TO DOCTOR SEWELL, JUDGE OF THE VICE-ADMIRALTY COURT AT MALTA. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 400.] [About 30th March, 1805.] I had hopes to have sent the French Fleet for condemnation; and although my hopes diminish, yet it is possible it may arrive before April is over, after which some other Admiral must have that great felicity. I am, &c. Nelson and Bronte. TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE TRANSPORT BOARD. Gentlemen, [Original, in the Record Office, Tower.] Victory, in Palma Bay, Sardinia, 30th March, 1805. I have to acknowledge your letter of the 29th January, with the List of Transports, therein mentioned, in the Mediterranean, and under orders for Gibraltar, and requesting that those upon the highest terms of hire, also such others as may not be wanted, are sent home, in order to their being discharged from the Service. In answer, I have to assure you that the Agents for Transports at Malta and Gibraltar have the most positive instructions from me, to send the Transports upon the highest terms of hire, and also such others as are not wanted for the service of Malta, and the Fleet under my command, by every opportunity of Convoy that offers; and I have reason to believe that my orders are most strictly attended to. The Transports sent to Odessa by Sir Alexander Ball for corn for the Inhabitants of Malta, I cannot take upon me to account for, as, of course, he will have satisfied Government with the propriety of this measure. The misfortune that happened to the Convoy under the late Arrow and Acheron has, no doubt, detained the Transports intended for England under their protection; but they will soon arrive under the Anson and Convoy from Malta. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. 7 Afterwards Sir John Sewell, Knighted in May 1815. TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph, in the possession of Colonel Davison.] My dear Davison, Victory, March 30th, 1805. Your kind letters of January 28th, February 11th, and 13th, I received by the Ambuscade, and I shall by this occasion do little more then thank you for them; for unless the Devil himself stands at the door, you will, perhaps, nearly as soon as this letter, see me in England. I have had a very hard fag. I shall not talk of Sir John Orde, who must be the richest Admiral that ever England saw. He will torment the Admiralty enough. How should he know How to behave: he never was at Sea ?" I only hope that I shall not be kept longer in Quarantine than is necessary. At this moment, we have not a sick man in the Fleet-I mean, beyond accidents. You will remember me kindly to Nepean, and I shall hope to see you in St. James's Square, and do not get into Parliament. I am ever, my dear Davison, yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO VICE-ADMIRAL BLIGH, [From Marshall's "Naval Biography," Supplement, part i. p. 431. "March 31st [i. e. 30th]. P.M. At 6:15, weighed and made sail to the Southward. Squadron weighed as convenient. April 1st [i. e. March 31st, P.M.] Squally. At 5:30, anchored in Pula Roads. Squadron anchored here as convenient."-Victory's Log.] Victory, March 31st, 1805. Many thanks for your constant and kind attention in sending me Newspapers. Your son is certainly upon the Admiralty list, but so far down, that nothing less than the French and Spanish Fleets being captured, can give him a reasonable chance; however, it is good to be upon that list. I can assure Lord Nelson here alluded to an old anecdote, which, though well known to professional readers, may not be so to others. A sailor, seeing a young Prince of the Blood Royal on the quarter-deck with his hat on, while the Admiral, Captain, and other Officers were uncovered, expressed his astonishment to a shipmate, who replied, "Why, how should he know manners, seeing as how he's never been to sea!" you that your son is an excellent young man. You must forgive my short letter, and only believe that I am ever, my dear Admiral, your most faithful servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. My Lord, TO EARL CAMDEN, K.G. [Original, in the Colonial Office.] Victory, April 1st, 1805. I have been honoured with your letter of December 3rd, inclosing a copy of one from your Lordship to General Villettes. I had very long ago wrote to the General, that those 2000 Troops were intended, unless called for, for other urgent occasions, for the service of Sicily, and that either Mr. Elliot or the Governor of Messina, or when his own judgment pointed out the necessity of sending, not upon any account to wait for any notice from me; and the Commander of H. M. Ships stationed there, has orders to give all the assistance in his power for getting them quickly to Messina. I have a letter from Algiers of March 16th, from Mr. Cartwright, who states that the Regency seem very happy at our reconciliation, and that there is every probability of our remaining good friends. I am so near going to England to try and recruit myself, that I shall not at this moment intrude upon your Lordship any opinion of mine, relative to the Countries whose present situation and Government are not secure from one day to another. I have wrote to Sir John Acton to warn him of the state of Sicily from French intrigues. France will have both Sardinia and Sicily very soon, if we do not prevent it, and Egypt besides. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO ADMIRAL LORD RADSTOCK. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear-Admiral Lord Radstock, C.B.] My dear Lord, Victory, April 1st, 1805. Many thanks for your truly kind letter of February 14th, which I passed in a heavy gale of wind between the Morea and Candia. I owe much of my fame on that day to your truly honourable mind; but for you it would hardly have been known that I was present. As my station was to be lopped to give Sir John Orde a fortune, and to keep me poor, for that was sure to be the natural consequence of any Admiral being placed outside the Mediterranean, I wish it had failen to you, for you had at least done as much service as Sir John Orde, or any other man in the Service. Report says that Sir John Orde will be the richest Admiral that England ever saw. It cannot be pleasing to me to have every person tell me this; but my soul soars above this consideration, although I cannot help thinking that I could have made as good a use of a large fortune as Sir John Orde, or any other Admiral. I should like to have tried. When opportunity offers, and a good Frigate offers, your son shall be put into a Frigate, and I am sure Sir Richard Bickerton will do whatever you wish him. I am very near my departure; the moment I make up my mind the French Fleet will not come out this summer, I embark in the Superb. My health does not improve; but, because I am not confined to my bed, people will not believe my state of health. Your son is very well and as good as ever, and I am always, my dear Lord, your most grateful and obliged friend, NELSON AND Bronte. TO EARL CAMDEN, K.G. Original, in the Colonial Office. "April 3rd. A.M. At 5-30, weighed and made sail, as did the Squadron.”—Victory's Log.] TO CAPTAIN SIR RICHARD STRACHAN, BART., H. M. SHIP DONEGAL. [Autograph in the possession of R. Watson, Esq. "April 4th. A.M. 10, Employed clearing Ship for Action. Phoebe rejoined with intelligence that the French Fleet were put to sea. (At 10-23, made the signal to Prepare for Battle.-Signal Log.) Passed through the Fleet a Spanish Cartel. Etna parted at Noon. Squadron in company. Toro bore E. N. distance 6 leagues. P.M. 2, Active rejoined. 4, Active and Ambuscade parted. 6, Phoebe parted."-Victory's Log.] Private. My dear Sir Richard, Victory, April 3rd, 1805. You know it was my wish to have sent you home with the Amphitrite, without being tacked to a Convoy, and indeed the wishes of the Admiralty, that the Line of Battle Ships should go home by themselves; but as I have received accounts that seventeen Sail of the Arrow's Convoy are at Gibraltar, I have been obliged to order you to protect them, but I still hope that you will fall in with a Galleon; and that you may, is the sincere wish, my dear Sir Richard, of your most faithful friend, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN THOMAS, H. M. BOMB ÆTNA. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear Admiral Thomas.] 8 Victory, April 4th, 1805. Sir, The French Fleet is at sea, steering to the Southward. Proceed off Cagliari, fire guns, and call out the Seahorse, and desire Captain Boyle to join me. I am now standing to the "Napoleon's "plan was resolved upon early in March, and the orders accordingly given. In this plan, as in that of Surinam, the English were to be decoyed towards India and the West Indies, whither the Squadron of Admiral Missiessy, which bad sailed on the 11th of January, already called their attention, and the French were then suddenly to return to the seas of Europe, with an assemblage of force superior to any Squadron the English could muster. It was in some degree the same project as that of the previous December, but increased and completed by the junction of the forces of Spain. Admiral Villeneuve was to sail with the first favourable wind, pass the Strait, call at Cadiz for Admiral Gravina, with six or seven Spanish Ships of the Line, besides the Eagle, then proceed to Martinique, and, if Missiessy were still there, join him, and wait for a further junction more considerable than all the others. This junction was that of Ganteaume. He, profiting by the |