Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 8th November, 1804. I herewith transmit you a copy of a letter and paper therein referred to, from Captain Gore, of his Majesty's Ship Medusa, dated the 6th October, (a copy of which, he acquaints me, has also been transmitted to you) giving an account of the capture of three Spanish Frigates with treasure on board, as therein mentioned, which you will be so good as to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and, at the same time acquaint their Lordships that I very highly approve of the meritorious conduct of that excellent Officer, Captain Gore, upon the present, as well as upon all former occasions, since he has been under my command, in the important trust of watching the Enemy outside the Straits, and for the great and perfect security which he has afforded with his little Squadron to our Trade to, and from, this Country; and when the very bad state of the Medusa is considered, his constantly keeping at sea previous to this, and after an opportunity offered for his returning to England, with the Spanish Frigate Fama, deserves particular approbation. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. On the 5th of October, 1804, off Cape St. Mary's, near Cadiz, the Indefatigable, Captain Graham Moore; Medusa, Captain John Gore; Amphion, Captain Samuel Sutton; and Lively, Captain Graham Eden Hamond, fell in with the four Spanish Frigates La Medée, bearing the Flag of Don Joseph Bustamente; La Fama, La Clara, and La Mercedes, from South America, laden with treasure and valuable merchandize. Captain Moore communicated to the Spanish Admiral his orders to detain these Ships (vide p. 241, ante), and expressed a wish to do so without bloodshed; but not receiving a satisfactory answer, an Action commenced. In ten minutes, La Mercedes blew up, and the three other Ships soon after surrendered. As Spain was then at peace with England, this affair naturally excited the indignation of the Court of Madrid, and led immediately to a War. TO CAPTAIN GORE, H. M. SHIP MEDUSA. [Autograph, in the possession of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker.] Most private. My dear Gore, Victory, November 9th, 1804. From my heart do I congratulate you on your share of the capture of the Spanish Frigates; but I own it is mixed with regret that you did not command. However, it [is] a good thing, and I hope before this time you have taken more of them. The Lima Ships are loaded with gold. Should you find that I am destined to be here a few months longer, and that the Medusa is in absolute want of going to England, you can apply to Sir Richard Strachan, who will send Medusa to me; and you are sure that, if I can, you shall go home without Convoy, unless your rich Prizes. Be assured of my inclination to meet your wishes as much as is possible. 5 The secret of the capture was perfectly well kept, but one of your Mids wrote a letter to Mr. Williams, and out it all came. I hope Gibraltar is perfectly free from sickness by this time; and that you may very safely send your Prizes, and communicate with the Garrison. The water, I thought, from the Navy tank, was perfectly clear from the Garrison, and you will have, before this time, Transports with provisions and stores. I am very far from well; and what, my dear Gore, are the mines of Peru, compared to health? God bless you, and believe me ever your sincere and obliged friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. Captain Moore had no business to take the Amphion; but I dare [say] Sutton wished it. I am distressed for Frigates and Sloops. 4 i. e., Except. Lieutenant Edward Williams. Having been in the Victory at Trafalgar, he was made a Commander on the 24th of December, 1805; and he died in that rank in 1843. 6 Captain Moore stated in a letter to the Admiralty, of the 19th of October, that he ordered the Amphion to England, "for the security of the two Spanish Frigates, La Medée and La Clara." TO LIEUTENANT ROBERT LLOYD, H.M. SHIP GUERRIER, ON BOARD L'ESPERANCE. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 9th November, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to proceed immediately with my Public dispatches to Gibraltar, and on your arrival there, you will deliver my letter to his Excellency General Sir Thomas Trigge, and keep those (in case the disease still continues) for the Donegal and Medusa to be forwarded by La Sophie or Halcyon, as early as possible. On your passage from hence to Gibraltar, I must desire you will be particularly careful, and not allow the Esperance to be boarded by any Spanish Ship or Vessel of War, or suffer her to be placed in any situation under their Forts or Batteries, or otherwise, that may subject her to detention or capture, as the intentions of Spain are at this moment very uncertain with respect to our Country. After having disposed of the dispatches as above mentioned, you will return to the command of his Majesty's Prison-Ship Guerrier, taking particular care of the people on board L'Esperance, till an opportunity offers for joining their proper Ship, and deliver L'Esperance into the charge of the Halcyon, or her Agents. NELSON AND Bronte. TO SIR ALEXANDER BALL, BART., MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.] My dear Ball, Victory, November 10th, 1804. Captain Moore has thought fit to take home with him the Amphion, and I think very probable he would Gore, had he not separated from him in pursuit of one of the Spanish Frigates,' which, after striking, attempted to get away. Gore, in a very leaky Ship, would not proceed to England, but sent the Lively home with her; yet I have no accounts of a War, 7 La Fama. and what is more curious, an English Ship from London, which came out under Convoy of the Lively, entered Cadiz, the day of the Action. The Merchants are pulling me to pieces for Convoy, and I have been obliged to order the Arrow (Captain Vincent having made such complaints of her), and the Acheron Bomb, to take charge of the Convoy from Malta. Sir Richard Strachan is gone outside the Straits, and a Frigate must go in the room of the Amphion. The Sophie has so many complaints, that I much doubt her being reparable; but if it is a Spanish War, these gentlemen may not be so anxious to get home. The Admiralty have directed me to keep a Frigate with the King of Sardinia, (I have sent Juno to Gaeta,) and to place a Naval Force for the protection of Sardinia. Sometimes I smile, sometimes I am angry; for in the same packet, Lord Melville says, We can send you nothing.' I have before wrote to General Villettes to keep the 2000 Troops ready for embarkation, and I shall touch upon it again. The Milbrook arrived at Lisbon, October 9th-five days from Falmouth. Mr. Frere received the ultimatum of our Government the 16th. It was to be decisive in twenty-four hours; but 20th he had an audience—no result; and he had the tertian ague. On the 27th he had not had a second audience, saying he was ill, and could not attend to business. Could you believe all this? But it is too true-shame, shame! therefore, here I am completely in the dark. I wonder my successor is not arrived: I shall have a winter's passage. The fever abates at Gibraltar: 500 Troops have died-1612 Inhabitants. At Malaga it has ceased, and at Alicant. Mr. Price, our Pro-Consul at Carthagena, is dead. Deaths at Malaga-Clergy, 114; Friars, 81; Nuns, 76; Physcians, 20; On the 5th of November, Mr. Frere demanded his Passports: on the 27th, the Court of Madrid issued a Decree, stating that the English having attacked Spanish Ships of War, and detained Merchant Vessels, reprisals were to be made on British property; and on the 12th of December, Spain formally declared War against England. On the 19th of December, an Order in Council appeared, forbidding any British Ship to enter any Port of Spain, and directing a general Embargo to be laid on all Spanish Ships in the Ports of Great Britain, which was followed on the 11th of January, 1805, by a Declaration of War. Troops in Garrison, 1206; African Corps, 101; Individuals, 19,843. God bless you, my dear Ball; ever most faithfully your friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN WILLIAM DURBAN, H.M. SHIP AMBUSCADE. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 12th November, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to proceed immediately, with his Majesty's Ship Ambuscade under your command, off Barcelona, and send an Officer on shore with my Public dispatches, herewith transmitted to Mr. Gibert, his Majesty's Pro-Consul at that place, with directions to wait in his Boat until the Pro-Consul has answered my letters; and the moment he has received it, with such other letters, &c., as Mr. Gibert may have to send, you will direct his immediate return to the Ambuscade. In the meantime, you will send an Officer to an English Merchant-Vessel laying at Barcelona, who, I should suppose, from the late circular letter from Mr. Hunter, would be desirous of quitting that place; and in case the Master of her should be so disposed, it is my directions that you take the said Vessel under your protection, and convoy her to the Fleet: otherwise, you will demand his reasons for not accompanying you, in writing. As you are apprised of the doubtful intentions of Spain, it is not necessary to recommend the greatest caution in performing this service, which you will do with as much expedition as possible, and join me on Rendezvous No. 97 with all dispatch. NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Autograph, in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Barcelona, November 15th, 1804. The appearances of a rupture with Spain induced me to proceed off this place, in hopes of hearing from his Majesty's Minister at the Court of Madrid; or, should he not think it |