never can now go to sea, except for a fine passage, without being hove down. He is now at Malta, which place, I hope, time and perseverance, will put into our hands. Lord Keith is now going with me from Leghorn (where I went to meet him) to Palermo and Malta. February 6th.-Lord Keith has just got accounts, that General Fox is to send some Troops for Malta. The King of Naples sends twelve hundred in our Ships; therefore I hope this terrible long business will be brought to a close. I sincerely thank you, my dear Lord, for your good wishes for my return to England: that event hangs on those things which are not in my power to command; but at present I see no prospect of my return. I did not fail to present your kindest regards to Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and they rejoice with me at your recovery. May the heavens ever bless you, my dear friend; and believe me, for life, your affectionate and obliged, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO LADY HAMILTON. [From the "Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton," vol. i. p. 13.] My dear Lady Hamilton, February 3rd, 1800. Having a Commander-in-Chief,' I cannot come on shore till I have made my manners to him. Times are changed; but if he does not come on shore directly, I will not wait. In the meantime, I send Allen to inquire how you are. Send 'Lord Nelson felt deeply mortified at a Commander-in-Chief being sent to the Mediterranean; and his friends Sir William and Lady Hamilton, as well as some of his Captains, frequently expressed themselves very unfavourably towards Lord Keith. Soon after Lord Keith arrived in the Mediterranean, Sir William Hamilton was superseded as Minister to the King of the Two Sicilies, by the Honourable Arthur Paget, (the late Right Honourable Sir Arthur Paget, G.C.B.,) and in a letter to Lord Nelson, written on the 7th of February 1800, Sir William Hamilton, after speaking slightingly of Lord Keith, and eulogizing all Nelson's measures, said," As I now find that Lord Keith is really in the place of Lord St. Vincent, established Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, I have now not a doubt but we shall have the extreme satisfaction of returning home with our dearest friend Lord Nelson; for your Lordship will have known from Emma, that I have either (after thirty-six years service at this Court,) been either kicked up or down out of my post; and Mr. Paget, Lord Uxbridge's son, is named Envoy Extraordinary and me word, for I am anxious to hear of you. It has been no fault of mine, that I have been so long absent. I cannot command, and now only obey. Mr. Tyson and the Consul have not been able to find out the betrothed wife of the Priore, although they were three days in their inquiries, and desired the Neapolitan Consul to send to Pisa. I also desired the Russian Admiral, as he was going to Pisa, to inquire if the Countess Pouschkin had any letters to send to Palermo; but as I received none, I take for granted she had none to send. May God bless you, my dear Lady; and be assured, I ever am, and shall be, your obliged and affectionate, BRONTE NELSON." TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] My dear Father, Palermo, February 7th, 1800. I can assure you that one of the greatest rewards in this world is your approbation of my conduct; and in having done my duty in life so fortunately, I have always recollected what pleasure this will give my father. Although few things in this world could give me so much pleasure as seeing you, yet I see but little prospect of my going to England at this moment of the war; but we shall meet when and where it pleases God, and my only prayer is that your life may be prolonged, and that every moment I may be able to increase your felicity: but whether I am higher or lower in the world, or whatever fate awaits me, I shall always be your dutiful son, BRONTE NELSON. So Plenipotentiary to the King of the Two Sicilies, and is on his way here in a Frigate. I have not had the least hint of such an intention from England, public or private; but Lord Grenville has a letter of mine, the beginning of the year 1798, authorizing his Lordship to dispose of my place to whom he pleased, if he would ensure me an annuity for life, of clear two thousand pounds sterling-not a nominal pension, as I would rather continue all my life at Naples than retire for less. that, as the Marquis Circello's letter to Acton says that my retreat is at my own desire, and that the King reserves for me what will always give me the pleasing satisfaction of having gained the esteem and approbation of their Sicilian Majesties, my request must have been fully granted. I suppose it is a Cabinet job, wishing to provide for Paget, and they could do it no other way than by satisfying me. I see gives much uneasiness at this Court, and poor Emma is in the greatest distress. But let me get home, and settle my affairs, and she and the Queen may dispose of my old carcass as they please."-Autograph, in the Nelson Papers. TO CAPTAIN SIR EDWARD BERRY, H. M. SHIP FOUDROYANT. [From a Copy in the Nelson Papers. On the 9th of February, his Sicilian Majesty went on board the Queen Charlotte, and on the following day he visited the Foudroyant. She received some Sicilian troops for Malta, and sailed for that Island on the 12th, in company with the Queen Charlotte, bearing Lord Keith's flag. Passing through the Faro of Messina, they made the Island of Malta on the 15th, and early in the morning of the 18th, fell in with a small French Squadron, under Rear-Admiral Perrée, in Le Généreux, 74, bound from Toulon to Malta with troops. The fate of those Ships is described in Lord Nelson's official letter to Lord Keith, of the 18th of February.] My dear Sir Edward, Palermo, February 7th, 1800. You shall rally-you shall be well: young men will be young men, and we must make allowances. If you expect to find anything like perfection in this world you will be mistaken therefore do not think of little nonsenses too much. Such strictness as you show to your duty falls to the lot of few, and no person in this world is more sensible of your worth and goodness in every way than myself. Let all pass over, and come and dine here. As you are ready to execute my orders, take this of coming to this house as a positive and lawful one. When I see a Ship better ordered than the Foudroyant, I will allow you to confine yourself on board. Ever, my dear Sir Edward, believe me your truly sincere friend, BRONTE NELSON. Lady Hamilton humbly insists that you come on shore. TO VICE-ADMIRAL LORD KEITH, K.B. [From the Letter-Book, and the "London Gazette" of the 29th of March 1800. Lord Keith wrote to the Admiralty, on the 20th of February, the following dispatch, transmitting Lord Nelson's letter: 66 Sir,-My letter of the 15th acquainted you, for the information of their Lordships, that I had received intelligence of the reported approach of an Enemy's Squadron towards this Island; and although I had considerable difficulty in persuading myself that they would hazard the attempt in the face of so superior a force, I nevertheless considered it incumbent upon me to take the necessary precautions of reconnoitring the quarter in which they were to be expected, and, at the same time, guarding most particularly the entrance of the harbour of Valetta, as the only point in which they could secure themselves, and debark their troops and stores. The wind being strong from the S.E., and accompanied with rain, I could only communicate by signal. I accordingly denoted the bearing and reputed force of the Enemy, and directed the Foudroyant, Audacious, and Northumberland to chase to windward, and the Lion to look out off the passage between Gozo and Malta, while the Queen Charlotte was kept as close in with the mouth of the harbour as the batteries would admit of; the Alexander, at the same time, was under weigh on the South-East side of the Island. On the 16th, I was joined by the Phaeton, from Palermo; and the wind having shifted to the N.W., which afforded a favourable opportunity for landing the Neapolitan troops at Marsa Sirocco, I accordingly embraced it, and in the afternoon returned off the harbour of Valetta. Signals were made from various parts of the Island, of an Enemy's being in sight, and with the Queen Charlotte, Phaeton, Sirena Neapolitan Frigate, and Minorca Sloop, I anxiously continued to maintain a position near the shore, to prevent the Enemy from passing within us, and to expose them to the attack of his Majesty's Ships that were in pursuit of them. On the morning of the 19th, El Corso joined with a large French armed Store Ship, which she took possession of at four o'clock in the afternoon of the 18th, by signal from Lord Nelson, whose Squadron was then engaged with the French. Captain Ricketts reported this Ship to be the Ville de Marseilles, loaded with salt meat, brandy, wine, clothing, stores, &c., &c. She sailed from Toulon on the 7th instant, in company with the Généreux, seventyfour, Admiral Perrée, Badine, twenty-four, and two Corvettes, having near four thousand troops on board for the relief of Malta. At four, P.M., the Foudroyant and Audacious joined me, and I was acquainted by Rear-Admiral Lord Nelson, that the Généreux had surrendered without any action, and that the three Corvettes had escaped, from all the Line of Battle Ships having anxiously pressed after the French Admiral. I have the honour to enclose a copy of Lord Nelson's letter. His Lordship has on this occasion, as on all others, conducted himself with skill, and great address, in comprehending my signals, which the state of the weather led me greatly to suspect. Captain Peard has evinced excellent management from the moment he first discovered the Enemy off the South-West end of Sicily, until the period of the capture; and Lieutenant William Harrington, commanding the Alexander in the absence of Captain Ball, has shown great merit in so ably conducting that Ship in presence of so superior a force, previously to the appearance of Lord Nelson. I beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships' consideration. I have detached Ships in all directions to endeavour to pick up the stragglers. I have the honour to be, &c., KEITH."-London Gazette 29th of March, 1800.] Foudroyant, at Sea, off Cape di Corvo, eight Leagues West of Cape My Lord, This morning at daylight, being in company with the Ships named in the margin," I saw the Alexander in chase of a Line of Battle Ship, three Frigates, and a Corvette. At about eight o'clock she fired several shot at one of the Enemy's frigates, which struck her colours, and leaving her to be secured by the Ships astern, continued the chase. I directed Captain Gould of the Audacious, and the El Corso brig, to take charge of this prize. At half-past one P.M., the Frigates and • Northumberland, Audacious, and El Corso Brig. Corvette tacked to the westward; but the Line of Battle Ship not being able to tack without coming to action with the Alexander, bore up. The Success being to leeward, Captain Peard, with great judgment and gallantry, lay across his hawse, and raked him with several broadsides. In passing the French Ship's broadside, several shot struck the Success, by which one man was killed, and the Master and seven men wounded. At half-past four, the Foudroyant and Northumberland coming up, the former fired two shot, when the French Ship fired her broadside, and struck her colours. She proved to be the Généreux, of seventy-four guns, bearing the Flag of Rear-Admiral Perrée,' Commander in Chief of the French Naval force in the Mediterranean, having a number of troops on board from Toulon, bound for the relief of Malta. I attribute our success this day to be principally owing to the extreme good management of Lieutenant William Harrington,R who commanded the Alexander in the absence of Captain Ball, and I am much pleased with the gallant behaviour of Captain Peard, of the Success, as also with the alacrity and good conduct of Captain Martin and Sir Edward Berry. I have sent Lieutenant Andrew Thomson,' First Lieutenant of the Foudroyant, to take charge of the Généreux, whom I beg leave to recommend to your Lordship for promotion, and [have] sent her under care of the Northumberland and Alexander to Syracuse, to wait your Lordship's orders. I have the honour to be, &c. BRONTE NELSON. Captain Shuldham Peard, of the Success, was made a Superannuated RearAdmiral in 1814, but was placed on the Active List in 1827, and died a Vice-Admiral of the White, in December 1832. 7 Rear-Admiral Perrée was struck by a shot from the Success, and died of his wounds on the following day; and on the 19th, the Major of Division, Poulain, wrote to Lord Nelson, requesting him to order that funeral and military honours should be rendered to the deceased, adding-" Veuillez ne point me refuser cette faveur, que je regarderai comme un hommage rendu aux manes d'un brave homme, qui emporte avec lui les regrets et l'estime de tous ses camarades."—Autograph, in the Nelson Papers. • Lieutenant William Harrington, who obtained that rank in 1796. In 1802, he commanded the hired armed Brig La Védette, and appears to have died a Lieutenant before 1809. • Lieutenant Andrew Thomson was not promoted until October 1801, and died a Commander in 1828. |