive the Mails for Gibraltar and Malta, and return with them with all dispatch; and if you shall learn from any of his Majesty's Ships that the

inhabitants of Gibraltar are become healthy, and that it is perfectly safe to refit there, you will proceed into the Mole, and put the Termagant in a state for being hove down, and her keel and other defects in her bottom made good, and new-coppered if necessary. In performing this service, the utmost dispatch is to be used, and every means taken to expedite the perfect equipment of the said Sloop; but if on your return to Gibraltar, the health of that place is still doubtful, you will land my Public dispatches through the Lazaretto Ship, and proceed (without communicating in any other way with that place) to Valetta Harbour, for the purpose of getting the defects of the Termagant made good, and put in a perfect state for winter's cruizing. Having so done, and completed your provisions to the usual time, you will return and join the Squadron on Rendezvous No. 97, where you will find me, or orders for your further proceedings.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

N.B. If the Mails from England for Gibraltar and Malta are not ready to be delivered, you will on no account wait, but return as before directed.

TO THE CAPTAINS OR COMMANDERS OF ANY OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS OR VESSELS WHICH THE TERMAGANT MAY FALL IN WITH.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 4th November, 1804.

Having sent his Majesty's Sloop Termagant with my Public dispatches to Lisbon, in order that they may be forwarded from thence with the utmost dispatch, and as the communicating with her previous to her having been to Lisbon, would not only subject her to Quarantine, under the present dreadful circumstances, but prevent her from putting dispatches on board the Packet, You are therefore hereby required and directed, on no account or consideration whatever, to communicate with his Majesty's said Sloop, until her return from Lisbon.

NELSON AND Bronte.