which to appoint an Agent who will be responsible to account for the proceeds of the same to the proper Officer of the Court of Admiralty in England:

In answer to which, you will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that, in obedience to their order, I have appointed an Agent at Malta, and one at Gibraltar, both Agent-Victuallers; and as such, consequently, men of known integrity and public worth, and I must add of very high estimation in their private characters, to be responsible to account for the proceeds of such Ships and cargoes to the proper Officer of the Court of Admiralty in England. But from knowing the impossibility of manning the several detained Vessels, particularly those sent into Malta, as well as the danger and risk of sending them to England, many of them being in a bad state, I have judged it for the interest of the Crown and Captors to order all the Spanish Vessels and their cargoes, detained prior to the 11th day of January last, to be disposed of at public sale at Malta and Gibraltar, taking it for granted that the Vice-Admiralty Courts at those places will have received the necessary instructions to proceed against them; and herewith transmit you for their Lordships' information, a copy of the authority I have given to Mr. Patrick Wilkie at Malta, and Mr. James Cutforth at Gibraltar, which I hope will meet their Lordships' approbation.

I cannot here omit mentioning that to man the several detained Ships, upwards of three hundred Seamen would be required; and that under the many accidents which they would naturally be liable to during a long and tedious passage from Malta, I do not feel it would be right, or consistent with the interest of those concerned, to order them to England, and therefore hope, from the reasons before-mentioned, that their Lordships will agree with me in opinion. I am, Sir, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO PATRICK WILKIE, ESQ., AGENT VICTUALLER, MALTA, HEREBY APPOINTED SOLE AND ENTIRE AGENT FOR ALL THE SPANISH SHIPS AND VESSELS, WITH THEIR CARGOES, ETC., SENT INTO MALTA AS AFORESAID, PRIOR TO THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 1805.

[From a Copy in the Admiralty.]

Victory, in Palma Bay, 27th March, 1805. Whereas the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have directed me by their order, bearing date of the 1st February, 1805, to send to England all Spanish Ships and Vessels with their cargoes, that have been detained at sea by his Majesty's Fleet under my command prior to the 11th day of January 1805, (the date of the King's Proclamation for granting reprisals against Spain,) in order to prevent abuses, and to insure the said Ships and cargoes being disposed of to their full value, (except such part of the cargoes as may, from their perishable state, be necessary to dispose of at Malta,) and having, at the same time, authorized me to appoint an Agent, who will be held responsible to account for the proceeds of the same to the proper Officer of the Court of Admiralty in England: And whereas I think proper, from the high and honourable character I have received of you, as well as from the public confidence which Government reposes in you as Agent Victualler, to appoint you to be the sole and entire Agent for all the Spanish Ships and Vessels detained and sent into Malta by the Fleet under my command, prior to the 11th day of January 1805, as before mentioned:

I do, by virtue of the power and authority to me granted, hereby nominate and appoint you sole and entire Agent, on behalf of the Crown and Captors, for all the Spanish Ships and Vessels detained and sent into Malta by the Fleet under my command, prior to the said 11th day of January 1805; and do hereby require and authorize you (from judging the impracticability of sending the said Ships and Vessels with their cargoes to England, as directed by their Lordships, as aforesaid,) to enter upon, and immediately dispose of at public sale, the said Spanish Ships and Vessels with their cargoes, detained as aforesaid, prior to the 11th day of January 1805, and sent into Malta; and to transmit a regular account of

their sales and amount, respectively, to the proper Officer of the Court of Admiralty in England, to whom you are to hold yourself accountable for the whole, and every particular transaction and amount of the said Vessels, and their cargoes; and you will also, in like manner, transmit to me copies of the accounts of sale, and the amounts thereof accordingly; and, for so doing, this shall be your full and sufficient authority. NELSON AND BRONTE. N.B.-An order of the above tenor and date sent to Mr. Cutforth, Agent-Victualler, Gibraltar.

TO CAPTAIN BRABAZON.'

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 353.]

[Apparently towards the end of March, 1805.] Although upwards of thirty years have passed away since we met, yet I can never forget your great kindness; and believe me, nothing could give me greater pleasure, than an opportunity of being useful to any friend of yours. The loss of that very fine Sloop the Raven, has consequently sent all the Officers to England; and although it would not, probably, have been in my power to promote your nephew at present, yet you may rely that I shall bear him in my mind, and a future occasion may offer. I hope some day, not very far distant, that I shall enjoy the pleasure of having you under my roof at Merton, where you shall have a most hearty welcome from, my dear Brabazon, your very old and much obliged friend, NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Original, in the Admiralty.]

Victory, in Palma Bay, Sardinia, 29th March, 1805.

Sir, I herewith transmit you, for the information of the Lords. Commissioners of the Admiralty, the sentence of a Court

1 Captain Lambert Brabazon: he was Posted in 1782; for some years commanded the Dorset Yacht at Dublin; was passed over in Flag promotions, and died the Senior Post Captain in April 1811. His nephew mentioned in this letter has not been identified.

Martial, held yesterday on board his Majesty's Ship Royal Sovereign, on Captain Farquhar, the Officers, and Company of his Majesty's late Bomb-Vessel Acheron, for the loss of the same in Action with the Enemy on the 4th February last, which leaves little for me to say on the gallant conduct of Captain Farquhar, the Officers, and Company of the said late Vessel in Action with an Enemy of such superior force, as well as for the most able defence made for the security and escape of the Convoy under their protection, which certainly was effected by their judicious arrangements previous to the Action; and the most gallant defence made by the Arrow and Acheron in the unequal contest, which, from every information that I have received, reflects equal honour on Captain Vincent, his Officers, and Company, and very justly entitles those Commanders to their Lordships' patronage. I am, Sir, &c.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA.

[Autograph, in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.]

My dear Ball,

Victory, March 29th, 1805.

Many, many thanks for all your truly kind letters, which I received on my anchoring at Palma. I shall read with attention your paper upon Egypt; but till I dispatch off my letters

The Court considered "that the conduct of Captain Farquhar on both days was highly meritorious and deserving imitation, and that he was bravely supported by the Officers and Ship's Company on the occasion, and doth most honourably acquit Captain Farquhar, the Officers and Company of His Majesty's late Bomb-Vessel Acheron of all blame; and they are hereby most honourably acquitted accordingly." On returning Captain Farquhar his sword, the President, Sir Richard Bickerton, said, "I hope you will soon be called upon to serve in a Ship that will enable you to meet L'Hortense upon more equal terms. The result of the contest may prove more lucrative to you, but it cannot be more honourable."-Marshall's Naval Biography, vol. ii. p. 931. Captain Vincent, of the Arrow, was tried at Portsmouth on the 17th of June, and most honourably acquitted, by a sentence no less eulogistic and flattering. Both these gallant Officers were immediately made Post Captains. Of Captain Vincent, who became a Companion of the Bath and died in August 1831, there is a Memoir in the Naval Chronicle, vol. xvii. Captain Farquhar died, & Rear-Admiral of the White, a Knight Commander of the Bath, and a Knight Commander of the Guelphs, in October 1843.

for England, for which the Renown is waiting at Gibraltar, I have not a moment to myself. I am glad you approved of my voyage to Egypt, and that may be their future destination. I shall remain here a very few weeks longer, when, if the French do not put to sea, I think it very probable they will lay up for the summer, unless the Brest, or Ferrol, and Cadiz Fleet should come into the Mediterranean. I am fully aware that more Sloops of War are wanted for the service of Malta and the Convoys to the Eastward, than I have in the Mediterranean; but none are sent me, and my force decreases every day. Gibraltar is in absolute distress; they have not force sufficient to convoy over their Bullock-Vessels. Fox has called upon Sir John Orde, who tells him he must refer to me, which he has done, and I have been forced to answer him, that I regretted the Officer at the Straits' Mouth was not junior to me, when I should order him to take care of Gibraltar. But this cannot go on. I have, on January 7th, wrote home of what would happen; and I dare say, Orde has a trimmer before this time. He will not be suffered to remain

It is curious to find that, at the moment when Sir John Orde's conduct caused Lord Nelson such dissatisfaction, he should have been no less displeased with Nelson's proceedings towards him. The reply to the following letter from Sir John Orde to the First Lord of the Admiralty, was an immediate compliance with his request; and he was desired, on the arrival of the Glory at Spithead, to strike his flag and come on shore. He was never again employed, and died an Admiral of the Red in February 1824. Sir John Orde, who was thus twice (vide vol. iii. 25) in collision with Lord Nelson, was one of the supporters of the pall at his funeral.

"TO LORD MELVILLE.

"My Lord, "Glory, off Cadiz, March 27th, 1805. "Since writing the accompanying letter, I have received dispatches from the Board as late as the 26th February; but no orders about the specie on board the Ships of War, nor any word that can satisfy my doubts respecting the propriety of my conduct in ordering the blockade of Cadiz.

By these dispatches, I am made acquainted with the Admiralty having authorized Lord Nelson to appoint an Agent for the disposal of certain parts of the property detained by my Squadron; and saw at Gibraltar an arrangement I should have thought myself entitled to complain of, had I been junior to his Lordship. I am also informed of its being their Lordships' opinion that it is an essential part of the duty of the Squadron under my command to protect the Trade of England to Gibraltar. This expectation, I must confess, I was not prepared to have satisfied, not only because of my general orders, but also because of the insufficiency of my Squadron for this duty, in addition to the many others it is called upon to perform. "Some other Officer, my Lord, may possibly feel those circumstances less mortifying than I do; and, possessing greater abilities, may be able to perform all that