an opinion. But if I commanded, I would torment the scoundrels night and day. Lion was said to be seen last night, and, except Vincejo, all have been blown to leeward. I send your Lordship my letters from Corfu and Constantinople. The Russian plan for those Islands is pretty evident. My state of health is very precarious. Two days ago I dropped with a pain in my heart, and I am always in a fever; but the hopes of these gentry coming out shall support me for a few days longer. I ardently desire to see this Malta business finished. With every sentiment of respect, believe me, my dear Lord, your most obedient servant, BRONTE NELSON. TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL GRAHAM. My dear General, [Letter-Book.] March 3rd, 1800. I send you a copy of Lord Keith's letter to me, by which you will see (what I never doubted) that the French Corvettes will certainly endeavour to get into La Valetta; and as, from the weather we have lately had, there is the greatest probability that, in time, one of them may escape our vigilance—for instance, last night laying-to, under reefed mainsail, and from my having orders to keep the Squadron as closely collected as possible, as a French Fleet may be expected, I have not the power to send Ships of the Line to cruize to the westward. I beg leave, therefore, with all due deference to your superior judgment, to submit whether it would not be possible, by false attacks at night, and by a constant firing of guns and mortars, so to harass a half-starved Garrison, as to induce them to give in, before some one of the Vessels may arrive; for if the French Government persevere in their endeavours, at all risk of capture, to relieve by small Vessels the distresses of the Garrison, they must in time succeed. It will not be long, from my very ill state of health, that I can be with you, when the command will devolve on my brave and dear friend Troubridge, or be resumed by Lord Keith, both of whom I am ready to allow, with more judgment to effect, but not with more ardent desire to finish this long and tedious blockade, than, my dear General, your affectionate BRONTE NELSON. Martin has a letter for you from Lord Keith. Sir, TO THE BASHA OF TRIPOLI. [Letter-Book.] Foudroyant, off Malta, March 4th, 1800. I have the pleasure to send you, in his Britannic Majesty's Ship Strombolo, all your Subjects who I had the happiness to retake in the French Ship, Le Généreux, of 74 guns, on the 18th February. Lord Keith, the Commander in Chief of the British Fleet in the Mediterranean, has I am told wrote to your Highness, but I cannot deprive myself of the pleasure of addressing one line to you, in order to assure your Excellency of my happiness in having had an opportunity of rescuing so many of your Subjects from a French prison, and begging you to believe that I am your Highness's obedient servant, BRONTE NELSON. TO SIMON LUCAS, ESQ., CONSUL AT TRIPOLI. [Letter-Book.] Dear Sir, Foudroyant, off Malta, 4th March, 1800. As Lord Keith, the Commander in Chief of the Mediterrancan Fleet, has doubtless wrote to you, it is not necessary for me to trouble you much at length. The Bashaw will, of course, receive my great attention, in sending over his subjects taken by the French, as it deserves; and you will not fail to impress on his mind, that Nelson is never unmindful of his friends, and what pleasure it gives me to mark my attention to him. The Bashaw was very good in supplying the El Corso with some rope, which was duly reported to me, and for which I beg you will thank his Excellency in my name. The French in Egypt were to enter into a treaty with the Turks for the evacuation of Egypt, and some progress is reported to be made in it, but Europe can never suffer those robbers to return but as prisoners of war. The three French Corvettes who escaped, when the Généreux and Store-ship were taken, I think, may have put into some of the Ports in Tripoli; if they have, I trust the Bashaw will give a good account of them. You will have heard that Buonaparte has had the impudence to ask a peace with England; which, of course, has been refused, unless it was a general one for all the world. The campaign in Italy was to open February 25th; therefore I expect daily to hear of the taking of Genoa, and of the march of the Imperial army to Nice. This place will very soon fall, I have no doubt, as I daily expect 2000 more troops from Minorca, and the French are in great distress for provisions. I hope your health has been long re-established, and I beg you to believe that I am, dear Sir, your obedient servant, BRONTE NELSON. TO VICE-ADMIRAL LORD KEITH, K.B. My dear Lord, [Letter-Book.] March 8th, 1800. You will see, by my Journal, what terrible weather we have had, and all our movements. The fever still increases in the Northumberland, although every man is sent on shore the moment he is seized. The French prisoners are put into the Fame transport, and I shall soon try and remove them to the Island of Comino. I dread to hear of the Ships with you; the disorder is, as you said, a jail fever, and of the worst kind. I expect General Graham on board, and shall detain the Penelope till he comes. I have directed Captain Blackwood to call and deliver a letter from me to Sir William Hamilton, requesting his urging General Acton for four Gun-boats. I know you have made a similar requisition; but I hope very soon that the weather will become so moderate, that they can be employed to watch off the harbour, a measure very necessary, as on the night of the 4th, a fast-sailing Polacca, of about seventy tons, did get out, but was chased in again by our Ships. I think Vaubois wants to get information of his deplorable situation to France. We have no tidings of the French Corvettes, and I begin to think that they are either gone to Egypt or Corsica; for if they have stayed at sea twenty-nine days, the time they have left Toulon, they must have the plague. We have got the Prize Ship afloat, and Troubridge intends to have her round to Marsa Sirocco; he has sent her by the Sirene Tender, to offer her for sale to the Bashaw of Tripoli; but of course she will not be delivered without your permission. Troubridge thinks the brass guns might be sold with her, for we do not want them. I do not believe, from what I hear, that except the Ship, there is £500 of property in her. All the Tripolines are sailed in the Sirene, with a fair wind, and tolerable weather. The Success is watering in St. Paul's, but goes to the westward this evening. I am sorry to tell you that my health continues to be so very indifferent, that I am obliged, in justice to myself, to retire to Palermo for a few weeks, and to direct Troubridge to carry on the service during my necessary absence. I shall quit this station when matters are all put in a right way. I am, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. །། N JOURNAL FROM THE 26TH OF FEBRUARY TO THE 10TH OF [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] February 26th, at 2 P.M.-Ordered the Foudroyant to be anchored on St. Paul's bank-she having split her maintopsail and foresail, parted the cable, let go another anchor. The Commander-in-Chief weighed and stood to the North East, leaving in sight the Lion, Minorca, and Perseus, and under my command Culloden, Lion, Success, Bonne Citoyenne. All night, hard gales. A.M. Hard gales, no communi cation with the shore-two Sail in sight, under main-topsails and foresails. 27th.-Strong gales till evening, when it moderated. Governor Ball sent me word that he was sure the French Ships would attempt to put to sea the first favourable moment. No Ship near us, blowing very fresh all night. A.M. In the morning, more moderate: attempted to get our anchor; but the wind freshening, was obliged to give up, leaving a stream cable on it. 28th. The Entreprenant Cutter joined from Corfu : read her dispatches, and directed her to the Commander-inChief; but having received seventy Maltese for the Genéréux, I directed her to call off Marsa Sirocco, as Commodore Troubridge had them all ready, and the way the wind blew, it could not make a difference of two hours. At nine, the Cameleon joined from Sir Sidney Smith with dispatches. At half-past ten, sent to Lord Keith to Syracuse, or to follow him to Leghorn. 1st March.-Governor Ball came on board to tell me of the state of the Ships in La Valetta, and that, in his opinion, the wind coming round to the S.W., they would endeavour to put out in the night: directed the Lion to anchor off Marsa Scala, the Alexander off St. Julian's, Foudroyant off La Valetta, the Success to keep near us, as also the Vincejo, the Minorca, and . . In the night it came on a sudden squall at N.E., by which, I believe, the Ship was drove in shore; for at daylight she was within reach of shot, which the French fired at her till ten o'clock, when she was warped out of gun-shot without any damage except wounding the fore top-mast. 2nd. At four, weighed with a light breeze, southerly. In the night, variable winds and squally. Strong gales to the N.W. all day. 3rd. At four, joined the Northumberland; received Lord Keith's letters and orders of the 27th February; heavy gales all night; laying to under a reefed mainsail. A.M. More moderate; directed Captain Martin to carry the powder into Marsa Sirocco, and to desire Commodore Troubridge to dispose of the French prisoners in a Transport, as they have a bad fever. 4th. The wind coming to W.S.W., got the Foudroyant to |