realized, than in the person of the Corsican. I can see but little difference between the name of Emperor, King, or Préfet, if they perfectly obey his despotic orders. Your Majesty's illustrious Mother would not have so submitted. Prussia is trying to be destroyed last-Spain is little better than a Province of France-Russia does nothing on the grand scale. Would to God these great Powers reflected, that the boldest measures are the safest! They allow small States to fall, and to serve the enormous power of France, without appearing to reflect that every Kingdom which is annexed to France makes their existence, as independent States, more precarious. Your Majesty sees all this, and much more than I can; for your Majesty is the true daughter of the great Maria Theresa. Your good heart will forgive my free manner of writing, it may be the last I shall ever address to you; for if I do not very soon get quiet on shore, my thread of feeble life will break: but God's will be done. My last breath will be for the felicity of your Majesty, the King, and Royal Family. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1804. I herewith transmit you a copy of a letter and paper therein referred to, from Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, of his Majesty's Ship Donegal, dated the 23rd October last, acquainting me with his having on that day, in company with the Medusa, detained the Spanish Frigate Matilda, from Cadiz, bound to the Spanish West Indies, with quicksilver for their mines, and sent her to England, under the charge of Captain Gore, until his Majesty's pleasure shall be known respecting her, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and acquaint their Lordships that under the circumstances existing between the two Countries at the time the Matilda was detained, and from the reasons mentioned in the copy of Sir Richard Strachan's letter, and paper which accompanies it, I very much approve of the said Vessel having been detained, and sent to England under charge of the Medusa, until his Majesty's pleasure shall be signified; and trust their Lordships will also approve of Sir Richard Strachan's conduct on the occasion. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 21st December, 1804. I herewith transmit you copy of a letter from Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, of the Donegal, dated the 26th November, acquainting me with his having, on the morning of the 19th of that month, after a long chase, and an action of eight minutes, captured the Spanish Frigate Amphitrite, (whose Captain, it appears, refused to return with him to Cadiz,) which you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their information; and acquaint their Lordships that I very fully approve of Sir Richard Strachan's exertions and zeal on this occasion, and hope it will also meet their Lordships' approbation. The Donegal has not yet joined the Squadron, but I am hourly in expectation of seeing her. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN PARKER, H.M. SHIP AMAZON. [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.] Victory, off St. Sebastians, December 23rd, 1804. My dear Parker, Neither Seahorse nor Active have been here, therefore I am very uneasy about Toulon; for I very much fear that Phoebe and Hydra are both so short of water, that they may have been forced to leave the station; therefore I am going off Toulon, to see that all is safe, and it is my present intention to return to 97; but should a heavy gale of N.W. wind come on, I shall not allow myself to be driven to the South ward of the Straits of Bonifaccio (upon that side the water) but shall go to Madalena, at which place I shall certainly be before the 7th January; therefore if you have no chance of getting hold of the Squadron, from the sketch I have given you of my intentions, and you have many bullocks for us, I would recommend your going to Madalena, and landing Mr. Ford and the cattle, that they may be taken care of. You must be very cautious in approaching Madalena, for it is very possible the French may be in possession. Should you have much spare time (in case you go to Madalena) between the time of your arrival and the 7th of January, I would recommend your cruizing off the Coast of Corsica, and try to get the Nourice, a Store-Ship, which loads timber in the Gulf of Savoni, a Gulf just to the Northward of the Lamprinare Islands. If she is there, you [may] either take or destroy her; and the French have 4000 Troops ready, they say, for embarking at Ajaccio. I am ever, dear Parker, yours faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN MARK ROBINSON, H. M. SHIP SWIFTSURE. [Autograph, in the possession of Commander Robinson.] My dear Sir, Victory, December 25th, 1804. I would not trouble you to come out of the Swiftsure" with this swell, not being sure that you are not in Quarantine, and therefore I might be deprived of the pleasure of seeing you on board the Victory; and also, hearing from Captain Cracraft that you have lately had the gout. I therefore have made the signal for a Lieutenant; and if you are in Pratique I shall be glad to see you when we get into smooth water, which will probably be to-morrow. I am very anxious at this moment to get off Toulon, for we have reports that the French Fleet are expected every moment to put to sea with Troops embarked; and it would not surprise me to find them sailed. I hope you have had a great deal of success, and pleasant cruizing, off Cadiz. I am, my dear Sir, with great esteem, your most faithful humble servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. 7" December 25. Swiftsure joined at 8 A.M."- Victory's Log. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 26th December, 1804. I have received your letter, dated the 27th October, together with the copy of one from the Navy Board, on the subject of the frocks and trowsers sent out some time ago in the Diligent Store-ship for the Fleet under my command, and particularly note the Commissioners' observations thereon; and, as no further complaint has been made, I hope the frocks and trowsers may turn out better after washing, than there was reason to believe from their original appearance. I particularly remark, in your letter of the 17th October, their Lordships' displeasure at Captain Bayntun's style of writing against the Navy Board, and shall communicate the same to that Officer, whose conduct certainly, in every other respect, is extremely correct and proper. I am, sir, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 26th December, 1804. I have received your letter of the 1st November, acquainting me that their Lordships had directed the Navy Board to prepare, and send out to Gibraltar, the frames of four Gunboats, which are forwarded in the Prevoyante Store-Ship; and that directions will be sent out to Commissioner Otway to put the said frames together, when he shall receive instructions from me for that purpose, and dispose of them as I may find necessary to direct. I have also to acknowledge your letter of the 6th November, acquainting me that directions were given to the Victualling-Board, to send out immediately two Transports, laden with coals for the Fleet; but I much apprehend (if come out) that they are gone to Malta with the Convoy, instead of coming direct to the Fleet; by which means a delay of several months may take place, and the Squadron be considerably distressed in consequence. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 26th December, 1804. I have received your letter of the 15th October, signifying to me their Lordships' direction to order a passage to be provided for his Excellency the Right Honourable Charles Arbuthnot, his Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, from Trieste to that place. In answer thereto, you will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I have, some time ago, communicated with his Excellency at Vienna, and suggested that he would let me know the particular time he wished to proceed from Trieste to Constantinople, that a Frigate might be appointed for that service, but I have not yet heard from him. I am Sir, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 26th December, 1804. Sir, I have received your letter of the 30th October, together with a copy of one from Lord Camden therein mentioned, 8 The following letters were then received by Lord Nelson from Lord Camden: "My Lord, "Downing Street, 29th October, 1804. "I have received and laid before the King your Lordship's dispatch to Lord Hawkesbury, under date 29th June last, with nine enclosures, containing the account of Captain Keats' mission to Algiers, the instructions your Lordship has furnished him with, the result of his able negotiation, together with statements of the claims upon which his Majesty has a right to demand redress from the Dey. I have also received and laid before his Majesty your Lordship's dispatch to Lord Hawkesbury, of the 30th of June, transmitting a copy of the Dey of Algiers' letter to your Lordship, of the 15th June, together with your Lordship's letter to the Dey, and at the same time giving an account of your Lordship's instructions to Mr. M'Donough, whom you had sent to Algiers. I have likewise seen Mr. M'Donough, who arrived here some time ago, and brought a copy of the Dey of Algiers' letter to your Lordship, under date 6th July, in answer to the points of Mr. M'Donough's mission, of which I inclose a copy, lest the letter which Mr. M'Donough wrote to your Lordship from Gibraltar, may not have reached you. "These letters of your Lordship and the Dey, together with Captain Keats's intelligent and able account of his proceedings, having been taken into full considera |