having arranged the business of the Squadron, and placed under his command the Ships named in the margin,' exclusive of the Small craft, which are kept generally at anchor under Bornholm, under the direction of Captain Inman, who has had great merit in keeping them in proper discipline, and as no person at Bornholm could give them money for their bills, or, indeed, take them, I have directed Captain Inman to bring some of them to Rostock; and I must draw for money and supply them. As this proceeding may not be strictly regular, yet as all difficulties give way with me to the benefit of the King's service, I trust their Lordships will take care that I may not be censured for irregularity by the different Boards, if what I do is really for the good of the service. Having sent the Ganges, Defence, and Veteran to water in Kioge Bay, I left Rear-Admiral Totty in the evening, and anchored here this afternoon with eight sail of the Line, a Frigate, &c. I am so anxious to acquaint their Lordships with the apparent favourable change in the language of the Court of Russia, and of the observations made by Captain Fremantle on the state of the Russian Fleet, that I send the Speedwell; as I am of opinion their Lordships cannot be too minutely acquainted with every circumstance that passes in these critical times. I have the honour to be, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO EVAN NEPEAN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Letter Book.] St. George, May 24th, 1801. Not wishing to detain Lord St. Helens one moment, I gave to his Lordship all the papers I had received from Rear-Admiral Tchitchagoff and from Captain Fremantle, and directed the Lynx to bring them to me the next day, when Lord St. Helens would have had time to copy them, and to write his letter for England. But, as the Lynx is not arrived, and the 1 Saturn, Zealous, Powerful, Vengeance, Ramilies, Bellona, Ruby, Raisonnable, Shannon, Jamaica, Cruizer, and Lynx. wind perfectly fair for passing the Belt, I have determined to send off the Speedwell, and to recite, as well as my memory will allow, the tenour of the papers sent me, and the conversation which passed with the Russian Admiral. No. 1, was a very civil letter from Count Pahlen, saying that he was directed by the Emperor to send Admiral Tchitchagoff to hold a confidential communication with the Commander-in-Chief of the British Fleet, supposed to be (of course) Sir Hyde Parker, and that I might give full credit to all he said on this occasion. He began by stating the ardent desire the Emperor had shown from the moment he had commenced his reign, to return to his ancient amity between Russia and Great Britain, and that he fully expected a similar desire on the part of Great Britain; that Lord Hawkesbury's letter was announcing that hostilities would not be carried on in the Baltic, and that such orders had been sent to Sir Hyde Parker; that Sir Hyde Parker's letter was amicable, but held forth a threat, that it could only remain so, in case the British Shipping were immediately given up; and that this threat was in opposition to Lord St. Helens' letter. To which I replied, that Sir Hyde Parker's instructions were drawn up in forty-eight hours after it was known the death of the Emperor Paul; and that, certainly, he was instructed to send to Petersburg, to learn the disposition of the Court of Petersburg, and whether our Ships had been restored, in order that he might regulate his conduct by that of Russia; but that Sir Hyde Parker had shown the utmost complaisance to the wishes of the Emperor of Russia, by abstaining from all hostility against the trade of the Powers in the Baltic; and that the spirit of the instructions were- if the Emperor wishes to be sincere friends with us, that then we wished to be sincere friends with him; which Admiral Tchitchagoff having asserted in the name of the Emperor, I said—if that is the case, and you will declare it in writing, I will make your Court perfectly at ease about the disposition of my most gracious Sovereign.' And the Admiral having made the strongest declaration of the desire, on the part of the Emperor, to return to his ancient amity with Great Britain, and to see the peace of the North re-established, I then gave him the paper transmitted herewith; on receiving which, he said he could almost assure me that his Emperor would order the immediate restitution of the British shipping. As I knew Lord St. Helens was on the point of arriving, I did not choose to enter into the subjects of Danish and Swedish [Ships] detained, which he wished to have had my opinion upon: I only generally said, that the Treaty of December last was looked upon, in England, by all ranks, as a most scandalous attempt to injure Great Britain. We parted the best possible friends. I have the honour to be, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO WILLIAM BECKFORD, ESQ. [Autograph, in the possession of the Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon.] My dear Sir, St. George, Bay of Rostock, May 24th, 1801. This day week was at Revel, in the Gulf of Finland. I have to give you many thanks for your truly kind and friendly letter of April 29th. It is not tiresome being congratulated on good fortune from those you believe sincere, but it is far different if you know the writers hate you, and wish you had miscarried; and, as I have had so many proofs of your real kindness for me I feel truly gratified by your remembrance. I hope Lord St Helens will arrange amicably our affairs with the Northern Powers; and as to France, if she dares to stir off her shores, I only wish our seamen to meet them half seas over. As to myself, I am knocked up, and only want to enjoy, during this negotiation, a little repose, to enable me, if better men will not come forth, to meet these Northern blades. They do not want for courage, that is certain; but in the management of their Fleet, they would, I am [sure,] miserably fail; and two-thirds of their numbers. must beat them, if we make use of the skill God Almighty has blessed us with. I trust I shall be, in eight or ten days, in London, and shall have the greatest pleasure in apprising you personally with what esteem and real regard I feel myself your truly obliged, NELSON AND Bronte. My patronage to Mr. Tomkins is not worth a farthing ; and I hear that a print is coming out, done by Captain dedicated to me: if, under these circumstances, my [name] can be of any use to Mr. T. he is heartily welcome to it. TO MESSRS. THOMSON AND POWER. [Letter-Book.] Gentlemen, St. George, Rostock, May 25th, 1801. I am favoured with your polite letter of May and I have to thank you for your expression of regard and esteem, and I assure you that I never shall forget the kindness I experienced in Hamburgh. I truly felt for the situation which that City was lately placed in; and if at any time it should be in my power to assist in maintaining the freedom of that ancient and respectable City, (so useful to Europe in general,) it would afford me infinite satisfaction. Respecting provisions for the Fleet, my duty points out that I am to obtain them at the lowest prices, and of the best qualities: whoever is willing to make proposals, the road is open; and the person who will serve Government on the best terms is the person whom I must employ, without partiality, favour, or affection. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. Sir, TO EVAN NEPEAN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Letter-Book.] St. George, off Rostock, May 25th, 1801. I dispatched the Speedwell early this morning, with an account of my proceedings up to last night; and in the course of to-day the Lynx returned with Count Pahlen's letters from Lord St. Helens, copies of which I now send you. When his Lordship joined the Squadron, I gave him the original Declaration made by the Russian Admiral Tchitchagoff, as it was my wish not to detain him for a moment. It is with real concern I find he has not returned either that, or á copy. His Lordship has sent letters for Lord Hawkesbury; probably it may be enclosed in them; but the purport of the Declaration is, what I stated in a letter to you, forwarded in the Speedwell. I enclose for their Lordships' perusal a few words that the Emperor of Russia said to Captain Skene, after stopping the carriage he was riding in at Petersburgh. I am, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ., ST. JAMES'S SQUARE. [Autograph, in the possession of Colonel Davison.] My dear Davison, Bay of Rostock, May 25th, 1801. The morning I sailed from Yarmouth, I wrote you a letter, and several others, which were put on board a Ship left behind, in which I requested you to give Mrs. William Nelson' £100 for me, and I do not hear, either from you or any person, that the letter got safe to you. Respecting poor Maurice's wife, if her necessities require it, every farthing which his kindness gave me shall be used, if she wants it; therefore, I beg you will be everything generous towards her, for she shall ever be by me considered as his honoured wife. Every moment I am looking out for a new Admiral. May God bless you, and believe me ever your affectionate friend, NELSON AND Bronte. This day comes on my trial with the great Earl. May the just gain it. Pray send the inclosed. Harpy and Speedwell must have arrived. 9 My dear Sir, TO REAR-ADMIRAL TOTTY. [Letter-Book.] St. George, Rostock Bay, 26th May, 1801. I am favoured with your letter of yesterday; and the Swedish Cutter brought almost a duplicate of the Admiral's Captain Alexander Skene: he was posted in April 1802, and died about 1824. |