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TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR JOHN ACTON, BART.

[From a Copy, in the Elliot Papers.]

Mon cher Chevalier,

Victory, ce 25 Mai, 1804.

Actuellement je ne pense pas vous incommoder, puisque je sens que vous aurez un vrai plaisir à rendre service à la chère Lady Hamilton.

Le Chevalier, lors de son mariage, lui assigna 800 livres sterling par an, et comme il avoit destiné exactement la meme somme à sa première femme, l'an 1752, il croyoit avoir agi avec beaucoup de libéralité. Mais les temps ont si fort changé, que 800 livres sterling ne suffisent plus pour une dame dans la position de veuve du Chevalier Hamilton, et ne donnent guères de quoi acheter du pain et du fromage. Monsieur Addington est, je le sais, trés bien intentionné envers Milady, mais les frais de la guerre, et probablement le manque de quelqu'un qui pousse l'affaire, le rendent un peu difficile, quand il s'agit d'accorder une pension, quoiqu'il doit avouer, avec tout le monde, que cette pension est due, et a été bien méritée.

La Reine de Naples est, j'en suis convaincu, aussi sincèrement attachée à Lady Hamilton qu'elle le doit, puis qu'Elle n'a jamais eu une amie aussi sincère et aussi désinteressée. Ainsi si Sa Majesté vouloit avoir la condescendance d'écrire une ligne à Monsieur Addington, sans que cela passe par le canal de Castelcicala, mais directement à Monsieur Addington, je suis sûr, que l'on ne réfuseroit plus la pension. Je ne dis rien de plus, excepté que je serai aussi très obligé à la Reine, si Elle veut écrire cette lettre à Monsieur Addington, et je suis persuadé que le cœur de la Reine est trop généreux pour oublier son Emma. Je suis à jamais, mon cher Chevalier, &c.,

NELSON AND Bronte.

the weather-quarter of the Canopus, opened a fire upon her and the Donegal, which these Ships immediately returned. With so superior a force it was in vain to contend, and Rear-Admiral Campbell directed his little Division to make sail. At 3h. 30m. P.M., finding pursuit useless, the French Ships tacked, and stood back to their Port; and at 9h. 30m. P.M., and not before, the Canopus and her two companions joined the Victory and the Fleet."-James's Naval History, vol. iii. pp. 236, 237. See also Naval Chronicle, vol. xii. p. 242.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GEORGE ROSE.

[Autograph, in the possession of the Right Hon. Sir George Rose, G.C.H.]

My dear Sir,

Victory, May 25th, 1804.

Many thanks for your good wishes. I bear your friends in mind; but, alas! I see no prospect of being useful to them during the probably short stay my health will allow me to serve in the Mediterranean without some rest; and I expect to eat my Christmas dinner in England, and much sooner if the French Fleet will come out. I only serve to meet them. That done, I feel the great demand of my Country is complied with.

I have read with attention Mr. Pitt's speech3 respecting the Admiralty. My mind has been long formed upon that subject; and with all my personal regard for Lord St. Vincent, I am sorry to see that he has been led astray by the opinion of ignorant people. There is scarcely a thing he has done since he has been at the Admiralty that I have not heard him reprobate before he came to the Board. I do not mean but

that the attempt to prevent the gross abuses in our Dockyards, &c. &c., was laudable; but it is the mode of reforming those abuses which I disapprove of: but this is too long a subject for me to enter into upon paper.

I had wrote a Memoir, many months ago, upon ago, upon the propriety of a Flotilla. I had that command at the end of last War, and I know the necessity of it, even had you, and which you ought to have, thirty or forty Sail of the Line in the Downs and North Sea, besides Frigates, &c.; but having failed so entirely in submitting my thoughts upon three points, I was disheartened. They were upon the speedy Manning the Navy at the commencement of a War-the inducing the Seamen to fly into the Naval Service instead of from it—and for the better payment of Prize-money.' I have not the vanity to think that any of my plans were perfect; but they were intended, by contradicting my plans, to bring forth better:

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5 Vide vol. v. p. 53. The Memoir on the Flotilla has not been found.

but nothing has been done, and something was and is necessary.

Upon the accession of the new Emperor, either the Invasion will take place, or we shall have Peace. Hoping soon to take you by the hand, I am ever, my dear Sir, your much obliged friend,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

The Reverend Mr. Scott desires me to present his best respects; and I cannot let this opportunity slip of telling you that his abilities are of a very superior cast, and he would be a most useful person to you, or any one high in Office, for Foreign matters and languages: he lives with me, and, therefore, I can speak confidently of his abilities.

TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B.

[From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 364.]

25th May, 1804.

I

There is no real happiness, my dear Lord, in this world: with all content and smiles around me, up start these Artillery boys; I understand they are not beyond that age, and set us all at defiance-speaking in the most disrespectful manner of the Navy and its Commanders, &c. I know you, my dear Lord, so well, that with your quickness, the matter would have been settled, and perhaps some of them been broke. am perhaps more patient, but I do assure you not less resolved, if my plan of conciliation is not attended to. You and I are on the eve of quitting the theatre of our exploits; but we owe it to our successors, never, whilst we have a tongue to speak, or a hand to write, to allow the Navy to be in the smallest degree injured in its discipline by our conduct. If these continued attacks upon the Navy are to be carried on every two or three years, it would be much better for the Navy to have its own Corps of Artillery: the present case is indeed with lads; but they are set on by men, I can sce

Vide pp. 22, 23, ante.

This was afterwards done by the establishment of a branch of the Royal Marines, called the " Royal Marine Artillery."

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that very clearly. The new Emperor (bravo, Corsican!) will, I hope, begin his reign by ordering his Fleet to come out; for if they do not very soon, they will wear us out, and most particularly myself. My health has suffered very much, but I am as happy in the command as man can be. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES POLE, BART.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 365.]

[About 25th May, 1801.]

I am sure Lord St. Vincent ought to feel grateful for your zealous support of his measures; and I hope, my dear Pole, you will stand by the Navy against all attempts to have Soldiers placed in our Ships, independent of the Naval Act of Parliament, from whatever quarter it may be attempted: when that takes place, there is an end of our Navy,—there cannot be two Commanders in one Ship. We are all as happy as a set of animals can be, who have been in fact more than a year at sea, or rather without going ashore: for, with the exception of anchoring under the Northern end of Sardinia, not a Ship has been to a Naval Yard to refit during that time. Hope keeps us up. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN SIR THOMAS TROUBRIDGE, BART., ADMIRALTY.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 364.]

My dear Troubridge,

[About 25th May, 1804.]

You will see that I have been obliged to write a letter to the Admiralty, on the subject of Soldiers embarked on board Ships of War; and I have written it strong, as I know it must go further than your Board. It is the old history—trying to do away the Act of Parliament; but I trust they will never succeed-for when they do, farewell to our Naval supe

Vide vol. i. p. 37.

Sir Charles Pole had spoken in the House of Commons, on the 24th of March in defence of the Admiralty.

us.

riority! We should be prettily commanded! You may say, 'they are not intended to command the Navy, but that the Navy is not to command Soldiers on board a Ship.' Let them once gain the step of being independent of the Navy on board a Ship, and they will soon have the other, and command It may be said, if the Soldiers behave improperly, they would be tried by a Court-martial on shore:' were that possible, of what Members would that Court be composed? Mostly Subalterns, I fancy, who, although we might think the Officer had behaved very improperly, might, and probably would think that he had behaved very properly to us Seabrutes. But, thank God, my dear Troubridge, the King himself cannot do away the Act of Parliament. Although my career is nearly run, yet it would embitter my future days and expiring moments, to hear of our Navy being sacrificed to the Army. I can readily conceive the attempts of the Army at this moment, when they think themselves of such great importance. The Admiralty order might lead those wrong who do not know that nothing but an Act of Parliament can do away an Act of Parliament. Ever, my dear Troubridge, yours most faithfully,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN RICHARD HUSSEY MOUBRAY, H. M. SHIP ACTIVE.

[Order-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 27th May, 1804. You are hereby required and directed to take his Majesty's Ship named in the margin' under your command, and proceed immediately to the head of the Gulf of Lyons, where you will take a sweep for the space of forty-eight hours, in order to obtain intelligence of the Enemy's intended movements at Toulon, and to capture or destroy any of their numerous Privateers, which I understand are fitting out at Marseilles; and at the expiration of eight days from the date hereof, you will join me on Rendezvous No. 102, where you will find the Squadron, or orders for your further proceedings.

1 Seahorse.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

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