Passports, but it cannot be made a subject of a National demand. Had I known of their sailing, I would most assuredly have followed your advice, so perfectly coinciding with my feelings. I have sent Keats, who will do everything which is possible, not absolutely to degrade us. We never should have given up the cause of Mr. Falcon. Mr. Cartwright you will see, for I do not expect that the Dey will now give up an atom. You will think with me that the two Consuls of Tripoli and Algiers might run in a curricle, and perhaps the new Consul to Tunis might be a spare animal: the French and Spanish Consuls are very able, both at Tunis and Algiers. 6 I fancy, my dear Ball, that Captain Shepherd, or any other Captain, would be precisely as tired as poor Schomberg, of being cooped up at Malta. I have to thank you for the extracts of Colonel Lean's letters from Algiers. The Bey [?] of Constantinople is certainly beheaded; and I hope the Dey of Algiers is the same before this time. As I have an opportunity of writing from Madalena, I shall shorten my letter, as I have many to write, and am anxious not to keep Hirondelle. Gibraltar was to have pratique this day. I shall hardly hear from you again; but may every success attend you, and every comfort which you so eminently deserve, is the sincere wish of, my dear Ball, your most sincere and affectionate friend, Nelson and Bronte. Pray forward my letters to the East. TO HIS HIGHNESS THE GRAND VIZIR. [Autograph, formerly in the possession of the late William Upcott, Esq.] Victory, off Toulon, January 2nd, 1805. Sir, Yesterday I was honoured by the receipt of your Highness's precious letter of October 30th, for the truly friendly expressions in which I feel much obliged; and for your Highness's good wishes for the recovery of my health, which has suffered very much from being one year and eight months constantly at sea, and preventing the designs of the French, who will Captain Schomberg, of the Madras. certainly proceed to that place where they expect to find most friends at, the least resistance, and most plunder. In doing my utmost in preventing the Dominions of his Imperial Majesty from being invaded, I only fulfil the orders of the Great King, my Master, who has ever been, and I trust will ever continue, the most faithful Ally of the Sublime Porte. My inclination, your Highness will have the goodness to assure his Imperial Majesty, is ever alive to this important part of my duty. Mr. Stratton' will explain my sentiments respecting an additional force in the Adriatic, and my reasons will, I hope, satisfy your Highness. I have remained till this time, and shall stay some time longer; in hopes that I may be able to get hold of the French Fleet, and should I go home to get rest, I shall, if I recover, be ready to take this Command again. May health and every blessing attend your Highness, is the most sincere prayer of your Highness's most affectionate friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO COMMISSIONER OTWAY, MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear Admiral Inglefield, C.B.] Victory, January 2nd, 1805. My dear Sir, I have to thank you for your obliging letters from Malta, and when the precise time is fixed for your leaving Malta, I will endeavour to give you either a Frigate, or a good Brig, to convey you safe to the Rock, where you will find plenty of work from the Squadron outside the Straits. Swiftsure has had a new fore-yard, Defence is to have a new mainmast, and St [andard?] topmasts, I hear, are sprung. It would not have done for my command, where till lately we had not a store. I have wrote you a letter about the Ship timber. The Captors have nothing to do with sending it to England. You and the Dockyard Officers will judge whether it is fit for the Service, and wanted. If it is, to take it in charge, and send it home in Government Vessels; and if not wanted, the Agents will sell it. The valuation may either (if the King takes it) be made at Malta, or in England. Minorca, I should hope • Minister at Constantinople. would be immediately taken; for I shall never send another Ship to Malta. They are so far off, and act often so very different to my wishes that I will trust no more of my Frigates there, and a Line-of-Battle Ship is out of the question; for which reason I have wrote you for the Caulkers, and some of the Artificers. I again strongly recommend either for Minorca, or any other Yard, Mr. Bunce, Carpenter of the Victory, who will be found a most valuable acquisition. The Ventura will be an acquisition to our friend Ball's Squadron, but she should be coppered with thin copper, and not the thick, as is put upon our Ships; but I am ignorant if that sort of copper is sent out. She is over-gunned, and so is Hirondelle. Mr. Skinner has very properly desired to get rid of his two heavy ones. The Admiralty have approved of my purchase of the Hirondelle, and I suppose the Storekeeper will have orders to pay for her. I agree perfectly with you respecting Mr. Eaton, and we must watch what comes from him; for first samples are, with knowing ones, always the best-witness Mr. James, of Naples, and his beds. I thought I had taken all human precautions not to be cheated, but if my plans are not followed up [sic.] But the original fault was Mr. Taylor's not letting me know that he had 1000 beds in store, whilst the Fleet was in the very greatest distress. I sincerely hope that you will be able to whitewash all the gentlemen. It is cruel in the Navy Board not to do something about Mr. Lawson'--either confirm or dismiss him. Sir Alexander Ball always recommended him most strongly; and I hope he has not done anything to forfeit his good opinion. The Tribune is gone home, left her Convoy and the Station, without any orders, but from his own pleasure. What will the Admiralty say to such conduct?1 The excuse of carrying Sir Thomas Trigge appears to me very 8 Lieutenant John Skinner, Commander of the Hirondelle. Mr. William Lawson, Master Attendant at Malta. 1 Captain Richard Henry Alexander Bennett, of the Tribune, was tried by a Court-Martial, at Portsmouth, on the 21st of February, 1805, by command of the Admiralty, for returning to England from Gibraltar without orders. The sentence was, that "the charge had been proved against Captain Bennett, but as it appeared to the Court, that in deviating from their Lordships' order, he was actuated solely by the purest motives for the good of his Majesty's Service, it did adjudge him to be acquitted." He died the Senior Post Captain, between 1816 and 1820. frivolous. General Fox was sent out in a Store Ship, and I suppose the Admiralty intended Sir Thomas to go home in one. Should any accident happen to the Convoy, it will be a very serious thing to Captain Bennett. I saw the French Fleet the 27th ultimo, but our reports say they are upon the eve of undertaking some Expedition. God send it soon! Reports say, and I believe them, that I have leave to go home, and to leave Sir Richard Bickerton in the Command, during either my absence, or [until] another Commander-in-Chief comes out. Sir John Orde has sent Niger home. Fisgard has sent into Gibraltar, a French Privateer- Oncle Thomas,' eighteen nine-pounders, sails very fast, they say. The Spanish Manifesto is dated December 14th, at Madrid. I have only one copy, or I would send it to Malta: it is full of abuse. I shall have an opportunity of writing from Madalena, to which place I shall proceed to-morrow morning. With every good wish, I am ever, my dear Commissioner, your most faithful, humble servant, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN P. S. MOUAT, AGENT FOR TRANSPORTS AT Sir, GIBRALTAR. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 4th January, 1805. I have received your letter of the 22nd ultimo, together with the list of Transports, and of the ten Spanish prisoners of war ordered to be discharged (being non-combatants) by Sir Richard Bickerton. I am extremely displeased at the circumstance of the men being impressed from the Transports, as mentioned in your letter, and herewith transmit you an order to prevent a similar act from happening; and in case the Tribune should return to this Country, I enclose you an order for the discharge of the two men named in the margin from that Ship, that they may be sent to her by the first opportunity. I have also directed the Honourable Captain His leave to return to England had reached him some time before; but he kept it a "profound secret."-Vide p. 320, post. 3 Vide p. 269, ante. Boyle to discharge William Mowitt, Second Mate of the Berwick, freighted Transport, that he may join his proper Ship as soon as possible, being perfectly aware of the necessity of these Transports being manned agreeable to their Charterparty, and sufficiently to navigate them. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE CAPTAINS OR COMMANDERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS OR VESSELS BELONGING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN FLEET. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 4th January, 1805. Whereas it becomes the duty of every Officer to protect the Navy and Army Victuallers and Transports as much as possible, and to afford them every assistance in their power, when they shall be considered in want thereof, and on no account to impress their Mates or Seamen, who are required for their navigation, and who they are obliged to have agreeable to their Charter-party,-You are therefore hereby required and directed, on no account or consideration whatever, to impress either Mates, Seamen, or Boys from any of his Majesty's regular or hired Army or Navy Transports, or Victuallers, unless they shall be found drunk and rioting on shore, in which case I presume it may be proper to impress them for his Majesty's Ships of War. NELSON AND Bronte. N.B. This order to remain with Captain Mouat, and to be shown when necessary. TO CAPTAIN RICHARD H. A. BENNETT, H.M. SHIP TRIBUNE. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 4th January, 1805. Whereas it has been represented to me that the two men named in the margin, were impressed by the Officers of his Majesty's Ship Tribune, under your command, from the Active, regular Transport and Navy Victualler, by which means the said Vessel has been left in distress for men to navigate her; and being perfectly aware of the impropriety |