mentioned in the copy of Colonel M'Neil's letter to Captain Keats, dated the 26th July last, by which you will particularly govern yourself in this transaction, that Government may not be put to an unnecessary expense on the present occasion, or the bullocks be inferior in weight or quantity to what is considered an agreement. I must also desire that you will transmit the whole of these papers, from No. 1 to 5, to the Officer who I shall think proper to send to Naples, together with a copy of this letter, in order that he may proceed to Salerno, and bring with him the other forty bullocks from Mr. Warrington, who is hereby directed to pay for them in the same manner, and to govern himself agreeably to the said instructions. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE GRAND VIZIR.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 371.]

13th June, 1804.

Buonaparte, by whatever name he may choose to call himself-General, Consul, or Emperor-is the same man we have always known, and the common disturber of the human race; it is much more dangerous to be his friend than his enemy. With the appearance of friendship he deceives; to be on the latter terms, the hand should be always on the sword. May God grant his Imperial Majesty health and length of days, and may your Highness for many, many years, guide his councils with your wisdom. I beg of your Highness to assure his Imperial Majesty, that I am penetrated with his condescension in remembering my former exertions in the execution of my duty: whilst my health remains, they shall never cease. Other Admirals will readily be found of probably more abilities, but none with more zeal to cement the harmony and perfect good understanding between our two good Sovereigns. The French Fleet is quite safe in Toulon, and for the summer they cannot readily escape without a Battle. May God give the victory to the just cause. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte.

TO MR. STODDARD, GENOA.'

From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. ii. p. 363. “Friday, 15th June, 1804” (i. e., the afternoon of Thursday, the 14th of June.) “At 4:30, bore up for the Grand Pass of the Hières Islands; set studding-sails and royals. At 5, observed the Enemy's Ships coming out of Toulon: in studding-sails and royals, and hauled in Line of Battle on the starboard tack, the Enemy's Ships consisting of eight Sail of the Line and four Frigates. Wore Ship. At 7:35, tacked; in 1st and 2nd reefs topsails. Moderate and clear. Cape Sicie, bore N.W. b N., dist. 7 leagues, and the S.E. end of Porquerolle bore N.E. b E. E., distant 7 miles. Fresh breezes; in 3rd reefs topsails, down jib and handed the mainsail. At 12:20, wore Ship. At 1:30 (A.M. of Friday, 15th], wore and hove-to. At 3:45, out 3rd reef topsails; set the foresail. 4, wore, and set the mainsail and spanker. Out 2nd reefs; set top gallaut sails and royals. In royals and stay-sails. dist. 7 or eight leagues. Tacked; moderate and clear. occasionally. Out 1st reef topsails, and set the royals. noon, the N.W. end of Porquerolle bore E. by N. † N., dist. 11 miles. Squadron in company."

Cape Sicie bore N. 3 W., Made and shortened sail Bore up to the E.N.E. At

Sunday, 17th June, 1804. Saw the detached Squadron bearing N.E. b E. Set studding-sails and royals. Out launch. Shortened sail, and joined all the Squadron-viz., Royal Sovereign, Triumph, Leviathan, Renown, Active, Seahorse, Maidstone, Thunder, Acheron, Etna, and three Transports. Employed getting on board bread from the Chatham Transport.”—Victory's Log.]

16th June, 1804.

I am blockading Genoa, &c., and am continuing it in the way I think most proper. Whether modern law or ancient law makes my mode right, I cannot judge; and surely of the mode of disposing of a Fleet, I must, if I am fit for my post, be a better judge than any landsman, however learned he

.....

↑ Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 362, give fragments of two other Letters from Lord Nelson to Mr. Stoddard, at Genoa, one written in March, 1804; but no date is assigned to the other:-" In writing, during the month of March, to Mr. Stoddard, at Genoa, his Lordship thus answered some objections that had been made respecting the blockade of that Port, and the seizure of Vessels: It is my bounden duty, Sir, to make these seizures, and they will be continued until the Admiralty order the contrary. Whether the Admiralty be right, or wrong, in giving these orders, is not my business: obedience is my duty. . . . . . Eleven years' expe rience has taught me how to blockade Genoa, or any other Port in the Mediterranean, and the capture of Vessels breaking the blockade, is, I believe, a full proof of it. In a subsequent letter, he added: In my humble opinion, Vessels of War never ought to be seen from Genoa; and if I knew of forty Sail intending to leave Genoa for Cadiz or Lisbon, for instance, I should order a look out to be kept for them more particularly in the Gut of Gibraltar, than any other place; and, from my knowledge of Genoa and its Gulf, I assert, without fear of contradiction, that the nearer Ships cruise to Genoa, the more certain is the escape of Vessels from that Port, or their entrance into it insured.'"

may appear. It would be the act of a fool to tell Europe where I intend to place the Ships, for the purpose of effectually obeying my orders; not a Captain can know it, and their positions will vary, according to information I may receive: therefore, if I were so inclined, I can assure you, upon my word, that I cannot at any one moment tell the most likely spot to intercept the commerce of Genoa and Especia. I endeavour, as well as I am able, to obey my orders, without entering into the nice distinctions of lawyers. I will not further take up your time on a subject which, without being a lawyer, merely as a man, could have admitted of no dispute. I am, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE CAPTAIN OR COMMANDER OF ANY OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS OR VESSELS IN THE ADRIATIC.

[Letter-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 18th June, 1804.

Sir,

Should his Excellency Thomas Jackson, Esq., his Britannic Majesty's Minister to the King of Sardinia, judge it necessary, from the Political circumstances of that Country, to leave Rome, it is my directions, upon this letter being produced, that you immediately receive Mr. Jackson, his suite, and baggage, on board his Majesty's Ship or Vessel under your command, and proceed with them to Trieste, Venice, or any other Port in the Adriatic where his Excellency may desire, and you shall think perfectly consistent with the safety of his Majesty's Ship [to go.] Having performed this service, you are immediately to return to the execution of your former orders. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR VICTUALLING HIS MAJESTY'S NAVY, LONDON.

[Letter-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 18th June, 1804.

Gentlemen,

As the substitution of rice for cheese is not in general liked by the Ships' Companies, who do not take up near their allowance of that species of provisions, it may, therefore, shortly be expected that lists of the savings of rice as cheese, will be delivered to me, by the respective Captains of the Fleet under my command, for payment. I must, therefore, desire to acquaint you therewith; and that as it has been the custom of this Country to pay the Ships' Companies their savings of oil as butter and cheese, and the measure appearing to me so just and reasonable, that the savings of rice as cheese should be paid for as savings of the latter, that I can have no doubt of its propriety. But as the quantities may be considerable, it is my wish that the payment of such savings should have the approbation and authority of your Board, and, therefore, I request that you will furnish me with your regulations on this subject accordingly. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN PULTENEY MALCOLM, H.M. SHIP KENT.

[Autograph, in the possession of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm.]

Dear Sir,

Victory, June 18th, 1804.

I am much obliged by your letter of June 3rd, by the Maidstone. If the French do stop our supplies from Naples, we shall do very well. I have always looked too far forward, ever to be really distressed; but I dare say anything may be got off from Naples, with prudent management. When you come away, which will be in about a month, if Mr. Warrington has, on account of Colonel M'Neil, bought 100 head of cattle for the Fleet, you will have to go to Salerno, to take them on board; and you will take care that all impediments are removed, before you proceed there. The price, weight,

&c., is fixed, and will be sent you with the order. I approve very much of Mr. Taylor's return to Malta. It never was my intention that he should [go] further than to arrange matters, and that the articles were not to be paid for, until delivered to the Kent, or other King's Ship.

I thank

you for

for your

letter of May 24th, and for the newspaper, which was very interesting. I am, dear Sir, your

obliged and obedient servant,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ.

My dear Sir,

[Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.]

Victory, June 18th, 1804.

By the Maidstone I was favoured with your truly interesting letters respecting the removal of Sir John Acton. The General must, I think, possess more than ever the confidence of both our, and the Russian Ministry, from the very circumstance of his being so much hated by the French. Gallo and Micheroux never can. They have shown, on all occasions, too evident a partiality to the French, or, to say no worse, dislike to us. I am obliged by your sending me the letter from Sir John Warren, which your Excellency did most perfectly right in reading. I beg to trouble you with an answer, which the Russian Minister will forward. I was in hopes to hear of 100,000 Russians, and as many Austrians, coming into Italy-that would do everything which we could wish. The changes of Ministry can make none in our connexions with Foreign Powers; but I still think it may bring about a Peace.

We are as usual: the French Fleet safe in Toulon; but, upon the 14th, Monsr. La Touche came out with eight Sail of the Line and six Frigates, cut a caper off Sepet, and went in again. I was off with five Ships of the Line, and brought to for his attack, although I did not believe that anything was meant serious, but merely a gasconade. I wrote to General Acton, by the Fame' on the 10th; but he desired me to answer

A Neapolitan Corvette, which had brought Lord Nelson dispatches off Toulon.