TO LADY HAMILTON. [From "Lord Nelson's Letters to Lady Hamilton," vol. ii. p. 39.] My dearest Emma, 2 Victory, May 27th, 1804. Yesterday, I took Charles Connor on board, from the Phoebe, to try what we can do with him. At present, poor fellow, he has got a very bad eye-and, I almost fear, that he will be blind of it-owing to an olive-stone striking the eye: but the Surgeon of the Victory, who is by far the most able medical man I have ever seen, and equally so as a Surgeon, [says] that, if it can be saved, he will do it. The other complaint, in his head, is but little more, I think, than it was when he first came to Deal; a kind of silly laugh, when spoken to. He always complains of a pain in the back part of his head; but when that is gone, I do not perceive but that he is as wise as many of his neighbours. You may rely, my dear Emma, that nothing shall be wanting, on my part, to render him every service. Capel," although, I am sure, very kind to younkers, I do not think, has the knack of keeping them in high discipline; he lets them be their own masters too much. I paid Charles's account, yesterday; since he has been in the Phoebe, £155 14s. However, he must now turn a new leaf; and I sincerely hope, poor fellow, he will yet do well. I wrote you on the 22nd, through Rosas, in Spain; and I shall write, in a few days, by Barcelona: this goes by Gibraltar. I have wrote Admiral Lutwidge; Mrs. Lutwidge must wait, for I cannot get through all my numerous letters: for, whoever writes, although upon their own affairs, are offended if they are not answered. I have not seen young Bailey I suppose, he is in the Leviathan. By the parcel, I see, he is in the Canopus; and I can, at present, be of no use to him. Charles is very much recovered. I write you, this day, by Barcelona. Your dear phiz-but not the least like you on the cup, is safe; but I would not use it, for the world; for, if it was broke, it would distress me very much. Your letters, by Swift, I shall never get back. The French Consul, : Doctor, now Sir George Magrath, K.H. Captain, now Vice-Admiral, the Honourable Sir Thomas Bladen Capel, K.C.B. Vide vol. iii. pp. 7, 103. at Barcelona, is bragging that he has three pictures of you from the Swift. I do not believe him; but, what if he had a hundred!..... I see, Lord Stafford is going to oppose Mr. Addington; the present Ministry cannot stand. I wish Mr. Addington had given you the pension; Pitt and hard-hearted Grenville, never will. What a fortune the death of Lord Camelford gives him! Everything you tell me about my dear Horatia charms me. I think I see her, hear her, and admire her; but she is like her dear, dear mother... Mr. Falcon is a clever man. He would not have made such a blunder as our friend Drake and Spencer Smith. I hear the last is coming, viâ Trieste, to Malta. Perhaps, he wants to get to Constantinople; and, if the Spencers get in, the Smiths will get anything. Mr. Elliot, I hear, is a candidate for it. He complains of the expense of Naples, I hear; and, that he cannot make both ends meet, although he sees no company. The histories of the Queen are beyond whatever I have heard from Sir William. Prince Leopold's establishment is all French. The Queen's favourite, Lieutenant-Colonel St. Clair, was a subaltern; La Tour, the Captain in the Navy; and, another! However, I never touch on these matters; for, I care not how she amuses herself. It will be the upset of Acton; or, rather, he will not, I am told, stay. The King is angry with her; his love is long gone by. I have only one word more-Do not believe a syllable the newspapers say, or what you hear. Mankind seems fond of telling lies. Remember me kindly to Mrs. Cadogan, and to all our mutual friends, and be assured that I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. George Campbell' desires me always to present his best respects; and make mine to good Mr. Yonge. What can I write him? I am sure he must have great pleasure in attending you: and when you see Sir William Scott, make my best regards acceptable to him. There is no man I have a higher opinion of, both as a public and private character. You will long ago have had my letter, with one to Davison, desiring he will pay for the alterations at Merton. I shall send you a letter for the hundred pounds a month to the Bank." * Rear-Admiral George Campbell. Afterwards Lord Stowell. * After the death of Sir William Hamilton, Lord Nelson made Lady Hamilton an annual allowance of £1200. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Letter-Book. "Monday, 28th May, A.M. At 6, Cape Sicie bore N. b W. W., distant 7 or 8 leagues. Light breezes and clear. Cleared Ship. Observed the Enemy's Ships coming round Cape Sepet. At Noon, Cape Sicie bore NW., distant 6 leagues. Excellent and Leviathan in company. P.M., moderate breezes and clear.past 12, hauled our wind on the Larboard Tack, and made sail. Hove to, and tried the current, and found it set nearly 1 mile in 6 hours, W.N.W. by compass. At 3:30, filled, and exercised great guns. At 4, hove to. The Enemy's Ships still standing to the Eastward alongshore, consisting of 4 Ships of the Line, 3 Frigates, and 2 Brigs, with some Gun-boats. Light breezes. Enemy's Ships tacked and stood in for Sepet."-Tuesday, 29th May, at Noon. Two of the Enemy's Ships under sail off Cape Sepet. Cape Sicie bore N. 4 W., distant 4 leagues. Excellent and Leviathan in company. Moderate breezes and hazy. past 12, hauled our wind on the Larboard tack, and made all sail in chase of a French Ship of the Line. At 1, bore up; at 2, hauled to S. b E. Fresh breezes and hazy. At 4:30, saw the Fleet, S.E. b S. At 5:45, joined ditto, consisting of Royal Sovereign, Canopus, Donegal, Belleisle, Renown, Gibraltar, Triumph, Ætna, Thunder, and Acheron."-Victory's Log.] Sir, Victory, at Sea, 28th May, 1804. I herewith transmit you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of my order of this day to Captain Ryves, of the Gibraltar; and also, of my letter to Commissioner Otway, respecting the refit of that Ship, which you will please to communicate to their Lordships; and also, acquaint them that the Kent will be ordered to proceed to England in July next-being the most moderate season of the year; and, fearful of any accident happening to her, I shall direct a Transport to accompany her on the passage. The Renown will take her place at Naples, but she ought to proceed to England before the winter, and the Superb must also be sent to England before that period arrives, as her stem, and the knees of her head, are loose and broke; nothing but the great exertions of Captain Keats has kept her at sea this last season. The Triumph will go to Gibraltar to get a new foremast, and probably be careened before the winter, if their Lordships do not think proper that she should proceed to England. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN GEORGE FREDERICK RYVES, H. M. SHIP GIBRALTAR. [Order-Book.] Victory, at Sea, 28th May, 1804. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having ordered Commissioner Otway to refit his Majesty's Ship Gibraltar, under your command, as signified to me in Sir Evan Nepean's letter, dated the 21st December, 1803, You are, in obedience to their Lordships' direction, hereby required and directed to proceed with his Majesty's said Ship to Gibraltar, and put her into the hands of the Naval Yard Officers at that place; but should Commissioner Otway, after examining the Gibraltar, find that she cannot be made an efficient Ship, I have directed him to state the same to you officially by letter, upon receipt of which, you are to proceed, without a moment's loss of time, to Rendezvous No. 97, under Cape St. Sebastians, where there is a Frigate stationed to acquaint any of his Majesty's Ships of my Rendezvous; and upon your joining me, I shall direct the Gibraltar to proceed to Malta, for the purpose of taking the Trade which may be collected there from the Archipelago and Adriatic to England. Commissioner Otway is furnished with a copy of this order, that no delay may attend its being put into immediate execution. Memorandum. NELSON AND BRONTE. It is my directions that you receive Doctor Scott and the Agent Victualler of the Fleet on board the Gibraltar; and if in passing Rendezvous No. 97, under Cape St. Sebastians, you should fall in with the Juno, you will deliver the accompanying letter to Captain Richardson, and afterwards land Doctor Scott with my dispatches at Barcelona. TO CAPTAIN SUTTON, H. M. SHIP AMPHION. [Autograph, in the possession of Captain Ives Sutton.] Victory, May 29th, 1804. My dear Sutton, If by any chance a Ship of the Line should become vacant, would you like to have her? I have been told that you would; and you will believe that I shall, upon every occasion, be happy to meet your wishes, being most truly, your much obliged, NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 29th May, 1804. On her You will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that his Majesty's Ship Victory, on her passage to the Mediterranean, captured the Ambuscade French Frigate, manned her with a sufficient number of Officers and Seamen, and directed her to proceed to Gibraltar. way there, and after she had parted company with the Victory, she fell in with and captured the Marie Therese, a French Merchantman, and carried her with her to that place. On the Ambuscade's arrival off the Mole with her Prize, as above, the Revolutionaire and Bittern, who were lying there, sent out their Boats to the said Merchant-Ship, (knowing her to be the Ambuscade's Prize,) and afterwards laid in their claim as joint captors in the Vice-Admiralty Court at Gibraltar; but upon trial of the said Vessel, their claim was thrown out, and the Marie Therese condemned as sole and legal prize to the Victory. The Agent, consequently, (after keeping the proceeds a considerable time in his possession to meet the claims of those Ships, in the event of any having been established by them in England,) not hearing of any claim being made, sent the Prize-money to the Victory for distribution; but has since acquainted the Captain of that Ship that the Marie Therese is claimed as a Droit of Admiralty. I therefore request you will be pleased to lay this particular case before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and move their Lordships, under the circumstances before mentioned, to order the Admiralty claim (if any has been made) to be withdrawn, as I consider it a very great hardship upon the Officers and Seamen of the Victory. I am, &c., Nelson and Bronte. Lord Nelson repeated this inquiry on the 1st of August, 1805, and the Admiralty, having referred to their Proctor, Mr. Gosling, they forwarded his Report to Lord Nelson on the 22nd of that mouth. It stated that the Lords of Appeal had, on the 5th of April 1805, reversed the sentence by which the Marie-Therese had been adjudged a Prize to the Victory, and condemned the Ship and Cargo as a |