TO GOVERNOR BALL, MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.] My dear Ball, February 27th, 1800. Your letter relative to the movements of the French Ships has put me a little on the alarm for fear they should escape, therefore, I wish to know precisely whether I may depend on information by guns, signals, &c., if the French Ships make any movements, for instance, this night. I only wish to have an opportunity of getting our lost anchor, to proceed and anchor off La Valetta; my heart would surely break if they escape; therefore, either tell me to go directly off Valetta, or say you may stay safely and trust to our vigilance. The Vincejo brig, the only Vessel with me, shall go off the Town, -communicate to General Graham. Would not false attacks and firing down the harbour prevent their waiting? for if the Enemy are serious in getting out their Ships, the game is up in La Valetta: write to me this night if it is possible. If we are here to-morrow, I shall rejoice to see you and Captain Vivian; I rely on Captain Vivian not to let these fellows steal their Ships from us. I rejoice to hear Troubridge is better: I wrote him a line this morning. Ever, my dear Ball, believe me, your obliged and affectionate friend, 5 BRONTE NELSON. A very interesting and warm-hearted letter from Sir Thomas Troubridge to Lord Nelson, of the 24th of February, shows that his Lordship had taken slight offence My Lord,-The trip of yesterday, and at a supposed want of attention towards him: " the efforts made the day before, though really more an object for an hospital, than one to pay a friendly visit, General Graham and Ball will tell your Lordship how All this ill I was, and did not reach my Ship till ten o'clock, much tired, &c., &c. will, I trust, cause your Lordship to acquit me of the smallest want of respect and attention, which your letter of the 22nd, which I found on my return last night, accuses me of. . . . . It has really so unhinged me, that I am quite unmanned and crying. I would sooner forfeit my life-my everything, han be deemed ungrateful Pray, pray, acquit me; for I to an Officer, and friend, I feel I owe so much to. There is not a man on earth I love, honour, and esteem really do not merit it. more than your Lordship. Please God I recover, and get from my bed, which I am now confined to, I will be again on board the Foudroyant. Yesterday I had not received your letter; I had only heard, in a friendly note, that you were surprised at not hearing from me. At that very time two letters of mine were, and had been for days, on their way. . . . By what Lord Keith said yesterday to the General, you will be left here. Remember, my Lord, the prospects are rather good at present of TO MRS. SUCKLING. [From "The Athenæum."] My dear Madam, February 27th [1800], off Malta. I am only this day favoured with your letter of November, and have immediately signed the powers of attorney, which, I trust, will satisfy all parties; nothing, believe me, will ever give me greater pleasure than fulfilling the will of my dear Uncle. I can say little good of myself: I am far from well; but ever believe me, your most affectionate friend, BRONTE NELSON. TO VICE-ADMIRAL LORD KEITH, K.B. [Letter-Book.] 28th February, 1800. My dear Lord, The Entreprenant is this moment arrived from Corfu, and I send her directly to your Lordship, only directing her to call at Marsa Sirocco, to carry seventy Maltese to the Généreux. The French Ships are perfectly ready to put to sea: six hundred Maltese have been raised to complete their complements, and Ball thinks they will assuredly attempt it the first fair wind. With the Alexander, who is just arrived, I shall ⚫ anchor off La Valetta, and prevent their escape, if possible. The intended movements of their Ships is a convincing proof to me that the Garrison has lost all hopes of a successful resistance, and I wish that General Graham would make false attacks; but I am no soldier, therefore ought not to hazard reducing this place, and that William Tell, Diane, and Justice, are the only three ships left from the Nile Fleet. I beseech you hear the entreaties of a sincere friend, and do not go to Sicily for the present. Cruizing may be unpleasant. Leave the Foudroyant out, and hoist your Flag in the Culloden, to carry on the operations with the General. Everything shall be done to make it comfortable and pleasing to you: a month will do all. If you comply with my request, I shall be happy, as I shall then be convinced I have not forfeited your friendship. The strong fever I labour under at present must plead my excuse for this jumble: I am unable at present to correct it; I therefore conclude, praying your Lordship not to harbour the smallest idea that I am not the same Troubridge you have known me."—Autograph, in the Nelson Papers, 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.] Foudroyant, off Malta, 4th March, 1800. Dear Sir, As Lord Keith, the Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean 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. know you have made a similar requisition; but I hope very soon that the weather will become so moderate, that they can |