TO DR. BAIRD. [From "The Athenæum," and Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 367.] My dear Sir, Victory, May 30th, 1804. I have many thanks to give you for your truly kind letter of January 24th. From what we hear about Buonaparte's being Emperor, perhaps it will bring about a Peace; and if we give up Malta, it will be unnecessary to make a Naval Hospital. I have sent Dr. Snipe to look at the place, with Sir Alexander Ball, and to take care that we have the ground with the house; for, with the ground, it is the most healthy and eligible situation in Valette Harbour; without it, confined with four bare walls, it would be the very worst place in the place, for the heat would be intolerable. The health of this Fleet cannot be exceeded; and I really believe that my shattered carcase is in the worst plight of the whole Fleet. I have had a sort of rheumatic fever, they tell me; but I have felt the blood gushing up the left side of my head, and the moment it covers the brain, I am fast asleep: I am now better of that; and with violent pain in my side, and night-sweats, with heat in the evening, and quite flushed. The pain in my head, nor spasms, I have not had for some time. [Mr. Magrath, whom I admire for his great abilities every day I live, gives me excellent remedies; but we must lose such men from our Service, if the Army goes on in encouraging Medical men, whilst we do nothing. I am sure much ought to be done for our Naval Surgeons, or how can we expect to keep valuable men? I look to you not only to propose it, but to enforce it, to Lord St. Vincent, who must be anxious to preserve such a valuable set of men to the Navy."] With every kind wish for your health and happiness, I am always, my dear doctor, your much obliged friend, NELSON AND Bronte. Droit of Admiralty, taken by the Non-Commissioned Ship Ambuscade; and the "The pain in my heart, not spasms," in the copy in Clarke and M'Arthur. I wish it may be in [my] power to be useful to your friend Mr. Hammick,' on board the Renown; but I see no prospect at present. ORDERS FOR REAR-ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD BICKERTON, BART. [Autograph draught in the possession of the Reverend Henry Girdlestone, and Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 31st May, 1804. I am going off the Port of Toulon with the Van Division of the Fleet. You are to remain with the Lee Division and Bombs, South of Porto Cross; but on no account to come to the Northward of 42: 20 N., as nearer than that distance Ships are seen from the Hières Islands. And as the Victuallers are hourly expected from Malta, you will direct the Ships with you to complete to five months. You will send me an account when the Victuallers arrive, that I may return and clear them. Should the Childers join, you will send her to me, and also the Narcissus; and should anything particular happen, so as to make a communication for other purposes necessary, you will send a Ship to me, directing her Commander to approach Toulon, or the Ships off that place, with great caution. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY COUNT WORONZOW. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 368.] 31st May, 1804. These gentlemen,' being lads, must be treated in a different manner to the grown-up Officers we have formerly had. The allowance made them from the Emperor, is, I understand, Mr. Stephen Love Hammick, Surgeon of the Renown, was for many years Surgeon to the Royal Hospital at Plymouth. He was created a Baronet in July 1884. 1 Some young Russian gentlemen, who were placed in our Ships in the Mediterranean, that they might learn our Naval system, (vide vol. v. p. 448.) The policy of our having taught Foreigners to become Naval Officers seems incomprehensible. £40 a year, which sum is very well after the youngsters are fitted out, and the Ship they are in has sailed; but to fit them out and keep them a year, it is by no means a sufficient sum. I would, therefore, propose, that the twelve lads who came out in the Royal Sovereign, should have all their outfit paid, and passage to Plymouth, and that the £40 a year should not commence until the day the Royal Sovereign sailed from Plymouth. It costs an English lad from 70 to £100 to fit him out, besides his yearly stipend; and these very fine lads must have hats, shoes, &c., and money for their mess. I do not think they will have many opportunities of spending their money ashore. I shall cause inquiries to be made into their little wants, and shall advance the money. They are most exceedingly good boys, and are very much liked in the Ships they are placed in. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART. [Autograph, in the Colonial Office.] My Lord, Victory, May 31st, 1804. I have been honoured with your Lordship's duplicate letter of March 8th—the original, I presume, taken in the Swift 66 "Secret. "Downing Street, 8th March, 1804. My Lord,-I have received your Lordship's letters referred to in the margin, (22nd December, 1803; 4th January, 1804; 6th ditto; 19th ditto; 20th ditto; 20th ditto,) and I have great pleasure in expressing the approbation of his Majesty's confidential servants, of the energy and spirit which have marked your Lordship's conduct, in the measures that you have taken with respect to the Dey of Algiers, as well as the discretion and good sense with which your orders have been executed by Captain Keats. The instructions of the 9th January, which by his Majesty's commands, I communicated to your Lordship, will have reached you shortly after the date of your last Dispatches, and your Lordship will have observed that they perfectly accord with the determination you had previously taken, to forbear proceeding to actual hostilities, until you can strike an effectual blow against the Algerine Cruizers. But as your Lordship has mentioned the latter end of the month of April, as the period which you would fix for the commencement of operations, it has appeared advisable to his Majesty's Ministers that another communication should be made to the Dey of Algiers, in the hope that means may yet be found for procuring due satisfaction for the honour of this country, without having recourse Cutter. Expecting your Lordship's answer, I did not, of course, commence hostilities against the Dey's Cruizers. I meant that the 28th of April was about the time of their sailing, and when an effective blow might be struck. I do not think the Dey has ventured to send his Cruizers to sea. to measures of decided hostility. By personal communication with Mr. Falcon, the fact of the Moorish women having been found in his house, is clearly established; but from the representation of that gentleman, no doubt can be entertained of their having been introduced without his knowledge. As, however, it is understood that the women themselves, as well as a French servant belonging to Mr. Falcon, have been induced to declare that Mr. Falcon and his Secretary, were the persons on whose account they were admitted into the house of the Consul, the conduct of the Dey, with reference to the prejudices of the Moorish people, may admit of some degree of palliation, although it is not possible for him to justify the insult offered to his Majesty's Representative, by the abrupt manner in which he was sent away from Algiers. Under this impression, and in consequence of Mr. Falcon's representation since his return to England, intimating that many circumstances had occurred, which were calculated to render him peculiarly obnoxious to the Dey; and as the Dey has signified his readiness to receive any other person whom his Majesty might think proper to nominate as his Consul at Algiers, his Majesty's Ministers are of opinion that your Lordship should, with the least possible delay, take such measures as shall appear to you most proper, for causing it to be signified to the Dey that your Lordship might be induced to interpose your good offices with his Majesty's Government, for the purpose of having the appointment of Consul conferred upon some other person, provided the Dey shall, in the first instance, express his concern for the disrespect which had been shown to the accredited Agent of his Majesty, in the person of Mr. Falcon; and provided, likewise, that the Maltese inhabitants captured by the Algerine Cruizers, and held in slavery at Algiers, be restored, as also their Vessels and cargoes, or a pecuniary compensation made for the damages sustained by their detention. If the communication of such a favourable disposition on the part of your Lordship, should fail to produce the effect that might reasonably be expected from it, it will then become necessary that the Dey should be made to feel that the power of punishment for the insult offered by him, is equal to the moderation and forbearance that have been observed towards him; and I have an entire confidence that your Lordship will so regulate your proceedings, as to be able to take the most effectual measures for that purpose. Inclosed I send your Lordship a copy of the Treaty of the 19th of March, 1801, entered into by his Majesty's Agent and Consul-General, Mr. Falcon, and his Highness Mustapha Dey, Bashaw and Governor of Algiers, by which your Lordship will observe that, from the 7th of December 1800, the inhabitants of the Island of Malta are to be treated upon the same footing as the rest of his Majesty's subjects. I have the honour to be, &c.-HOBART.”—Original. Copy of the Treaty enclosed in the preceding Letter: "Whereas the Island of Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea, has been conquered by his Britannic Majesty's arms, it is now hereby agreed, and fully concluded, between John Falcon, Esquire, his Britannic Majesty's Agent and Consul-General for the City and Kingdom of Algier, and his Highness Mustapha Dey, Bashaw and Governor, &c. &c. of Algier, that from the seventh day of December last, 1800, the inhabitants thereof shall be treated upon the same footing as the rest of his £40 a year, which sum is very well after the youngsters are fitted out, and the Ship they are in has sailed; but to fit them out and keep them a year, it is by no means a sufficient sum. I would, therefore, propose, that the twelve lads who came out in the Royal Sovereign, should have all their outfit paid, and passage to Plymouth, and that the £40 a year should not commence until the day the Royal Sovereign sailed from Plymouth. It costs an English lad from 70 to £100 to fit him out, besides his yearly stipend; and these very fine lads must have hats, shoes, &c., and money for their mess. I do not think they will have many opportunities of spending their money ashore. I shall cause inquiries to be made into their little wants, and shall advance the money. They are most exceedingly good boys, and are very much liked in the Ships they are placed in. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HOBART. [Autograph, in the Colonial Office.] My Lord, Victory, May 31st, 1804. I have been honoured with your Lordship's duplicate letter of March 8th-the original, I presume, taken in the Swift "Secret. 66 Downing Street, 8th March, 1804. "My Lord, I have received your Lordship's letters referred to in the margin, (22nd December, 1803; 4th January, 1804; 6th ditto; 19th ditto; 20th ditto; 20th ditto,) and I have great pleasure in expressing the approbation of his Majesty's confidential servants, of the energy and spirit which have marked your Lordship's conduct, in the measures that you have taken with respect to the Dey of Algiers, as well as the discretion and good sense with which your orders have been executed by Captain Keats. The instructions of the 9th January, which by his Majesty's commands, I communicated to your Lordship, will have reached you shortly after the date of your last Dispatches, and your Lordship will have observed that they perfectly accord with the determination you had previously taken, to forbear proceeding to actual hostilities, until you can strike an effectual blow against the Algerine Cruizers. But as your Lordship has mentioned the latter end of the month of April, as the period which you would fix for the commencement of operations, it has appeared advisable to his Majesty's Ministers that another communication should be made to the Dey of Algiers, in the hope that means may yet be found for procuring due satisfaction for the honour of this country, without having recourse |